Podcast Centred Content Uses Stories to Mobilize Knowledge
(Nelson, BC, Canada) “Unintended Consequences – Environmental Health and Environmental Justice Knowledge” presents the voices of physicians, nurses, scientists, health researchers, and advocates for consumers, workers, shareholders, wealth managers, and sustainable businesses in a first ever Environmental Humanities introductory post secondary podcast centered curriculum about environmental health and environmental justice.
“Recent studies are showing rising rates of cancer, learning disabilities, reproductive problems and other health impacts linked to ubiquitous toxic chemical and radiation exposures,” explains researcher Stephenie Hendricks, who created the Open Education Resource (OER) curriculum as her doctoral project in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Sustainability Theme with the University of British Columbias, Okanagan. “Young adults are inheriting a world with not only a warming climate, but also with hundreds of thousands of toxic exposures that are likely to impact their futures. I hope that meeting heroic men and women working to protect all of us from these invisible hazards via this podcast format will be both somewhat reassuring and inspirational.”
One of the OER’s participants is David Carpenter, MD, Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, a Collaborating Centre of the World Health Organization in Environmental Health. He says: “It is so important for young people – and the general public, for that matter – to understand what is happening with our very basic need for environmental health protections. The ‘Unintended Consequences’ OER enables anyone to comprehend threats from preventable toxic chemical and radiation exposures. This knowledge is fertile ground for the empowerment of students to reduce suffering, save lives, and lead us to a healthy future.”
“It’s so important for young people to understand the truth about our toxic reality so they can take the lead in cleaning up hazardous chemicals in our environment and personal spaces. This curriculum is an excellent introduction to these threats. It gives students hope that they can make better choices and contribute to real change.” says Stacy Malkan, co-founder of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, author of Not Just a Pretty Face, the Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, and co-founder of U.S. Right to Know.
Paul Saoke, MD, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility – Kenya, comments: “This work demonstrates that scientific literature can be humanised through telling personal stories and listening to human voices. Experiential knowledge is easiest to pass on through this method.”
“According to Forbes magazine, the sustainable business market is projected to grow from $19.76 billion in 2024 to $89.97 billion by 2032. This OER is an easy to digest way of gaining complex knowledge that can help provide a strong foundation for young adults to create innovative ideas and opportunities for success.They will be at an advantage toward finding their successful roles in business and the economy,” says David Levine, co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Network.
“Unintended Consequences” is free and available to anyone at: https://eh-ej.org/.
Contact: eh.ej.oer@gmail.com.