What Is Healthy Families, Healthy Environment?

Healthy Families, Healthy Environment is an educational campaign that exists to help families protect their loved ones from environmental health threats. As Christians striving to help others, the threefold purpose of the Healthy Families, Healthy Environment educational campaign is to provide the information necessary for parents to: (1) protect their family from environmental health threats, (2) know how they can help to reduce and even prevent environmental health threats, and (3) assist them in helping poor families in the U.S. and around the world who face the gravest environmental health threats.

This effort is led by the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) and includes many other organizations. The purpose of EEN, a biblically orthodox Christian organization, is "to declare the Lordship of Christ over all creation." EEN's statement of faith is the Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation, which can be found on EEN's Web site.

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The Guiding Principles of Healthy Families, Healthy Environment

1. All children are gifts from God. Parents and the broader community are called by God to protect all children from harm.
2. All children are affected by exposures to environmental health threats, some of which cause irreversible damage. Children's growing bodies are more vulnerable to pollution than the bodies of adults. From conception forward parents should protect their children from environmental threats to their health and well-being.
3. Environmental health threats encountered by parents can lead to serious disruptions of a healthy family life. Parents should protect themselves from environmental health threats for the sake of their families.
4. Healthy Families, Healthy Environment will assist parents in protecting their children and themselves from harm from environmental health threats.
5. Families helped by the campaign will in turn help poor families disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards.
6. Prayer by campaign participants is essential for protecting their families. Healthy Families, Healthy Environment will encourage participants to seek God's aid, guidance, and sustaining grace in protecting children and parents from environmental health threats.
7. Healthy Families, Healthy Environment exists to help families fulfill the Great Commandments: to love God and love what God loves.

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Our Definition of "Environmental Health Threat"

An environmental health threat is a hazard in the physical environment that leads to ill health, including both traditional public health problems (e.g., bacteria in water and food) as well as problems associated with industrial pollution (e.g., pesticides in water and on food).

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A Note About Our Sources

Information on environmental health found on this site comes from a variety of reliable and trustworthy sources, including the National Academy of Sciences, appropriate federal agencies (e.g., the Food and Drug Administration), and highly regarded, peer-reviewed scientific journals (e.g., Scientific American). In addition, prominent environmental health professionals regularly review the site.

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