Samantha Shapiro | Building Community & Water Resilience with an Environmental Scientist

In this insightful episode of Healthy Desert Healthy You, host Will Dean talks with environmental scientist Samantha Shapiro of Palm Desert about her experiences at the second annual Healthy Desert Healthy You Environmental Health Summit. Samantha shares key takeaways on how local governance, private sectors, and residents can work together to improve environmental health. The conversation dives into water quality and supply challenges in the Coachella Valley, including arsenic contamination, groundwater management, and tribal involvement in water governance. Samantha also discusses the Salton Sea restoration, community action, and how environmental health connects directly to public health outcomes. Tune in for a grounded and hopeful conversation about protecting our desert’s most vital resource—water.

Takeaways:

·      Local governance and community collaboration are key to environmental health.

·      Arsenic contamination remains a serious issue in parts of the Coachella Valley.

·      Both water quality and supply must be addressed equally.

·      Residents can contact local water agencies for testing and support.

·      Tribal participation is essential in water governance and conservation.

·      The Salton Sea restoration offers hope through new habitat projects.

·      Education about local water sources empowers community action.

·      Environmental and public health are deeply interconnected in desert communities.

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