Health and Environment - We are air says David Suzuki

• • • • • Ingid Iremark
        • Dr. Lynn Marshall
        • David Suzuki
        • General Discussion of the Panel

Swedish government policy / legislative principle: The overall aim of environmental policy is is to hand over to the next generation a world where the problems of today have been dealt with.

5 key health objectives

1. Clean air
2. Non-toxic
3. Safe
4. Quality water
5. Good built environment

There were problems with accountability and in 2002, an Environmental Objectives Council was created: To prepare annual reports of what happened and what further steps are required to meet objectives.

1. Transparency – all involved work in the same direction
2. Precautionary principle – make a decision in a situation where there is a threat, but not all evidence is known – based on previous knowledge rather than current knowledge we can take action. The audience really appreciated the precautionary principle with rounds of applause.
3. Substitution principle – if there is a safer alternative that can replace toxic processes, then these alternatives must be used.

Personal stories of how she got involved in environmental health issues:
- After practicing as a family doctor she got more training in the field of environmental health.
Case 1:
- Worked in a lumber mill – a patient needed lozenges – she noticed what looked like cigarette burns in his hands – He said, “That is just the dip” – Turned out to be a mixture of Sodium fluoride and Formaldehyde used on the green table to preserve wood.
- She tried to get uniforms, gloves and other measures to prevent injury. In the end, the best thing to do, and she had no role in it…“the mill burned!”
Case 2:
- Case 2: Woolen mill – workers in a particular department were having problems with rashes – some employees had a rash immediately upon entry to a room.
- She tried to find out what was in the dip – at the time there were no regulations saying that people had the right to know ingredients because of proprietary information
- Chemical turned out to be formaldehyde, a irritant, sensitizer, and carcinogen

Environmental Health: kids with allergies, irritability; adults had problems with pesticides and perfumes
Biggest challenge is to understand the effects of multiple exposures to toxicities and subsequent multiple effects.
Tools: Exposure history
Takeaway – Hopes that doctors “relate clinical symptoms with hazardous exposures”

Foundation document
Health and environment – "For me there are no distinctions!"
- Human beings are becoming so powerful we take “too much out” and put “too much toxic into the environment”
- First Nations people taught him much: environmentalists had framed the environment debate wrong. There is no "environment" out there outside of us. We are part of the environment. "The state of the Earth is part of the state of our health."
- Intimacy of our connection – left mother’s body – we need air 15-40 times a minute – we don’t think about what’s going on – 300 million alviolae need lots of surface area to take in oxygen
You can’t draw a line between the air and us.
- “We are air”
- What intelligent creature would use air as a toxic dump?
- “Solution is not to buy bottled water!” Claps!
- “Clean the water up, especially in First Nations’ communities!”
We are the earth – food that we eat was a live – “carcasses of plants and animals”
- “What intelligent creature would spray toxic things onto the plants and animals that we consume?”
Advertisement recommendation: Baby with gas mask connected to car.

What are some of the most common environmental health problems?
Doctor Marshall: air related problems – asthma increased dramatically – more than quadrupled – 12% of the population 0 major cause of hospitalizations
- aging population – more hospitalizations from CPD –
- neurotoxic effects – inattention, fatigued in school, learning disabilities – more difficult to make links (Mercury can establish a link) & pesticides
- people who cannot tolerate “insensitivities”: perfumes, exhaust fumes. Difference in detox genes!
- 23,000 chemicals in use in the environment since WWII – not a lot of consideration

Suzuki:
- Impossible to screen effects from a scientific perspective – need a huge array of tests & “What about intersynergistic effects?”
- Why is Canada 27/29 OECD countries?
“We elect a group of people who are wimps!”

Ambassador:
Sweden has more of a sense of vulnerability, bad history in the 50, 60s
- Politically – going on since the 60s, Green party
- How has the entire society come on board? Even the centre-right party continues the left-wing environmental policies! Not that contentious of issue. Industry, unions, government cooperate
- All government bills are screened before – to check if they are sustainable, gender equality,

Doctor Marshall:
National Environmental Health Policy
- Unifying process
- impossible for governments to do it all
- leukemia boy surrounded by golf courses and pesticides - created pesticide ban and won at the SCC!
- Municipalities have power!

Suzuki:
Can individuals make a difference?
- does not let politicians off the hook!
- Power to tax (Green tax shift). Legislate.
- Toronto smog alert – show goes to – hospital full of old and young people

Doctor Marshall:
Biomonitoring involves measuring toxins through urine and air.
- Canadians assume that if there is no regulation then it must be safe

Suzuki:
- Canadians live in cities. We create our own habitat. Think that the economy delivers the services. Strong economy=garbage pickup
- Treat the environment as a trivial part of the economy!!

Economic system society is built on is not sustainability

The economy is created by humanity – it is not something that “came from

outer space”

- Can’t grow forever!
- How much is enough? Health and social problems stem from too much stuff!

Ambassador:
Sweden has been able to reduce emissions 2% and grow 35%!

Suzuki:
– auto sector – seatbelts, catalytic converters, airbags
- lots of opportunity because of corporate sector inefficiency

Canada as a conservative society – Ursula Franklin

Pitfalls seen during legislation implementation times?
Ambassador:
Sweden – In the 1990’s there were too many agencies and organizations with too many goals. There were too few timetables and deadlines and too little evaluation.
Solution: transparency, communication, evaluation. Realism

Suzuki:
Call together a meeting of Federal and Provincial Health and Environment ministers!
Vandana Shiva: “outsourcing pollution to the global south”
Canada has to be seen as as part of the world / environment

Doctor Marshall: poor people are more exposed to more toxins. Poor houing, food. Lack access to healthy activities and food

“Dr’s need to become more knowledgeable because they are on the frontlines.”