April 20th - Pittsburgh - Women's Health and Environment Conference

[MH1]

This should be interesting - guest speakers include Fran Drescher ("The Nanny" and cancer survivor) and Steve Curwood (host of the environmental radio program Living on Earth). Personally, I'd go just to hear Steve Curwood - I *LOVE* ''Living on Earth'' - best program on radio. But it will be really nice to see THK, too!

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2007
Pittsburgh, PA
David L. Lawrence Convention Center

A Free Conference Sponsored by
• Teresa Heinz
• The Heinz Endowments and
• Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC

Through Women’s Health & the Environment: New Science, New Solutions you can learn about recent and important discoveries in environmental health and walk away with strategies for designing a safer and healthier world. The conference features an illustrious panel of highly respected scientists, environmentalists and activists. This day-long conference will empower and inform you to take actions that can improve your life and the lives of the women - and men - you love. All attendees will receive a toolkit with resources and materials to enhance their health and wellness journey.

More info - http://www.womenshealthpittsburgh.org/

This event is also part of the Rachel Carson Centennial - don't miss the reception afterward - with Teresa Heinz and The Indigo Girls!

Don't miss this chance to join with our host, Teresa Heinz, and special grammy-award winning guests, The Indigo Girls, to celebrate the woman whose words and personal commitment moved the world to action in defense of our environment and our health.

For those who aren't aware of THK's great history of work on the environment, check this out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Heinz#Environmental_Programs_and_Advocacy

Environmental Programs and Advocacy

Teresa Heinz has contributed to the environmental movement through many programs and outreach efforts, including but not limited to:

* In 1990, she co-founded the Alliance To End Childhood Lead Poisoning (which later was renamed the Alliance for Healthy Homes), through the first environmental grant of the Vira I. Heinz Endowment. <2> The current website of the Alliance for Healthy Homes lists her as an "honorary board member" and praises her as "One of the foremost advocates on children's health and environmental issues."<3>
* In 1992, she attended the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, as a presidentially-appointed member of a delegation representing non-governmental organizations at the Summit.<4>,<5>
* In 1993, she co-founded, with her future husband Senator John Kerry, and environmentalist academic Dr. Anthony D. Cortese, the organization Second Nature, which brings "Education for Sustainability" to college campuses. <6>
* In 1993 she founded the Heinz Awards, including a category for outstanding contributions to the environment. <7>
* In 1995, through a $20 million grant from the Heinz Endowments, provided initial funding for The Heinz Center<2>, "a nonprofit institution dedicated to improving the scientific and economic foundation for environmental policy through multisectoral collaboration among industry, government, academia, and environmental organizations."<8>
* Since 1996, Heinz has hosted an annual "Women's Health and the Environment" conference series. <9>
* Founded the Teresa Heinz Scholars for Environmental Research program, which annually awards eight $10,000 awards for doctoral dissertation support and eight $5,000 awards for master's thesis support, for research having "public policy relevance that increases society's understanding of environmental concerns and proposed solutions."<10>
* Heinz is currently a board member of the Environmental Defense Fund. <11>
* Co-author with her husband John Kerry, of This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future, to be published in March 2007. <12>

My understanding is that she also was a huge force behind turning Pittsburgh into one of the greenest cities in the country.

So, who's going to join me at this conference on April 20?

[Divernan]

1. I'm checking into it - I have long admired Teresa Heinz.

nt