Food is not our only source of physical nourishment. We also need intangibles like clean air and water in order to grow and thrive as humans. Public awareness regarding this has been heightened with the recent spotlight on environmental issues such as BPA in baby bottles. This week we focus on creating a safe and non-toxic world, as we speak with children’s health advocate Elisa Boxer, Steve Taylor of the Environmental Health Strategy Center and Dr. Doug Dransfield of Maine Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Guests
Elisa Boxer
Elisa Boxer, Children’s Health Advocate and Emmy-winning journalist, found herself at the center of a story that changed her life and set her on a path to protect children from toxins in everyday products. After Elisa and her son became seriously ill from exposure to chemicals in new building materials, Elisa became a nationally-recognized environmental health advocate, taking on the chemical industry and helping to pass laws that strengthen Maine’s toxics policies. She serves on the board of directors of the Natural Resources Council of Maine and True North health Center. Elisa is also the founder of the Smart Meter Safety Coalition and is in training to become a certified yoga instructor, with a focus on helping people heal from chronic illness and injury.
Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor is the Program Manager of the Environmental Health and Strategy Center. He is a long-time organizer and advocate with twenty years of experience in leadership development, campaign strategy, strategic planning, and organizing within the environmental, social justice and labor movements. Steve serves as the Strategy Center’s Campaign Manager leading our environmental health campaign and coordinating the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine.
Steve has also served as organizing director for the Maine People’s Alliance, where he helped win reauthorization of Maine’s Toxics Use Reduction Act, and worked as an organizer for SOCM (Save Our Cumberland Mountains) in Appalachia, for public employee unions in Georgia and Louisiana.
He lives in Topsham, Maine with his wife Tracy and son Jasiah.
Doug Dransfield, M.D.
Doug Dransfield,M.D. is a retired pediatrician. He was a member of the Pediatric Department at Maine Medical Center for 25 years and for the first 20 years was a neonatologist caring for infants in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. He is member of Physicians for Social Responsibility and is on the Board of Directors for the Maine Chapter.
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Our financial wellness tip of the week is brought to you by Tom Shepard of Shepard Financial. While Dr. Lisa Radio Hour business advisor, Marci Booth of BOOTH Maine, offers better business tips, Ted Carter of Ted Carter Inspired Landscapes shares important talking points, and Black Bear Medical covers health and fitness updates.