Superhero of the Week: Jon Sharpe

Pssst.  Hey.  Did you know that everyday people have joined forces to protect kids from toxic chemicals in products? They’re pretty steamed about toxic chemicals in things they use every day. So they’ve formed the League of Everyday Superheroes to stop toxic chemicals from invading our homes.  Have you joined yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

Enlisting in the League is your chance to join the many people who put on their capes and masks to make protecting kids’ health from toxic chemicals a reality.

 Jon Sharpe, aka Captain Collaboration, joined the WTC Board in 2011 with a background in educational technology, curriculum development, project management, and science communication. After receiving his Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Washington in 1996, he joined the UW Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health (CEEH) as a curriculum developer. While at the CEEH, Jon quickly discovered the potential of environmental health topics to engage learners of all ages in meaningful inquiry, and came to appreciate how critically important it is to make people more aware of how dependent our health is on the health of the environment.  We asked him a few questions about his superpowers:

Who would be your celebrity (trusty?) sidekick? 

The Precautionary Panther

If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?

I would have the ability to make scientists, legislators, activists, and young people speak the same language when it comes to addressing how our environment impacts our health and the health of future generations. If we are going to solve the really tough environmental health problems we are facing as a society, we need everyone to share a basic understanding of how important the environment is to our health – and how we must stop making decisions based on short-term gain rather than long-term sustainability. This superpower to break down barriers of understanding between groups of people would be complemented by the ability of my trusty sidekick, The Precautionary Panther, to pounce into a room and – with a single roar – make everyone there understand that when a new chemical or technology raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken - even if the science is still uncertain. Together, the Panther and I would be able to help put a stop to the inadequate regulatory controls and irresponsible industrial activity that are taking their toll on our health and our planet!

What do you do to be a superhero for kid’s health?

I am the Administrator for the Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health, a federally funded collaborative research center. Our Center is dedicated to contributing to science-based changes in regulatory policy and public health practice that help lower rates of environmentally induced diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and cancer. We do this by promoting innovative collaborations between scientists, ethicists, community groups, educators, and advocates for change. Some of our scientists focus on protecting particularly vulnerable populations such as young children and pregnant and nursing women. This work directly addresses children’s health and how it is determined by the complex interaction between their genes and their environment. 

Why do you support the Toxic-free Kids Act? 

I support the Toxic-free Kids Act because as individual consumers we can only do so much to bring about change. We need to “vote with our wallets” and buy products that are safe for us, our children and the planet, but we also need the government to ensure that corporations are held accountable for the products they sell – especially if those products are intended to be used by young children, who are far more susceptible to long-term and irreversible harm from exposure to toxicants than adults. This bill would make it easier for parents to make safe choices as consumers by requiring that companies produce and sell safer and less toxic products.