April 2009 HealthierYou Calendar

Public Health

Key to the Matching Activity

• National Public Health Week ( April 7-13)
• National Facial Protection Month
• WalkAmerica March of Dimes

Fact or Fiction

Public health is credited with adding 25 years to the life expectancy of people in the United States in the 20th century.

Fact: Public health is truly credited with adding 25 years to the life expectancy of people in the United States in the 20th century. However, ask the average person what public health is and their reply might be limited to healthcare for low-income families.

Public Health is the science of understanding the connection between the way we lead our lives, our impact on the planet, and the planet's impact on our health. While medical providers are interested in the health of the individual, public health providers are interested in the health of the community as a whole.

We encourage you to study the Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century. See how far we've come, how we got here, and exactly what public health is.

To learn more about this topic please visit:

• www.cdc.gov
• www.aphsa.org
• www.nasmhpd.org

NASA in Your Life

Waste water purification

A technology for waste water purification originally developed for flight aboard the International Space Station uses a direct osmosis process followed by a reverse osmosis treatment. Because the product extracts water from a waste product, it is being used in landfills.

To learn more about this topic plase visit www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/ISSspin.html

Down-To-Earth

Join the GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP!

The hardworking volunteers donate millions of hours over a three-month time span, March 1 through May 31, to clean, beautify, and improve thousands of communities, parks, and seashores in all 50 states and beyond. There are more than 565 certified community affiliates. Find the affiliate near you!

For more information please visit www.kab.org.

HealthierYou by Choice

Maintain safe, clean, and healthy communities

The following are simple tips for maintaining safe, clean, and healthy communities:

• Keep a litter bag in the private/recreational/business vehicle.
• Help your employer conduct recycling drives and clean-up projects.
• Ask local businesses to adopt-a-spot and take care of it.
• Donate gently used clothes to needy organizations and shelters.
• Ask your library to establish an environmental corner dedicated to the planet Earth.

Tips for MainTaining safe, Clean, HealTHy CoMMuniTies .