DeveloperSiteWFHE, Author at Women For a Healthy Environment

Personal Care Products: Updated Overview

Personal care products in everyday items including shampoo, soap and cosmetics are made of different combinations of chemicals and contain potential carcinogens, allergens and toxins.When creating new personal care products, a company has the option to choose from more than 12,500 different chemicals; the vast majority of which have never been tested for safety by […]

Racism: We are not doing enough!

A child’s zip code must never determine their health outcome. This core belief – that no matter where children live and learn, they should have the ability to thrive without the burden of environmental harms – is the cornerstone of our work at Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE). However, we also know that social […]

So, what is lead?

Lead is a toxic metal that is naturally not found in the human body but is commonly used in our surrounding infrastructure. Lead has been used in buildings, water pipes, paint, gasoline, roads, and even in toys. Lead is a neurotoxin that’s harmful to humans: There is no safe level of lead exposure Lead poisoning […]

Obesogens: Hidden Chemicals

Having trouble losing those last couple of pounds? It may be the hidden chemicals in your food. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)are found in a variety of our food, consumer products, and other daily items (be on the lookout for another blog going into more detail about EDCs). EDCs impact hormones and are linked to a variety […]

Happy International Women’s Day!

“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish” – Michelle Obama. Happy International Women’s Day! In honor of the day, we wanted to highlight 8 inspirational women (and girl!) environmentalists. These activists have shown us that no matter age or how small an idea is, impacts can be created at local, national, […]

Speak out to Get the Lead Out

Advocacy in Action. Advocacy is a critical piece of the work we do here at Women for a Healthy Environment. Yesterday our executive director, Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, delivered public comments at a press release with Deb Gross, Pittsburgh City Council District 7. She joined other environmental organization such as: PennEnvironment, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, Allegheny […]

“A-ha” moments

The importance of Public Health. “A-ha” moments usually come when you least expect them, even during the most ordinary experiences. Sophomore year of college I was sitting in my infectious disease class and I was introduced to a term that I had never heard about- public health. I realized that all the aspects that I […]

Community-focused and Engaged

” Lead exposure is a problem that has a solution “ Lead Safe Allegheny is a coalition with over sixty members representing various diverse sectors. Two of its founding members, Karen Hacker (Medical Director, Allegheny County Health Department) and our Executive Director Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, wrote the following Op-Ed to further increase awareness and participation in […]

Summer is almost here!

Protect your skin AND the environment The sun is out, the flowers are blooming, and it seems like everyone is finally shedding their winter gear and spending enjoyable time outside. As you transition from winter to #summermode there is probably one item you’re pulling out from deep within your spring cleaning. Your sunscreen! You may […]

Public Comments Regarding State Action on PFAS

Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) educates individuals about environmental exposures to public health, provides action steps communities can take to mitigate those risks, and advocates for solutions that create a better tomorrow for all. Through educational programming, technical assistance and advocacy, our organization focuses on creating healthy communities for families to live, learn, work […]

Plastic Free July

Take the challenge! Log into any social media website and you will see all types of hashtags for a variety of different “challenges” to participate in. Some of them may cause you to become a social media super star, but there is one in particular that has the best long lasting effect. The Plastic Free […]

Every Child Deserves a Lead-Free School

There are 500 school districts across the state of Pennsylvania serving over 1.7 million school-aged children. By law, we require children to go to school, thus we must make every effort to ensure that their learning environments are safe, healthy, and conducive to learning. There are many complex issues our schools are facing head-on. Preventing […]

National Public Health Week 2020 – Healthy Housing

Today we are joining other public health professionals during National Public Health Week 2020 and highlighting the impact of healthy housing, especially during this extended time at home! Now, more than ever, we recognize how our home environment impacts our health. As many of us are spending all of our time in our home, we […]

Personal Care Products: A Quick Overview

Personal care products include every day items like the shampoo, soap and cosmetics we use. These products are made of different combinations of chemicals and contain potential carcinogens, allergens, and toxins. When creating new personal care products, a company has the option to choose from more than 12,500 different chemicals; the vast majority of which […]

Wrapping up National Healthy Homes Month – Lead Poisoning Prevention

As we close out June as National Healthy Homes Month, we are taking some time to recognize the decades long environmental health issue of lead poisoning. So, what is lead? Lead is a toxic metal that is naturally not found in the human body but is commonly used in our surrounding infrastructure. Lead has been […]

We are not doing enough!

A Reflection of 50 Years: Celebrating Earth Day!

It was April 6, 1970, the day Raymond and Lillian welcomed a healthy baby girl into this world. It was a different time back then, in many ways, and then again perhaps it feels like time has stood still. Just 16 days after that child was born, me, a movement was “born” as well. Today […]