COMMUNITY CORNER . . .

"Green is the new black."

We’ve all heard it by now – it’s a catch phrase – it’s the clever sound bite our media has taken a liking to in the recent tidal wave of GOING GREEN. The problem is being environmentally conscience is not
a marketing commodity; it is a deeply rooted and heartfelt philosophy - a way of living and conducting oneself for the betterment of the health of our planet and the human beings who inhabit it.

Environmentalists and health advocates have been espousing the importance of a healthful world for over 50 years. Their interests are pure and actually quite simple – take realistic and thoughtful efforts to reduce your own health risks and through that process take those same measures out into your community. Begin easily: recycle a can, eat a vegetable fresh from the garden, don’t spray poisons onto your property. It’s not slick – there are no bells or whistles – it’s common sense and you don’t need a Madison Avenue advertising executive to “sell” it to you. Just open your ears and listen.

HBCAC has fostered our Prevention Is The Cure (PITC) educational environmental campaign for over 7 years. PITC seeks to reduce our exposure to environmental health hazards by increasing our awareness of environmental links to disease, to advocate for the use of the precautionary principle as a guide to one’s personal lifestyle and to foster healthy homes and communities through education and behavioral modification. This is our message to you – practical steps which every person can take to reduce the risk of disease and if you want a slick slogan to capture your attention – look no further. PREVENTION is the cure.

PITC’s signature program is “Prevention Is The Cure Series,” a collaborative educational campaign held every year since 2002 during the week following Mother’s Day. Many free information sessions and hands-on workshops, sponsored by Long Island towns, non-profits, and businesses address topics such as disease prevention through nutrition, personal care products without toxins, healthy schools, organic alternatives to lawn pesticides, the effects of air pollution on climate change and green building construction. This year the calendar runs from May 8 – May 18 with over 25 programs to choose from.

So please visit the PITC website at www.preventionisthecure.org for a full repository of valuable health information and updates on the upcoming calendar of events. And in this world of clichés, sound bites and famous quotes, remember
this: “You’ve only got one life to live – so live it well.” How’s that?