Public Health
Streetsblog LA
Centers for Disease Control: Transportation Reform is Health Reform
The connection between transportation and public health has slowly
edged into the mainstream since Streetsblog Capitol Hill began covering
it last year, first through a billion-dollar grant program added to Congress' sprawling health care bill and now in a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) brief that connects existing U.S. infrastructure with chronic disease, obesity, and premature deaths.
May 6, 2010
NY Senator: Let’s Fight Obesity by Developing Around Farmer’s Markets
Her approval rating on the rise
amid a difficult election battle, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined
the president's campaign against childhood obesity this week by
proposing $1 billion in loans and grants to build healthier
neighborhood grocery stores and farmers' markets.
April 14, 2010
Who’s Afraid of Federal Action on Climate Change?
In financial reports that publicly traded companies file to their
investors and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the words
"material adverse effect" are often found.
April 7, 2010
Senate Health Bill Approved: What it Means for Transportation
After 14 months of drama, deal-making, and declarations of its demise, the health care legislation envisioned by President Obama and congressional Democrats finally cleared its biggest hurdle last night, with the House approving the Senate-passed measure on a 219-212 vote.
March 22, 2010
First Lady Launches Childhood Obesity Push With Nod to Biking & Walking
First Lady Michelle Obama took to the mikes this afternoon to kick
off a national campaign to combat childhood obesity, emphasizing new
initiatives to promote biking and walking alongside a strong focus on
healthier food options in schools.
February 10, 2010
EPA Makes it Official: Emissions Threaten Public Health
Acting under a Supreme Court mandate, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) ruled today that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public
health and contribute to the harmful environmental effects of climate
change, paving the way for pollution regulations under the Clean Air
Act.
December 7, 2009
Senate Health Bill Holds Onto Grants For Healthier Transportation
Back in June, when the Senate was in the early stages of its marathon health care reform debate, several Republicans blasted
the proposed legislation for including a grant program aimed at
encouraging construction of local infrastructure to promote healthier
movement.
November 23, 2009
New Study Shows $56 Billion in Hidden Health Damage from Autos
Transportation's effects on public health are rarely discussed by policy-makers, but they remain very real -- and the National Research Council (NRC) put a number
on them today, reporting that cars and trucks have about $56 billion in
"hidden" health costs that are not reflected in the price of oil or
electricity.
October 20, 2009
WHO Report Highlights Global Health Risk of Traffic
The disparity between the 13 percent of road fatalities suffered by non-drivers and the amount that the federal government spends on their safety -- less than one percent -- may come as a surprise to some Americans. But the situation is far worse in the developing world, according to a new World Health Organization report.
June 17, 2009