April 4, 2008

To: All DHS employees

From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director

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"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
~Martin Luther King Jr.

Next week is Public Health Week in Oregon and nationwide, and this is an excellent time to recognize not only all that our Public Health Division and partners do to keep Oregonians safe, but also to recognize the ways in which public health and environmental health are linked, and how our activities affect both. Not only are they linked, but to paraphrase Dr. King, they matter.

I've written before about the ongoing efforts by our state's public health professionals that take place out of the public view -- screening newborns for metabolic disorders, monitoring food handlers, inspecting public water systems and conducting more than 100 other programs designed to protect the public and prevent disease. Some of that work was highlighted recently when our investigators, in concert with others throughout the state and country, identified a brand of cantaloupe as posing a risk of salmonellosis and alerted the public to that fact. This was excellent work by everyone involved, and undoubtedly reduced the number of people who were made ill by the contaminated food.

But another aspect of public health that also receives little attention is equally important -- how our environment affects our health -- and how our behaviors affect the environment. And in recognition of that connection, this year's theme for Public Health Week is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." This topic was selected to call attention to the ways in which the changing environment can impact the public's health, and to raise awareness of the need to promote environmental equity to reduce health disparities among different population groups.

As is true of many individual and public health problems, environmental dangers can be prevented or at least reduced by changing our behaviors. Every day we shape our future by the values we follow and the choices we make. Unfortunately, both our collective and our individual behaviors are causing environmental changes that in turn are creating greater public health dangers for all of us.

And that's where our agency's value of stewardship comes into play. We typically think about demonstrating this value by wise use of taxpayer money. But there is a greater role for stewardship that we need to consider -- stewardship of our environment. Happily, these two definitions frequently support each other.

We save time, money and reduce environmental pollution when we hold video-conferences instead of traveling to meetings. We produce the same benefits when we write meeting agendas on a white board in the meeting room rather than printing copies for everyone to use and then toss (which I hope at least involves using a recycling bin). And we benefit everyone in the same way by turning off lights and equipment not in use.

To help educate the public about these issues and more, the Public Health Division is sponsoring a series of events next week to raise awareness about the link between individual behavior, environmental change and public health. The list of events is available at www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/spotlight/ph/08flyer.pdf.
You also can learn more about environmental health issues by visiting www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/spotlight/ph/2008.shtml.

In the meantime, I encourage you to think about how your daily actions at work and in your personal life relate to the overall public good. Every small step we take adds up to a lifelong direction. Let's all work together to make Oregon healthy.

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To provide feedback email: DHS.Directorsoffice@state.or.us

This message is intended for all department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.