Fall 2016 Seminar Series presents Dr. Keeve Nachman
"Risks and perceptions among urban agriculture participants"
UMBC Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education
Fall 2016 Seminar Series presents
Dr. Keeve Nachman
Department of Environmental Health & Engineering and Department of Health Policy and Management
The John Hopkins University
Bloomberg School of Public Health
"Risks and perceptions among urban agriculture participants in Baltimore"
Abstract
As societal recognition of the consequences of industrialized food production system increases, there has been a renewed focus on the capacity of cities to serve as part of an alternative strategy for producing safe and health food. While the scientific evidence base surrounding the benefits of urban agriculture for both practitioners and communities is growing, concern remains surrounding the risks posed by contact with contaminated soils and consumption of the yields of urban agriculture. I will discuss the findings of Baltimore-based urban agriculture research projects aimed at understanding the public health significance of urban soil contamination. The first of these studies examined the knowledge and behaviors of urban community gardeners and related support organizations and local government agencies with regard to the issue of soil contamination. I will also discuss a second study, which is ongoing, to describe the behaviors of urban foragers and their associated risks. Finally, I will speak briefly about a recently-launched, community-driven study of urban farm and community garden agricultural practices and estimation of associated chemical exposures.
This seminar series http://cuere.umbc.edu/seminar-series/fall-2016/ is free and open to the public.
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Parking policy
Parking passes for off-campus guests in the TRC lot are required at the cost of $4.00 per car. Parking passes may be picked up and paid for (cash only) before seminar by stopping by the CUERE office in TRC 102 /105 and seeing a staff member. Please contact us at 410-455-1763 with any questions regarding logistics.
View our web site at http://cuere.umbc.edu