Health Effects of Air Pollution
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Public Health Café takes place at Chaco Canyon Organic Café in Seattle's University District. |
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About the Public Health Café
What is Public Health Café? Public Health Café is a series of informal, interactive conversations intended to raise awareness about the fascinating and often overlooked science of public health. Join us at Chaco Canyon Organic Café in the University District, have a latte or beer, and hear an expert discuss an emerging issue in public health. Then enjoy a lively, guided discussion or activity with the people at your table. Come alone or bring a group. No expertise or preparation required, just a desire to listen, learn, and discuss the topic served up for your intellectual enjoyment. Our goal is that you leave more curious about the topic and fired up about the work that public health has done, is doing, and will do in the future.
Why does public health matter? In some ways, public health is a victim of its own success. Effective public health tends to be invisible – which makes it easy to undervalue. So many strides have been made in the past hundred years. Water supplies are clean and safe, foodborne illness is uncommon, diseases like measles and flu can be prevented through vaccination, and local and federal agencies work to keep the places we live, work and play clean and safe
But the work of public health is far from done! In addition to continuing the work described, emerging threats require new tools and new skills. Global climate change presents new challenges around higher and lower temperatures, drought, rising water levels, and changing geographical distribution of disease. The obesity epidemic requires a public health response to build healthier cities, promote exercise, unravel the genetic components of obesity, and rethink our food production and distribution systems. Nano-materials and other promising new technologies challenge us to find new ways to identify and manage risk, allowing businesses to thrive while keeping people safe and protected. We need public health now more than ever!
Please contact Marilyn Hair (marhair@uw.edu, 206-685-8244) if you would like to learn more about the Public Health Café or would like to be added to our email list.
Past 2011-12 Sessions
Thursday, November 6, 2011 - Ethics & Epigenetics (Click HERE to download the flyer)
Monday, February 13, 2012 - Building Better Biobanks (Click HERE to download the flyer)