The week of September 19, 2022

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein

Reflecting on the last few years, a new found gratitude has certainly emerged for many of us. Some of us miss the days before the pandemic, longing for the world as we once knew it. Others of us have grown into an appreciation for the world as it has become. This week, we are feeling particularly grateful for the abundant thought leadership Louisville has been  so lucky to nurture enduringly. In this issue, we revisit the “revolutionary” 2015 International Gathering of King Charles here in the River City. Moreover, we also recognize how lucky the city has been to evolve throughout the tremendous legacy of Sadiqa Reynolds. Both reminded us and reinforced the critical and intersectional relationship between environment and healthy communities. As we call in a renewed season of gratitude, may we also solidify our commitments to listen to each other and to observe the wisdom of the natural world. Indeed, our greatest teachers tend to be right outside our comfort zones.

We Louisvillians know King Charles III maintains a fierce commitment to environmental protection and harmonious modalities. His book, Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, was and remains deeply influential to the New Vision of Health mission. 

Throughout his visit to Louisville in 2015, the King of England spoke at length about the necessity of the natural world guiding decision making and using the depth of these insights to inform community building. His mother’s clear love of and awe for nature was a decisive and formative part of his outlook, and she will be remembered for her strong leadership on environmental health. As he ascends the throne, King Charles III has the opportunity to continue building on his reputation as a thought leader in food systems and sustainable alignment. Our hope for His Majesty is continued confidence and inspiration to lead with fortitude on sustainability, reaffirming the tenet that health is a shared resource we are all part of nurturing. 

The University of Louisville’s Center for Healthy Air, Water and Soil will begin testing for pathogens including polio, RSV, and influenza strains. Among the first institutions to research COVID’s presence in wastewater in early 2020, center director Ted Smith notes the need to further expand the testing panel to review for multiple infection types. This will allow the researchers to understand more about which parts of Louisville may have been “under-tested or under-vaccinated just by the wastewater signature.” Additional details can be found here. 

Last Friday, the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet reported that PFAS chemicals were found in every major watershed across Kentucky. At high levels of exposure, these chemicals have been linked to several cancers. In response, the Kentucky Department of Environmental protection has issued an advisory warning on Fish Consumption. At present, there is no regulation which limits their use or consumption. Previous legislative efforts to establish maximum PFAS limits for drinking water and industrial discharges have not been assigned to a committee. 

Just before his announcement as the Archbishop of the Louisville Dioceses, Shelton Fabre spoke clearly to the Institute of Archbishop Leadership about the need to address the “grave sin of racism.” He continued by recognizing the divergent journey this will ask of church leadership. For some, he notes, this will be a journey of “optimism, hope and advancement,” while for others, it’s one of “fear, dread, injustice and discrimination.” Fabre concluded by offering 6 tangible ways to respond to the sin of racism, detailed here.