S u n W i s e o n i t o r 2008 SunWise Conference Schedule April 4, 2008 April 8-12, 2008 May 3-4, 2008 June 28- July 1,2008 July 1-3, 2008 July 15-16,2008 Oct. 14-18,2008 Oct. 26-29, 2008 Ohio Association of School Nurses American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance New England School Nurse Conference National Association of School Nurses National Education Association Kansas School Nurse Organization National Recreation and Parks Association American Public Health Association Expo Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2008 National Middle School Association Oct. 30- Nov. 1,2008 Nov. 20-22, 2008 Dec. 4-6, 2008 National Science Teachers Association (Regional Conference) National Science Teachers Association (Regional Conference) National Science Teachers Association (Regional Conference) OASN Huron, OH AAHPERD Fort Worth, TX NESNC Newport, Rl NASN Albuquerque, Nl\ NEA Washington, DC KSNO Wichita, KS NRPA Baltimore, MD APHA San Diego, CA NMSA Denver, CO NSTA Charlotte, NC NSTA Portland, OR NSTA Cincinnati, OH United States Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (6205J) Washington, DC 20460 Official Buisness Penalty for Private Use ($300) EPA430-N-08-001 April 2008 PRESORTED STANDARD POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT NO. G-35 DC O I- DC < 66 C/D I- DC (D < (J VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SUN SAFETY POSTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE! Even if you missed the deadline for the "Limit the Sun, Not the Fun" 2008 SHADE Poster Contest, co-sponsored by EPA's SunWise Program and WeatherBug, you can still vote for the national winner and win prizes! You're probably wondering why it's so important for you to vote. First, you'll help decide which poster is the best at showing us all how to be SunWise! Second, you'll decide who deserves a trip for four to Disney World and a WeatherBug Tracking station—a scientific-grade weather station built to withstand all kinds of weather and record 27 different weather measurements in real time—for his/her school. Third, all students under age 18 who vote will be entered into a drawing for an iPod nano. To vote and learn more about the contest. please visit www.shadefoundation.org/postercontest. Finally, make sure to mark your calendars for next year's contest. Or better yet, sign up on our Web site so we can send you a reminder to participate in the 2009 poster contest. Here's a teaser: this year our state winners received iPods, plus their schools received a Sun UV Station to monitor real-time UV intensity levels (value: $99), a one gallon-sized pump bottle of sunscreen (value: $200), and a box of 3,000 UV- sensitive beads (value: $55). Some states, like New York, Wsconsin, and Wyoming, provided additional prizes, including UV-sensitive wristbands. gift certificates, and other recognition. You can find everything you need to know about the poster contest at www.shadefoundation.org/postercontest. We look forward to having a great voter turnout and even more entries next year! The issue hits home for Katie from Iowa, one of the two national winners from 2007, because her father is a melanoma survivor. Katie knows how important it is to spread the word about sun safety. SUNWISE PARTNERS WITH 5ADIO In an effort to help SunWise deliver a consistent, reinforced message about sun safety, Radio Disney agreed to launch a sun safety segment in a Public Service Announcement (PSA) radio show called "Kids' Concerns." In the spring of 2007, the SunWise team joined Lisa McGovern, executive director of the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program, and Alison, a high school student and "graduate" of SunWise, for Radio Disney's Boston Backyard Show to tape a 30-minute radio PSA. The show featured a fun, informative discussion on how kids can incorporate sun safety into their daily lives. SunWise was interviewed in three additional cities in 2007 (Seattle with Suzie Dicks, Milwaukee with Wisconsin State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster, and Orlando). Stay tuned for upcoming interviews with other Congressional Families members, including Karen Pence of Indiana and Stephene Moore of Kansas. Contact us at sunwise@ epa.gov if you know a great SunWise spokesperson for a Radio Disney interview. Additionally, a 30-second PSA voiced by the Disney teen pop music group T-Squad promoted the health benefits of sun safety and ran on 41 Radio Disney stations. Radio Disney estimates that the PSA was heard around 58 million times by 6-11-year-olds and 10.7 million times by moms. highlights Recycled/Recyclable - Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% (Minimum 50% Postconsumer) Recycled Paper. FDA PROPOSES SUNSCREEN LABEL CHANGES 2 WHAT IS THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL?. NEW ONLINE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. EDUCATOR RECOGNITION. ,.4 DOLLARS AND SENSE ,.4 SUNWISE COMMUNITIES., ------- S u n W i s e o n i t o r S u n W i s e o n i t o r NEW FDA PROPOSAL COULD HELP EASE CONSUMER CONFUSION ABOUT SUNSCREEN On August 23, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new proposal for the labeling of sunscreen. Currently products typically list a numerical Sun Protection Factor (SPF), which is a measure of UVB protection only. Under the new proposal, a product's level of UVA protection will be labeled using symbols (stars) on a scale of one to four, along with descriptors (low, medium, high, or highest). An easy way to remember the two types of harmful UV rays is that UVA rays are the aging rays and UVB rays are the burning rays. Overexposure to both forms of UV rays can lead to the development of skin cancer. The proposal also outlines other regulations, including: • All sunscreens would be required to include a warning statement in the "Drug Facts" box. The warning would read: "UV exposure from the sun increases the risk of skin cancer, premature skin aging, and other skin damage. It is important to decrease UV exposure by limiting time in the sun. wearing protective clothing, and using sunscreen." • The maximum SPF would be increased from 30+ to 50+. • Sunscreens would no longer be able to use the misleading terminology "waterproof" or "sweatproof" Additionally, they could only use the term "water resistant" if a product retains its claimed sun protection after 40 minutes in the water and "very water resistant" if its protection is retained after 80 minutes in the water. The proposed changes underwent a 120-day period of public comment, and FDA is in the process of incorporating public comments for a final rule. The rule will go into effect on a date specified in the final rule. It is likely that the earliest any new labeling will appear is 2009. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE-SIMPLE SUNSCREEN RULES APPLY a generous amount (1 ounce or palm-full) of sunscreen to dry skin 20 minutes before going out into the sun. Studies show that most people apply only a quarter to half of the proper amount of sunscreen, which means the actual SPF they have on their bodies is lower than advertised. Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher. Take your time and apply generously and remember areas that are easy to forget, such as your lips, nose, ears, feet, hands, areas where your scalp is visible, and the back of your neck. REAPPLY every 2 hours - more often if you are sweating or swimming. Sunscreen also needs to be reapplied every time you towel off. Sunscreen should be used in addition to several other SunWise Action Steps. Remember to seek shade, especially during peak hours of sun exposure (between 10 and 4); wear UV-blocking lenses, wide-brimmed hats and protective clothing; and check the UV Index. BECOME A SUNWISE- CERTIFIED OUTDOOR EDUCATOR! SunWise will be releasing a new online sun safety certification program for outdoor recreation staff including camp counselors, scout troop leaders, lifeguards, and anyone else working with kids outdoors. The interactive training will provide users with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to instill life-long sun-safe behaviors in the youth in their care. Tune into the SunWise Web site at www.epa. gov/sunwise to learn more. A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR NEW RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERS EPA thanks the approximately 60 SunWise Educators who have agreed to participate in our ongoing program effectiveness evaluation. These educatorsjoined SunWise betweenjanuary 2007 and February 2008, and were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the delayed Sun Wise-teaching group (control) and the immediate SunWse-teaching group (intervention). As integral members of the SunWse Research Team, both groups will survey their students in March and April before teaching SunWise to determine what students know about the sun, how they feel about sun protection, and what they are currently doing to protect themselves. After the surveys are distributed, teachers in the intervention group will teach students SunWse activities for one to two hours before the end of the 2008 school year. The control group educators will not teach SunWise in 2008. In spring 2009, a similar survey will be distributed to the same students (prior to teaching SunWise to the control group) to see if their sun protection knowledge, attitudes, and behavior changed. After analyzing the results, the control and intervention groups will be compared to see how effective SunWise is at improving sun protection knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. The results of the study will help EPA show the effectiveness of the program and guide improvements of SunWise materials. As a thank you for their time and effort, research team educators will receive a $150 gift certificate to a bookstore and Be SunWise UV-sensitive wristbands for their students. While EPA is not currently looking for additional schools to survey, we value your input and invite you to complete a teacher survey at www.epa.gov/sunwise/survey. Thanks again to our new SunWise Research Team Members! Resource Reminders Don't forget we are always adding new resources and updating old ones on our Web site. Check out www.epa.gov/sunwise to find out more about: New introductory presentations for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Remember that the meerkats featured aren't cats, but members of the mongoose family. The SunWise News Roundup, a weekly e-mail that contains links to sun safety news articles from the past week. Contact us at sunwise@epa.gov if you would like to receive the Roundup. New activities to go along with the Sunscreen Dance song by the Swingset Mamas. An updated Meteorologist Tool Kit. A revised fact sheet on UV Eye Damage. E-mail us atsunwise@epa.gov if you have developed activities, or have suggestions for additional resources that should be developed. We value your input and will show our thanks by sending you UV-sensitive wristbands. Please keep us updated with your current address. If the Monitor was addressed to you personally, then you do not need to register again. If you were not the addressee, or if you have changed schools, please notify us at sunwise@epa.gov so that we can update our records. ------- S u n W i s e o n i t o r S u n W i s e o n i t o r WHAT IS THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL AND WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH SKIN CANCER? The Montreal Protocol is widely hailed as the most successful international environmental agreement to date, and without it, skin cancer would be an even greater problem than it is now. In the 1980s, scientists began to notice a thinning of the ozone layer. In 1987, leaders from 24 countries converged in Montreal to sign the landmark environmental treaty, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Protocol was designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out substances responsible for ozone depletion. Today, 191 countries have ratified the treaty. These countries are committed to phasing out the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (GFGs) and other ozone-depleting substances, once widely used as coolants in refrigerators and aerosol propellants in spray cans. The depletion of the ozone layer contributes to an increased amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Overexposure to UV radiation can cause a wide range of health problems, particularly skin cancer and eye damage. EPA's Stratospheric Protection Division and its partners have made significant strides under the Montreal Protocol to protect the Earth's stratosphenc ozone layer, the environment, and public health. EPA estimates that by the year 2165, actions to protect and restore the ozone layer will save an estimated 6.3 million U.S. lives that would have otherwise been lost to skin cancer. In addition to restoring the ozone layer, phasing out ozone-depleting substances protects the climate. Through the Montreal Protocol, EPA has already reduced U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by more than 8,900 million metric tons of carbon equivalent substances per year—equivalent to the cumulative carbon dioxide emissions of electricity generated to power every U.S. home for more than 13 years. In the September 2007 Meeting of the Parties, which marked the 20th anniversary of the Protocol, the countries strengthened the phaseout schedule. EPA developed a progress report and poster that highlighted the historical timeline of events associated with the Montreal Protocol and the achievements that have been made over the past two decades to phase out ozone-depleting substances. The internationally-acclaimed progress report and award-winning poster are available at www.epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html. EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, Stratospheric Protection Division. Dr. Peyton Weary accepts a U.S. EPA Best-of-the-Best Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award from Drusilla Hufford, EPA Stratospheric Protection Division Director. EPA RECOGNIZES DR. PEYTON WEARY WITH A BEST-OF-THE-BEST STRATOSPHERIC OZONE PROTECTION AWARD In 1990, EPA established the Stratospheric Ozone Protection Awards to recognize exceptional leadership, personal dedication, and technical achievements in protecting the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer. In 2007, EPA honored the Best-of-the-Best award winners as part of the 20th Anniversary of the Montreal Protocol. Dr. Peyton Weary, retired from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, won one of these prestigious awards for promoting ozone layer protection to prevent skin cancer. To learn more about Dr. Weary and the other award winners, go to: www.epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html. Fun Facts About Ozone I? The word ozone is derived from the Greek word meaning "to smell." Ozone has a pungent odor that allows it to be detected even at very low amounts. kj fr Most ozone (about 90%) is found in the stratosphere and the remaining amount (about 10%) is found in the troposphere. LV ^ Ozone molecules have a relatively low abundance in the atmosphere. In the stratosphere, near the peak of the ozone layer, there are up to 12,000 ozone molecules for every billion air molecules. In the troposphere near the Earth's surface, ozone is even less abundant, with a typical range of 20 to 100 ozone molecules for each billion air molecules. Us ^- If all of the ozone molecules in the troposphere and stratosphere were brought down to the Earth's surface and uniformly distributed into a gas layer over the globe, the resulting layer of pure ozone would have a thickness of less than one-quarter inch. For more information on the ozone layer, search the United Nations Environment Programme's Web site for Twenty Questions and Answers about the Ozone Layer: 2006 Update (http://ozone.unep. org/Frequently Asked Questions/). Educator Recognition HOW ONE NURSE IN PORTLAND, OREGON FLAGS THE IMPORTANCE OF SUN SAFETY Jane "Ladybug" McEldowney a school nurse in Portland, Oregon, flies a flag outside her office door to share the UV Index forecast for the day with students and staff at Outdoor School. She tells the sixth graders and their teachers at the week-long outdoor science program in the Multnomah Education Service District about the UV Index and about how to receive the ZIP code-specific forecast. This enthusiastic nurse made flags of the five colors, representing the various levels of UV intensity. McEldowney says, "The weather report is a breakfast feature of our program, so adding UV was easy." For more information about the UV Index and to find out how you can receive the UV Index forecast daily via e-mail, visit www. epa. gov/sunwise /uvindex.html. GO WITH YOUR OWN GLOW CAMPAIGN The Skin Cancer Foundation has launched a campaign where beauty and fashion industry experts speak out against tanning. There is a great video that chronicles the history of tanning and uses archival footage to point out many things that are no longer trendy or have gone out of fashion, including pet rocks, beehive hairdos, mullets, Beta video recorders and tanned skin. The video is available at www.skincancer.org. DID YOU KNOW. The indoor tanning industry has an estimated revenue of $5 billion per year. Several studies have shown that exposure to tanning beds before age 35 increases melanoma risk by approximately 75 percent (range=35 percent to 126 percent). The American Academy of Dermatology (www.aad.org) and the SHADE Foundation (www.shadefoundation.org) offer a limited number of grants for shade structures. Jane McEldowney at Outdoor School in Portland, OR. ------- S u n W i s e DOLLARS AND SENSE: TEACHING SUN SAFETY TO CHILDREN SAVES LIVES AND MONEY Cost-Benefit Analysis of SunWise to be Published in Pediatrics Online Journal A study analyzing the cost effectiveness of the SunWise Program will be published in the May 2008 issue of Pediatrics. The study is unique because few studies to date have analyzed the cost-saving benefits of school-based health programs, and no study to our knowledge, has analyzed sun safety programs. The primary message of the cost-benefit analysis is that teaching children about sun safety saves lives and money. So thank you! We couldn't have done this without your help. You are the reason we're making a difference. Specifically: • Every federal dollar invested in SunWise generates $2 to $4 in public health benefits. • The larger the investment in SunWise, the more cost- beneficial the program becomes for taxpayers. • Over the past nine years, federal spending per person of less than three cents on EPA's SunWise Program is helping to prevent 15 deaths and more than 3,000 cases of skin cancer. For pennies more over the next 7 years, the SunWise Program can save 36 to 56 more lives and prevent 8,000 to 12,000 more cases of skin cancer. • Small behavior changes, like wearing a hat or seeking shade, can lead to significant health benefits in the future. • For very little effort and no cost, teachers can improve students' health (1-2 hours to use activities in the free educational, standards-based SunWise Tool Kit). The full article will be available online in May at http: //pediatrics, aappublications. org/. id you know? jf;' Thi; 10 states with the highest melanoma "'death rates are: Rhode Island, Wyoming, Idaho, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Missouri, Washington, Kansas, Oregon, and Colorado. The top 10 states for melanoma incidence are: Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Maine, Massachusetts, Delaware, and Wyoming. The National Cancer Institute maintains state cancer profiles at statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov/index. html. Visit the site to see where your state .•tanks in incidence and death rates for "'melanoma. Every square'jinch of your body has about 19 million skin cells. Dr. Jill Zamzow's research has found that most species of tropical fish (174 and counting) have sunscreens in the mucus that coats their bodies to help protect theflvf/om the sun's damaging rays. These"'sunscreens are actually made by the algae and corals that make their way into the fish when eaten. Jill says we , may call her "slime girl." SunWise NINE AWARDS AND COUNTING SunWise recently added two awards to its portfolio, bringing the total to nine. Montreal Protocol Public Awareness Award - At the 19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in September 2007, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) presented the SunWise Program with a Montreal Protocol Public Awareness Award for "outstanding work in raising awareness about ozone depletion and the global effort to protect the ozone layer." This is the first international award the SunWise Program has received. Gold Triangle Award - At the 66th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), SunWise was presented with its fourth national award from AAD. The prestigious "Gold Triangle Award" recognizes excellence in promoting healthy behavior in skin care and was for our work with Radio Disney in the summer of 2007. AAD was founded in 1938 and is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations with a membership of more than 15,000 physicians worldwide. Suzie Dicks at Lowell Elementary to announce SunWise Day in Pierce County, Washington. Suzie Dicks and Lisa McGovern accept the AAD Gold Triangle Award on behalf of Sun Wise. CONTINUING SUNWISE OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES AND STATES Washington: To continue spreading SunWise throughout Washington state, EPA announced Pierce County as a SunWse /-i Community at an event in 2007 that featured the fourth grade classes of Lowell Elementary in Pierce County, Washington. The event included a SunWise representative from EPA, School Principal Robert Dahl, Tacoma School District Deputy Superintendent Ethelda Burke, and Suzie Dicks, member of the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program and wife of Congressman Norm Dicks, D-Wash. Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg not only issued a proclamation declaring May 7, 2007, SunWise Day, he also issued ajoint letter with EPA regarding the benefits of the SunWise Program in the school systems, which was sent to K-8 schools across the county. Now that Pierce County has joined King County, WA as a SunWise Community we have our sights set on the entire state becoming SunWise. Wisconsin: In order to announce that Wisconsin joined Arizona in becoming the second SunWise State, EPA hosted an event that featured the third grade class of Northside Elementary in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Elizabeth Burmaster, Wisconsin State Superintendent for Public Instruction; Dr. Mark Wegner, Chronic Disease Medical Director for the Wisconsin Division of Public Health; representatives from the Wsconsin Comprehensive Cancer Control Program; an EPA SunWise representative; and a representative from Tammy Baldwin's, D-Wisc., office participated. The students answered all of the questions correctly when they were quizzed about sun safety and modeled SunWse behaviors when they went outside to test the UV-sensitive Frisbee®. In Wisconsin, the statewide effort is voluntary and began with EPA sending a SunWise Tool Kit to every school district in the state. Check out www.epa.gov/sunwise/swcities.html to learn about the newest SunWise Communities - they will be announced in May. ------- |