Summer Newsletter 2018

June 2018                                                                                  Vol. 13 / No. 2

Dear Friends,

In this issue, we honor veterans for their service with an update from our Medical Advisor, Ben Kligler, MD, who is also National Director for Integrative Health at the Veterans Health Administration. We are grateful for his work to bring integrative health to our military and his service as an agent of change in helping veterans gain access to more healing modalities.

As summer gets into full swing, and our kids are enjoying the outdoors, I highlight ways we can protect kids and the planet, with simple steps we can incorporate every day. Many families haven’t considered the health or environmental benefits of encouraging kids to reduce electronic use, but the effort is well worth it.

We also highlight a recent students' event at Hackensack University Medical Center, where we sponsored a contest for high school students to repurpose sterile blue wrap. This wrap is critical in hospitals, where among other uses, it maintains the sterility of surgical instruments prior to use. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 19 percent of operating room waste is blue wrap. Area students created one-of-a-kind items from blue wrap, from prom dresses to umbrellas and even a sleeping bag. By showing how a large waste stream contributor can be repurposed, we lighten the load on landfills and give a second life to this material.

Wishing you a healthy summer,

Deirdre Imus

Let's Protect our Kids and Our Planet

My life’s work, and that of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center^{® _,} has been devoted to identifying and reducing toxic environmental exposures to protect and improve children’s health. Read more

Integrative Medicine at the VA

For the past two years, in addition to my work at The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center®, I have had the privilege to work as the National Director for Integrative Health at the Veterans Health Administration. Read more

"One Man's Waste is Another Man's Treasure"

It’s finally getting warm and it is that time of the year for getting rid of old junk and cleaning up for spring, but this month, I am going to give a tip for those of us who work in a hospital or surgery center, on cleaning up something different. Read more

Environmental Health Legislation