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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
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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.,
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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.
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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.
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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.
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