Environmental Health Chapter 14 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.

2 Grew out of efforts to control communicable diseases United States developed a huge, complex health system designed to deal with these critical health concerns –Natural disasters –Human made disasters Seen as encompassing all the interactions of humans with their environment and the health consequences of these interactions Our responsibility Environmental HealthDefined Environmental Health Defined

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 3 United Nations projects that the world population will reach 9.1 billion by 2050 How many people can the world support? – Already exceed earth’s resource capacity by 20% – Food – Available land and water – Energy – Minimum acceptable standard of living Population Growth and Control

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 4 Figure 14.1 World Population Growth

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 5 Air pollution is not a human invention or even a new problem Air Quality and Smog –Air Quality Index (AQI) –Five major air pollutants: 1.Carbon Monoxide (CO) 2.Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) 3.Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) 4.Particulate matter (PM) 5.Ground-level ozone –Fossil fuels –Smog –AQI values run from 0 to 500; the higher the AQI, the greater of pollution and associated health danger Air Quality and Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 6 The temperature of the earth’s atmosphere depends on the balance between the amount of energy the earth absorbs from the sun and the amount of energy radiated back into space Greenhouse effect –Reradiation causing a buildup of heat that raises the temperature of the lower atmosphere Global warming, or Climate Change –An increase in the earth’s atmospheric temperature when averaged across seasons and geographical regions –Causing an increasing concentration of greenhouse gases Possible consequences –Increased rainfall and flooding –Increased drought –Increased mortality from heat stress, air pollution, tropical diseases, and extreme weather events –Change in land productivity –Melting ice caps The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 7 Thinning of the ozone layer –A fragile, invisible layer about miles above the earth’s surface –Shields the planet from the sun’s hazardous ultraviolet (UV) rays –Ozone layer is being destroyed primarily by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) –Causing increased exposure to UV rays Energy use and air pollution –U.S. is the biggest energy consumer in the world, 85% from fossil fuels –Alternative fuels –Hybrid and electric vehicles Air Quality and Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 8 Indoor air pollution –Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) –Carbon monoxide and other combustion by-products –Formaldehyde gas –Biological pollutants Preventing air pollution and conserving energy –Cut back on driving –Keep your car well maintained –Buy energy-efficient appliances –Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs –Make sure home is well-insulated –Plant and care for trees –Properly remove waste –Tightly seal paints, cleaning agents and other chemicals –Clean and inspect chimneys, furnaces and other appliances Air Quality and Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 9 Water contamination and treatment –Few parts of the world have enough safe, clean drinking water, but few things are more important to human health –Most water goes to water-treatment plants before being piped into the community –Most U.S. water systems provide adequate, dependable supplies, are able to control disease, and provide pleasant tasting water Water Quality and Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 10 Water shortages – Rapid growth of some regions of the U.S. is taxing the local system Sewage – Sewage treatment centers separate fecal matter from water so that it cannot transmit infectious diseases –Sludge that remains is handled as hazardous waste and is contaminated with heavy metals Water Quality and Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 11 Protecting the water supply –Take showers, not baths –Install sink faucet aerators and water- efficient showerheads –Water-savor toilets –Fix any leaky faucets –Do not flush old medications –Don’t pour toxic material down the drain Water Quality and Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 12 What’s in our garbage? –Paper products make up the largest amount of household trash –1% of solid waste is toxic Computer components Disposing of solid waste –Sanitary landfill disposal sites –Biodegradability Recycling –Puts unwanted objects back to good use and reduces waste E-waste –Fastest growing portion of American’s waste stream Solid Waste Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 13 Figure 14.3 Components of municipal solid waste, by weight, before recycling

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 14 Buy products with the least amount of packaging Buy recycled or recyclable products Avoid using foam or paper cups Use glass to store food Recycle paper, plastic, glass, newspaper aluminum, and other recyclables Do not throw away electronic items or batteries – recycle them Start a compost pile Reducing Solid Waste

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 15 Asbestos – Mineral-based compound – Fibers can lodge in the lungs causing asbestosis, lung cancer, and other serious lung diseases Lead – When ingested or inhaled, can damage the CNS, cause permanent mental impairment, cause digestive problems, and possibly death Pesticides Mercury –Affects nervous system, brain, kidneys, and heart Other chemical pollutants Chemical Pollution and Hazardous Waste

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 16 Read labels, and try to buy the least toxic products Dispose of your household hazardous waste properly Buy organic, locally grown produce Store pesticides or toxic household products in a locked place Use a licensed exterminator Preventing Chemical Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 17 Can come in many different forms and from different sources Medical uses of radiation –X-rays Cell Phones and Radon Avoiding radiation –Only get x-rays when necessary –Use sunscreen to protect yourself from UV rays –Use a hands-free device or wired headset when using your cell phone whenever possible, and carry your phone at least one inch from your body Radiation

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 18 Prolonged exposure to sounds above decibels can cause permanent hearing loss –Work place –Sporting events –Concerts Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) –Sets legal standards for noise in the workplace Ways to avoid exposing yourself to excessive noise –Wear ear protection around noisy machinery –When listening to music with headphones, keep the volume at 6 or below (with range of 1-10), use earbuds only 30 minutes a day unless set below 60% of maximum, use headphones up to an hour a day –Avoid loud music Noise Pollution

©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. 19 Become a part of larger community actions to work for a healthier world –Become better educated –Share what you have learned –Join, support, or volunteer your time You and the Environment

Environmental Health Chapter 14 ©2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.