921 Chemicals in Everyday Products May Raise Breast Cancer Risk. Meet the Researcher Behind the Finding.
A scientist at the Silent Spring Institute has identified 921 chemicals that may contribute to breast cancer development — and 90 percent of them are found in everyday products like […]
Mira Lloyd Dock: The Harrisburg Environmental Leader Who Helped Shape the Progressive Era
Mira Lloyd Dock, born in 1853 in Harrisburg, PA, is one of the people who gave the Progressive Era its name. Mira was from a wealthy family that ensured its […]
They Said Enough: Celebrating the Women Who Shaped the Environmental Movement
At Women for a Healthy Environment, we celebrate Women’s History Month every day. Our organization was built by women environmental health advocates who understood they had to stand up, take […]
George Washington Carver: Farming Lessons the Climate Era Still Needs
George Washington Carver, considered the early architect of regenerative farming, helped shift Southern agriculture away from practices that exhausted land and trapped many farmers in fragile economies. His work connected […]
Johnie Perryman: A Champion for Clean Air in Clairton
This Black History Month, Women for a Healthy Environment honors Johnie Frank Perryman, a Clairton community leader who helped strengthen the clean-air movement in the Mon Valley. Johnie passed away […]
Have You Heard of Environmental Justice Areas? Thank Hazel M. Johnson
Born in Louisiana in 1935, Hazel M. Johnson was the eldest of four children, though none of her siblings made it to their first birthday. Hazel was orphaned by 12. […]
The Data Is Clear, Schools Need More Funding to Protect Health and Succeed
When we send our children to school, we expect them to be in a safe, healthy environment that promotes learning and growth. Unfortunately, for too many Pennsylvania students, that’s not […]
New Report Reveals Persistent Environmental Risks Facing Pennsylvania Schoolchildren
Pittsburgh, PA — Aug. 20, 2025, Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) unveiled the State of Environmental Health in PA Schools 2025 report, the most comprehensive statewide assessment ever conducted […]
Public Health Highlighted This Week
National Public Health Week is here; we are taking this time to celebrate progress and highlight successes but also making a commitment to you. Last week, public health was impacted. […]
Meet Mia Meridith: Supporting Families Through Healthy Homes Assessments
At Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE), our team is committed to helping families create healthier living spaces. One of the newest members of our team, Mia Meridith, brings a […]
From Diagnosis to Advocacy: Jackie’s Story of Radon Awareness
Every January, we spotlight the critical importance of radon awareness and action. This year, we are privileged to share Jackie’s powerful story—a journey from an unexpected lung cancer diagnosis to […]
A Year in Review – 2024
As 2024 ends, I’m proud of the work Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) has accomplished. The numbers reflect the dedication of our staff, but the true impact lies in […]
Warren County, NC and the Earliest Protests of the Environmental Justice Movement
The year was 1982. To remind you of that time, here is a list of several global and national events that were happening, to jog your memory: And in that […]
Breathing Easy: New Study Shows Dramatic Improvement in Childcare Center Air Quality
Every child deserves to breathe clean air, especially during their crucial developmental years. However, indoor air pollution can pose a significant health threat, especially for children with asthma or respiratory […]
Top 20 for All the Wrong Reasons: Pittsburgh’s Air Quality Crisis
Pittsburgh’s air quality consistently ranks among the worst in the nation, placing the city in the top 20 for year-round and short-term particle pollution. This pollution poses serious health risks, […]
Town Hall to Highlight Allegheny County Water Quality
We will be hosting a Town Hall on Thursday, 9/14 at the Homewood Community Engagement Center, Main Classroom 622 N. Homewood Ave., in Pittsburgh to discuss water quality ratings from […]
January is National Radon Action Month: Here’s What You Need to Know
Radon gas – it’s odorless, colorless, and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. This invisible poison rises from the ground beneath our feet, a result of […]
Highlighting Community Health Worker Response to COVID-19
Over the past year, Women for a Healthy Environment received funding through the Allegheny County Health Department to support the expansion of our Community Health Worker team. Through this opportunity, […]
WHE celebrates the signing of the Infrastructure Bill and urges Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act
We celebrate President Biden’s signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act today. We also urge Congress to swiftly pass the Build Back Better Act that will provide funding for equally necessary steps to respond to climate change at scale, prevent families from having to choose between basic needs like childcare or housing, and remediate environmental hazards in our homes.
Forever Chemical (PFAS) Causes a Water Crisis
On July 16th, McKeesport, PA residents were advised to not use their tap water for any purpose following a fire in the community. It was believed that more than 500 homes could have water contaminated with PFAS, a toxic class of chemicals that had been released from a chemical-based firefighting foam, known officially as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF).