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INTERNET RESOURCES: Environmental health: Sites that focus on protecting our natural resources

by Ola Carter Riley

The relationship between the environment and living organisms is inseparable. Water, air, land, and soil are important to the survival of all living creatures. On the other hand, pollution, global warming, pesticide, and violence, to name a few, are a threat to the health of all life. This selective list of Internet sites provides information on numer- ous environmental health topics, including means of detecting environmental health problems, sources of assistance, and meth- ods of prevention.

Associations

• American Public Health Association.This association claims to be the “oldest and largest organization of public health professionals in the world” with more 50,000 members. The membership includes researchers, health services providers, teachers, and administrators. The association has influenced health policies and set priorities for public health for more than 125 years. Among its notable publications are the American Journal of Public Health and the Nation ’s Health. Access: http://www.apha.org/.

• American Water Resources Association (AWRA).AWRA is open to anyone who is interested in some aspect of water. The Web site provides information on water from American Water resources Association states and conferences, and publication listings. AWRA publishes the Journal of American Water Resources Association. Access: http://www.awra.org/.

• National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).NEHA was created in 1937 and has a membership of more than 5,000, who serve in the public and private sector, in academia, and in the uniformed services. The association’s mission is “to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all.” The major journal for the association is the Journal of Environmental Health. Other publications include books on food protection, hazardous waste and materials, and management and general environmental health resources. Access: http://www.neha.org/.

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).NRDC’s purpose is to “safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals” through laws, science, and the support of its 500,000 nationwide members. The links on this site provide information on issues concerning global warming, environmental legislation, nuclear waste and war, and wildlife and fishery. This is a searchable Web site with a timeline of environmental events. Access: https: //www. nrdc. org/.

About the author

Ola Carter Riley is coordinator of bibliographic instruction at Houston Baptist University, e-mail: oriley@hbu.edu

• Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).This nonprofit organization is designed for individuals and institutions involved in environmental projects related to management, conservation, education, and research and development. SETAC embraces the study of soil science and engineering, biology, and water sciences. This organization has offices on three continents and a membership of more than 5,000. SETAC’s major publication is Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Access: http://www.setac. org/.

General

• CHEM-TOX.This Web site provides links to research articles on illnesses that result from environmental health issues. Articles focus on diseases affecting the immune system, learning disabilities, gallstones, infertility, mental retardation, childhood behavior problems, and the like. Access: http://chem- tox.com/.

• Children’s Environmental Health Network.This site provides resources dealing with ways to protect fetuses and children from environmental health hazards. There are links to information from databases and conferences and governmental policies that protect children, as well as a downloadable training manual with guidelines and teaching tools on pediatric environmental health. This is a searchable Web site. Access: http://www.cehn. org/.

• envirohealthaction.There is a wealth of information on this site for consumers and practitioners. There are links to articles on toxics and health, children’s environmental health, and air pollution that cover plants, indoor and outdoor air, safe drinking water, and climate changes. The coverage of these topics is extensive with links to related articles, Web sites, and organizations. This Web site can be searched by keyword or from a category of listings. Access: http://www. envirohealthaction.org/. The Web site is pow- ered by Physicians for Social Responsibility. Access: http://www.psr.org/.

• Environmental Health Watch (EHW).EHW has a wealth of environmental health in- formation under the broad categories of “House,” “Com- munity,” and “Na- tional/Global.” In- formation on such topics as mold, indoor pollution, chemical accidents, and climate changes are linked from the broad topics. Check sheets to identify and test environmental problems in the home are available through EHW along with practical ways to address environmental health problems. The site also provides a list of recommended reading resources. Access: http://www.ehw.org/.

• National Safety Council’s Environment and Health Center.This Web site provides information for five user groups: educators, the general public, professionals, children, and journalists. There are links to topics on climate change, disaster recovery, hazardous chemicals, and the treatment of radioactive and solid waste. Helpful information on environmental issues such as asbestos and radon are linked from the “Fact Sheet.” Access: http://www.nsc. org/ehe. htm.

• Scorecard.This Web site provides volumes of information on communities, the effect of environmental contaminants on living organisms, and the companies that release the contaminants. An interactive map allows users to enter a zip code to obtain pollution information on water, waste, air, and land. Scorecard provides information on 12 adverse health effects and the chemicals that may produce the effect, a profile of chemicals, and the top 10 cancer-risk counties for air pollution in the United States. This is a searchable Web site. Access: http://scorecard.org/.

Government

• Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR).ATSDR’s Web site has a prodigious amount of information on environmental health issues, public health, and hazardous substances in the environment. ATSDR’s envi- ronmental health links provide case studies, health and nursing information, and topics cover- ing the effects of hazardous substances and hazardous waste on human life. This is both a searchable and bilingual Web site. Access: http ://www. atsdr. cdc. gov/ atsdrhome. html.

• Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention (CDC).The CDC’s Web site has vol- umes of information that cover national and international health topics. Interesting links include “Traveler’s Health,” which provides information on diseases throughout the world. Access: http://www.cdc.gov/. The CDC/En- vironmental Health Web page covers topics such as swimming, carbon monoxide poison- ing, and drinking water, and links to morbid- ity reports and other statistical resources. The site includes additional links to an alphabeti- cal list of diseases from acanthamoeba infec- tion to zoster, which result from environmental problems. Access, http://www.cdc. gov/health/environm.htm.

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).The EPA Web site has a large amount of information on environmental health is- sues for all users. With a mission to “protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment—air, water, and land—upon which life depends,” the EPA has provided links to all aspects of environmental health issues through links on laws and regulations, educational resources, and programs. Access: http://www.epa.gov/. A valuable link is “Browse EPA Topics,” which provides nu- merous links to EPA Web sites on most en- vironmental health issues, such as pesticide, pollution prevention, and water. This Web site is both searchable and bilingual. Access: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/topics.html.

• healthfinder.This site, developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, pro- vides information on consumer health and hu- man services. Through keyword searching or al- phabetical listings of topics, healthfinder has a wealth of information on envi- ronmental health issues and in- cludes links for 26 diseases caused by environmental fac- tors. Access: http://www. healthfinder.gov/.

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).NIOSH is the research arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its Web site has an enormous amount of information on environmental health issues. Topics covered on the site include agriculture safety and health, construction safety, noise and hearing protection, and pesticide illnesses. There is news on current events through the “Spotlight” link. This searchable site links to databases that provide summaries, analysis, and data on safety and health issues. Access: http://www.cdc. gov/niosh/homepage.html.

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).NIEHS is one of 27 National Institutes of Health. Links on this site cover a wealth of environmental health issues, such as research projects, toxicology programs, community outreach activities, and current information in the form of press releases. There are links to the NIEHS library catalog, databases, journal listings, PubMed, CANCERLIT, Current Contents, and Medline. NIEHS provides links for kids and teachers also. This is a bilingual, searchable site. Access: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/.

• Thomas.This Web site is the Libraiy of Congress’ source for legislative information. Keyword searching on environmental health issues results in full text of all legislative information introduced by Congress and the Congressional Record since 1989, summaries of bills since 1973, and other congressional committee reports. Access to environmental health issues can also be obtained through a bill number search or through browsing. Access: http://thomas.loc.gov/.

Institutes/research institutions

• Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute.This Web site provides information on the institute’s major research areas, such as asthma, lung cancer, inhalation toxicology, and allergies. There are also links to resources on minority health issues and the work of the institute. Access: http://www.tli.org/ index.html.

• Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine.This institute is considered to be “one of the nation’s oldest and foremost centers for research into health effects of environmental pollution.” Links are provided to the institute’s faculty and their research interest. There are also links to consumer information on education and public service programs. Access. http:// charlotte.med.nyu.edu/.

• World Resources Institute (WRI). WRIprovides research information and practical ways to protect the earth and improve people’s lives through several links on its Web site. “Global Issues” and “EarthTrends” cover areas such as agriculture and food, population and health, biodiversity, climate changes, and water resources. EarthTrend, the portal for environmental information, provides access to a searchable database, country profiles, maps, and data tables. Access: http:// www. wri. org/index.html.

Journals

• Applied and Environmental Microbiology.This journal provides a substantial amount of research in the areas of environmental microbiology, food microbiology, plant microbiology, and biotechnology. Current full- text articles are available to members only; some articles that are six months old are free online. This journal is indexed in Agricola, BIOSIS, Index Medicus, and Science Citation Index. Access: http://aem.asm.org.

• Environmental Pollution.This is an international journal that presents research on nature, distribution, and ecological effects of chemical pollutants in the air, soil, and water. Abstracts are available online; full-text is available through ScienceDirect. Among the sources that index this journal are Agricola, Bibliography of Agriculture, CAB Abstracts, Science Citation Abstracts, and Environmental Abstracts. Access: http://www.elsevier. nl:80/inca/publications/store/4/0/5/8/5/ 4O5856.pub.shtml.

• Nature.This weekly international magazine covers all aspects of the sciences. Nature provides original and research articles, reports, and commentaries. Other valuable features are book reviews, new products, and job listings. The magazine is indexed in Biological and Agricultural Index, Chemical Abstracts, Current Contents, and General Science Index. Access: http://www.nature.com/na- ture/.

• Marine Pollution Bulletin.This journal covers all aspects of the environmental conditions of lakes, estuaries, seas, and oceans. Abstracts are available online while full-text is available through subscription to ScienceDirect. Among the sources that index this journal are BIOSIS, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, and Current Contents/ASCA. Access: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul.

• Water, Air, and Soil Pollution.This is an international, interdisciplinary journal focusing on the physical and biological processes that may pollute plant life, air, water, and soil. Some sources that index this journal are the American Petroleum Institute, Aqualine Abstracts, Ecology Abstracts, and Current Contents/Agriculture. Access: http:// www.kluweronline.com/issn/0049-6979.

Electronic lists and discussion groups

• Bioremediation Discussion Group.This discussion group is designed to provide a forum for bioremediation topics. Members can subscribe to receive messages in either nondigest or digest mode. Access: http://www. bioremediationgroup.org/.

• climate-medical-L.This electronic list is a part of the EPA Global Climate Change Listservs. It addresses the health risk associated with global warming and water borne illnesses, and shares research findings, information on disease surveillance, and intervention strategies. Archived messages are online. Access: http://listserv.icfconsulting.com/climate- medical-l.html.

• HEALTHE.This electronic list educates the general public about potential threats to physical, emotional, and psychological health and wellbeing. HEALTHE is geared to help individuals develop management strategies to reduce risk, stay healthy, and find solutions to prevent environmentally caused health problems. Access: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/ healthe.html.

• Occ-Env-Med-L.This electronic list is designed to provide those involved in occupational and environmental medicine with a tool to discuss, evaluate, and prevent diseases and health effects related to exposures at work and from other environments. Access: http://occ-env-med.mc.duke.edu/oem/.

See the expanded article on the Web at http://www.ala.org/acrl/resmay02.html

Special environmental health issues

• ECMC: Environmental Estrogen and Other Hormones (EEOH).This Web site is the joint effort of several institutions to provide information on a wide variety of natural compounds and synthetic chemicals that mimic natural hormones. The EEOH site focuses on lead and astrobiology. The links to lead focus on its appearance in the home, in the soil, and in the body. There are also links related to testing for lead. Access: http:// www.som.tulane.edu/ecme/eehome/.

• Edelson Center for Environmental and Preventive Medicine.This site provides links to information on numerous diseases and the environmental factors that contribute to them. Stephen B. Edelson, for whom the center is named, is a practicing physician and a consultant for environmental medicine. “Ozone Therapy” and “Environmental Illness” are among the many links that provide a full discussion on diseases and their relationship to the environment. Access: http://www. ephca.com.

• EXTOXNET.This Web site is the joint effort of several major universities with a goal to provide toxicology information to all users in an electronic format. Available on the EXTOXNET site are toxicology newsletters, information on resources, toxicology fact sheets, profile information on pesticides, and toxicology briefs. Access: http://ace.orst.edu/ info/extoxnet/.

• NLM Specialized Information Services (SIS).SIS is a division of the National Library of Medicine. Access: http://www.nlm. nih.gov/. SIS is responsible for resources and services in toxicology, environmental health, chemistry, HIV/AIDS, and specialized topics in minority health. “Toxicology and Environment Health” links to more than ten databases and other resources related to toxicology and environmental health issues. Other valuable links are “Biological Warfare” and “Health Hotline.” Access: http://sis.nlm. nih.gov/. ■

ACRL offering four preconferences in Atlanta!

Keep up-to-date with the latest developments in advocacy, instruction, information literacy, or rare books at one of ACRL’s preconferences to be offered in Atlanta, June 14, prior to the ALA Annual Conference:

• Legislative Advocacy Workshop.Develop your skills in library advocacy and gain practical information from long-term library advocates who will share their experience and sage advice on the art of persuasion. Visit http://www.ala.org/acrl/ law_ac_02.html for more information.

• Instruction for First-Year Undergraduates: Developing Strategies to Facilitate their Transitions.Explore characteristics of first-year undergraduate students, examine what they are learning about information resources and strategies in high school, and investigate programmatic innovations at the institutional and library levels that meet first-year student needs. Visit http://www.ala.org/acrl/ instruction.html for more information.

• From Expectations to Results: Li- brary/Faculty Partnerships for Assessing Student Learning Outcomes.Explore various assessment instruments developed by IMLS grant recipients, and find out how to adapt their examples to develop something to use on your campus. Visit http:// www.ala.org/acrl/infolitIMLS.html for more information

• RBMS Preconference—New Occasions, New Duties: Changing Roles and Expectations in Special Collections, June 11—14.Explore the changing role of special collections librarians, examine the different aspects and implications of change, and discover how special collections librarians can take advantage of change for their own use and development. Visit http:// info.library.emory.edu/special/rbms/ preconference2002.htm for more information.