Beyond Pesticides Ohio seeks to protect the public, in particular the most vulnerable (children and the chemically sensitive), by promoting safe and effective alternatives to the use of toxic chemicals. A special focus is the promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods in schools.

The group won a significant victory recently by convincing the State of Ohio to legislate that all Ohio schools, public and private, be required to adopt safer IPM pest control policies as part of amendments to Jarod's Law. According to BPO executive director Barry Zucker, "Our Pesticide Alternatives for Safer Schools project (PASS) played the lead role in assuring that a strong, clear definition of IPM was adopted. Despite heavy lobbying from a powerful segment of the pesticide industry to resend the IPM requirement, we were able to push back and preserve this school IPM mandate."

Location(s)

HOW MANY DAYS CAN YOU AVOID COMMUTING ALONE, DURING THE WEEKS OF July 20th – August 2nd?

Carpool - Find a partner, even for just 1 day a week, using our free service at www.OhioRideshare.org.

Bike To Work and To Do Errands - View or print a FREE county bike route map at www.noaca.org/bikemaps.html

Ride the Bus - Visit www.noaca.org/cc2008.html for all the regional transit links Walk - No additional equipment needed!

Telecommute (Work from Home) - First time? This is a good week to try it!

Compressed Work-Week - Work four 10-hour days and take a day off!

Please share your commute story at www.noaca.org/cc2008.html and we will calculate the emissions you saved as a region!

Commuter Challenge 2008 is brought to you by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency’s Air Quality Programs, Rideshare Program, and Bicycle Planning. NOACA is a regional transportation and environmental planning agency. For more info call (216) 241-2414 ext. 252 or 373.

Climate change is not just a health concern for polar bears. It will have serious impacts on the health of families and communities right here in Northeast Ohio.

As part of National Public Health Week, April 7-13, the Cleveland Health Department and many partner organizations have organized a series of events on the connections between climate change and health. The week will kick off on April 7 with a press conference at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Go here for a complete schedule of local events. Go here for the American Public Health Association's interesting website on climate change and the nation's health. And go here to take the Healthy Climate Pledge — pledging to be prepared for climate-related emergencies, travel differently, eat differently, green your work, and green your home.

Location(s)

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week, April 7-13, is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." The Cleveland Health Department has coordinated a series of events. On April 11 the second of two events is a showing of the documentary, "Real Low Calorie Diet," which chronicles the growing local food movement in Northeast Ohio.

Speakers include representatives from the New Agrarian Center and the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition. 

Location(s)

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week, April 7-13, is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." The Cleveland Health Department has coordinated a series of events. On April 11 the topic is "Grow Food, Not Lawns: Presentations and demonstrations on composting, recycling, and community gardening."

Participants include Ohio State University Extension, Cleveland Department of Public Health’s Steps to a Healthier Cleveland, and the Cleveland Healthy Corner Store Project.

In the modern food system, it takes 10 calories of fossil fuels to produce one calorie of food. You’ll use fewer calories if you grow your own or buy locally. Plus, gardening is great exercise, which actually burns calories in your body.

Location(s)

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week, April 7-13, is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." The Cleveland Health Department has coordinated a series of events. On April 10 the second of two sessions will cover "Young lungs at work: Anti-idling in school zones. At dismissal time, students will educate parents about the dangers of idling around their school.

Location(s)

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week, April 7-13, is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." The Cleveland Health Department has coordinated a series of events. On April 10 the topic is "Idling Gets You Nowhere: Presentations and demonstrations on air quality and asthma, opportunities for car-sharing, and small steps anyone can take to improve our air."

Participants include the Cleveland Department of Public Health’s Steps to a Healthier Cleveland, NOACA, City Wheels, and the Cleveland Clean Air Century Campaign.

Location(s)

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week, April 7-13, is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." The Cleveland Health Department has coordinated a series of events. On April 9 the second of the day's two sessions covers preparing for climate change-related emergencies by creating “To-Go Kits” and learning about the health impacts of climate change issues facing our community.

Location(s)

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week, April 7-13, is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." The Cleveland Health Department has coordinated a series of events. On April 9 the topic is "Green & Healthy at Work," a meeting of the Healthy Cleveland Business Council.

Speakers include Jill Ziegler, Program Manager for Sustainability Initiatives at Forest City Enterprises; Andrew Watterson, Program Director for Sustainability, City of Cleveland; and the Cleveland Metroparks ECO-Committee.

Location(s)

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week, April 7-13, is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." The Cleveland Health Department has coordinated a series of events. On April 8 the topic is "Water and your world: Presentations and demonstrations on water quality, greening” your backyard, and how to make a rain barrel."

Participating organizations include the City of Cleveland Office of Sustainability, Cleveland Division of Water, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, and the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District.