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Archive for Philadelphia

How can GAMP & UPenn partner with local neighborhoods to understand Philly’s Air Monitoring Plan?

Posted by Adrian Hoppel 
· Monday, September 8th, 2014 
· No Comments

photo (6)

Project:

Our COEC has been working with Philadelphia Air Management Services (AMS) as they expand their monitoring network for air quality (AQ) in South Philadelphia.

How did we get involved?

Our CEET summer research program entitled Short-Term Educational Experiences for Research (STEER) for undergraduates arranged to incorporate this air monitoring initiative into the curriculum of a local South Philadelphia school. Adriana Garcia, a rising senior in the Earth and Environmental Science Department, worked with two teachers at Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) preparatory school at 2136 W. Ritner Street to develop a teaching module on air quality for students in the Environmental Science classes. The module has now been taught for two semesters, and the participating faculty has been delighted with the results of the project.

How did the project expand?

Over the course of 18 months, AMS put in place the expanded AQ network located several blocks from GAMP, which was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The monitoring station is now fully operational and focuses on the collection of data on priority air toxics as mandated by the 1972 Clean Air Act (CAA) and the subsequent 1990 amendments. During the summer of 2013 with encouragement of AMS, Adriana worked with Jason Henderson from the GAMP faculty and a graduate student from Duke University to expand the teaching module and to draft a proposal to expand the communication of this important AQ data to the surrounding neighborhoods.

How did this idea become a reality?

A STEER student from Brown University, Livia Frasso Jaramillo, and Upenn MPH student, Jessica Meeker, worked with Mr. Henderson and Mr. Ruddick, both from the GAMP faculty to finalize the project this summer and submit it to the City(AMS). AMS agreed to fully fund the proposal, which will initially focus on data interpretation and communication of AQ information to the GAMP school community and its surrounding neighborhoods.

What are the expected outcomes?

AMS financial support will provide increased technology for the GAMP school and the development of two courses that will be taught at GAMP on air quality and community outreach to the GAMP family. By the conclusion of the 2014-15 academic year, we anticipate that GAMP’s leadership role will result in a better-informed student body and community on the importance of AQ and the potential risks that ambient air toxics may present to an unsuspecting South Philadelphia population. The second year of the project will provide additional outreach to the Point Breeze community in another section of South Philly that is experiencing asthma rates well above national and regional levels.

This successful collaboration brought together many willing partners to address an important environmental issue that warrants more investigation. The initiative designed a novel communication approach to better inform an urban population in South Philadelphia addressing their questions and concerns with credible local data on the quality of the air they breathe.

No Comments
Categories : CEET Blog, COEC Blog
Tags : #IamEH, Air Management, AMS, CEET, COEC, GAMP, Philadelphia, STEER

Summer Programs Field Trip

Posted by Adrian Hoppel 
· Tuesday, June 17th, 2014 
· No Comments

The Summer Program students will be visiting Philadelphia Air Management Services

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Categories :
Tags : Air, air pollution, asthma, Community, particulates, Philadelphia, Public Health, STEER, summer programs

May is Asthma Awareness Month!

Posted by Adrian Hoppel 
· Thursday, May 22nd, 2014 
· No Comments

May is Asthma Awareness Month!ReyBlog1

Asthma has great significance for us in Philadelphia because we have some of the highest rates of asthma in the country (26% in some neighborhoods). We know some of the environmental challenges that contribute to these high rates of asthma.  The Philadelphia region has more air pollution than many other places.  Philadelphia does not attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulates and ozone. That means that we have days that have unhealthy levels of particulates and ozone. Particulates can irritate airways and sometimes particulates act as the vehicles to transport other chemicals deep into our lungs.  At the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, we are doing research to help understand the ways that particulates and ozone affect health.  Our goal is to reduce asthma and other health effects of air pollution.

The biggest sources of particulates in Philadelphia are transportation sources.  These include cars, diesel trucks, buses, trains and planes. We all breathe the air but some people live, work or go to school in places where there are more sources of air pollution.  Those who live near major roads or wait for the school bus can have larger exposures. Exercising outside on days when the ozone or particulate level in the air is high increases your exposure because you breathe more.

Do you want to receive information on air quality in Philadelphia?

All you need is a smart phone and the information will come to you. Visit www.enviroflash.info and sign up.  You will receive information about the air quality in the Philadelphia region every day.  You can use this information to plan your exercise and to be aware of days when air pollution can have an impact on your health.

If you would like to learn more about what we are doing at the University of Pennsylvania, please feel free to explore our website!

How to get involved?

The easiest way to stay involved is to follow the COEC at CEET on Twitter and Like Us on Facebook. We will post regular updates on events all around Philadelphia.

Also, feel free to download and distribute the Eight Tips to Help Your Child’s Asthma brochure created by the Pediatric Asthma Task Force of Delaware County (PATF) and the Community Outreach and Engagement Core at the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology!

Interested in participating in research on asthma?

Our laboratories are consistently recruiting research subjects for a number of important studies in asthma and COPD.  Visit the website http://www.med.upenn.edu/airways/, for more information.

We want to hear from you! 

Please share with us any questions you have regarding asthma or any other environmental health issues by using the comment field, contact us, Twitter or Facebook!

Have a suggestion for a topic to be covered in our blog? Let us know! We would love to cover a topic that you are interested in learning more about!

Follow #IamEH for all of our posts and learn about what environmental health questions are being asked all over the country!

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Categories : COEC Blog
Tags : #IamEH, air pollution, asthma, COEC, NIEHS, ozone, particulates, Philadelphia

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