Textbook: Health and the Environment

Transcription

1 Textbk: Health and the Envirnment The Prblem Envirnmental challenges are psing an increasing threat t human health and challenge the sustainability f the glbal resurces. While healthy lifestyle chices reduce ur risk f chrnic disease, if we d nt have clean water t drink, clean air t breathe, and uncntaminated land t grw crps and animals n, we cannt survive. Sme f the greatest envirnmental challenges we face include glbal warming and climate change; ver-reliance n fssil fuels and nn-renewable energy surces; plluting ur land, water, and air; defrestatin and desertificatin, r the the degradatin f land. These challenges are daunting but nt insurmuntable. All f us can adpt respnsible envirnmental practices at hme, wrk, schl, and play t help sustain natural resurces and restre balance t the envirnment. Knw the Terms: 1. Carbn Ftprint: The ttal set f greenhuse gas emissins caused by an rganizatin, event, prduct r persn. 2. Ecsystem: The relatinship between physical (nnliving) and bilgical (living) cmpnents f an envirnment. 3. Fssil Fuels: Carbn-based material such as cal, il, and natural gas, prduced by the decmpsitin f (fssilized) plants and animals. 4. Greenhuse Gases: Gases that accumulate in the atmsphere that cntributes t glbal warming by trapping heat near Earth's surface. 5. Inizing Radiatin: Radiatin that has enugh energy t remve tightly bund electrns frm atms, thus creating ins. This is the type f radiatin that peple usually think f as 'radiatin, and is used t generate electric pwer, kill cancer cells, etc. 6. Nninizing Radiatin: Radiatin that has enugh energy t mve atms in a mlecule arund r cause them t vibrate, but nt enugh t remve electrns; examples include sund waves, visible light, and micrwaves. 7. Nnpint Surce Pllutants: Cntaminants picked up frm brad areas f land as water frm rainfall and snwmelt flws ver and thrugh the landscape. 8. Outgassing: Als referred t as ffgassing, is the release f a gas that was disslved, trapped, frzen, r absrbed in sme material. Term is ften used in reference t indr air quality. 9. Ozne: Gas cmpsed f 3 atms f xygen; fund in tw regins f the earth's atmsphere; at grund level and in the upper regins f the atmsphere. 10. Particulates: Tiny subdivisins f slid matter suspended in gas r liquid. 11. Pesticides: Chemical cmpunds that kill pests, such as insects r rdents. 12. Pint Surce Pllutants: A single identifiable surce f air, water, thermal, nise, r light pllutin. 13. Pllutant: Any agent r substance that cntaminates sme aspect f the envirnment, and has the ptential t harm living rganisms. 14. Radn: Naturally ccurring radiactive gas (clrless, drless, tasteless) resulting frm the decay f certain radiactive elements. 15. Sustainability: T maintain, supprt, r endure; t meet the needs f the present withut cmprmising the ability f future generatins t meet their wn needs. 1

2 Envirnmental Health: Basic Training 1. Basics Defined: Pllutin: Pllutin is the intrductin f a cntaminant int the envirnment. It is created mstly by human actins, but can als be a result f natural disasters. Pllutin has a detrimental effect n any living rganism in an envirnment, making it virtually impssible t sustain life. Pint Surce Pllutants: Pint surce f pllutin is a single identifiable surce f air, water, thermal, nise r light pllutin. Nn-Pint Surce Pllutants: Nnpint surce pllutin generally results frm land runff, precipitatin, atmspheric depsitin, drainage, seepage r hydrlgic mdificatin, where there is n single identifiable surce. The term "nnpint surce" is defined t mean any surce f water pllutin that des nt meet the legal definitin f "pint surce" in sectin 502(14) f the Clean Water Act. Greenhuse Gases: Gases that trap heat in the atmsphere are called greenhuse gases. Carbn dixide is the mst predminant and harmful f the greenhuse gases. Many greenhuse gases ccur naturally in the atmsphere, such as carbn dixide, methane, water vapr, and nitrus xide, while thers are synthetic. Thse that are man-made include the chlrflurcarbns (CFCs), hydrflurcarbns (HFCs) and Perflurcarbns (PFCs), as well as sulfur hexafluride (SF6). Atmspheric cncentratins f bth the natural and man-made gases have been rising ver the last few centuries due t the industrial revlutin. Glbal Warming: Glbal warming refers t the recent and nging rise in average glbal temperature near the earth's surface Referred t as the enhanced greenhuse effect, it is caused by increased cncentratins f greenhuse gases in the atmsphere trapping excess slar heat near the earth's surface. Glbal warming is changing glbal climate patterns. Hwever, glbal warming itself represents nly ne aspect f climate change. Climate Change: Climate change refers t any significant change in the measures f climate lasting fr an extended perid f time. Climate change includes majr changes in temperature, precipitatin, r wind patterns, amng ther effects, that ccur ver several decades r lnger. In recent years, rising glbal temperatures have been accmpanied by changes in weather and climate. Many lcatins have seen changes in rainfall, resulting in mre flds, drughts, r intense rain, as well as mre frequent and severe heat waves. The planet's ceans and glaciers have als experienced sme big changes as ceans are warming and becming mre acidic, ice caps are melting, and sea levels are rising. As these and ther changes becme mre prnunced in the cming decades, they will likely present challenges t ur sciety and ur envirnment. Sustainability: Sustainability refers t ur ability as peple t live a quality life withut sacrificing the natural resurces that future generatins will depend n. Sustainable grwth meets present-day needs withut cmprmising the ability f future generatins t meet their needs (WECD, 1987). As a Cmmunity, sustainability is abut balancing ecnmic prsperity and ppulatin grwth with resurce cnservatin. 2

3 Eclgical Ftprint: An Eclgical Ftprint is a measure f lad that a given ppulatin places n the earth t meet its resurce cnsumptin and waste dispsal needs. A calculated measure f human demand n the Earth's ecsystems; i.e. a standardized measure f demand fr natural resurces that may be cntrasted with the planet's eclgical capacity t regenerate. Carbn Ftprint: Yur carbn ftprint is the ttal amunt f greenhuse gases prduced by human activities, and is measured in units f carbn dixide. Carbn ftprint differs frm eclgical ftprint as it fcuses strictly n the greenhuse gases released due t burning f fssil fuels, and nt the ttal resurces peple cnsume with the land and water area. 2. Glbal Envirnmental Issues: Over-Ppulatin: Experts agree that slwing current ppulatin grwth wrldwide is the number ne envirnmental challenge f tday. If current birthrates cntinue, the wrld's ppulatin will grw t 9.4 billin by 2050, and t 11.5 billin by The human ppulatin is living far beynd its means and is inflicting damage n the envirnment that may already be irreparable. Changes in the ecsystem are resulting in mass destructin f many species. Fd shrtages and famine are ccurring in many regins f the wrld with increasing frequency. The per capita availability f freshwater is declining rapidly. The predminant energy surce fr the the grwing ppulatin is fssil fuels, rapidly increasing the carbn ftprint f glbal ppulatins. Majr difficulties lm unless we take actin t change ur current rate f ppulatin grwth and ur cnsumptin f natural resurces. Zer Ppulatin Grwth: Sme cuntries have enacted strict ppulatin cntrl measures r have encuraged their citizens t limit the size f families. Zer ppulatin grwth encurages each cuple t prduce n mre than tw ffspring. Educatin may be the single biggest cntributr t zer ppulatin grwth. Climate change: The United States is the secnd largest emitter, after China, f carbn dixide frm the burning f fssil fuels. The energy plicy f the United States is widely debated; many call n the cuntry t take a leading rle in fighting glbal warming. The U.S. is ne f nly tw cuntries that has nt signed up t the Kyt Prtcl. The Kyt Prtcl is an internatinal treaty intended t bring cuntries tgether t reduce glbal warming and t cpe with the effects f temperature increases caused by 150 years f industrializatin. The gal f the Kyt Prtcl is t reduce wrldwide greenhuse gas emissins t 5.2 percent belw 1990 levels between 2008 and Air Pllutin: Air pllutin is a mixture f natural and man-made substances in the air we breathe such as fine particles prduced by the burning f fssil fuels, grund-level zne, which is a reactive frm f xygen that is a primary cmpnent f urban smg, and nxius gases such as sulfur dixide, nitrgen xides, carbn mnxide, and chemical vaprs. The health effects f air pllutin have been reprted in research studies ver the past 30 years. These effects include respiratry diseases such as asthma, cardivascular diseases, changes in lung functin, and death. There is munting evidence that expsure t air pllutin has lng-term effects n lung develpment in children. 3

4 Gegraphically air pllutin (including smg) tend t frm in areas that experience temperature inversins such as valley lcatins. Weather cnditin where cl air is trapped under a layer f warm air preventing air frm recirculating. Mst experts agree that the nly effective way t reduce air pllutin is the reductin f fssil fuel use in autmbiles. Shifting t alternate surces f fuels, imprving gas mileage, and using mass transit are crucial t air pllutin reductin. The Clean Air Act f 1970, amended in 1977 and 1990, develped standards fr six f the mst widespread air pllutants that seriusly affect health. Sulfur dixide is a yellwish-brwn gas that is a by-prduct f burning fssil fuels. Particulate pllutin refers t a mix f very tiny slid r liquid particles in the air we breathe. Carbn mnxide (CO) is an drless, clrless gas that is a byprduct f cmbustin, such as mtr vehicle emissins. Nitrgen dixide is a gas emitted by cal-pwered electrical utility bilers and by mtr vehicles. Grund-level zne is a frm f xygen prduced when nitrgen dixide reacts with hydrgen chlride. Carbn dixide (CO²) is a principle cmpnent f emissins frm internal cmbustin engines; it is the mst prminent greenhuse gas and the majr culprit in glbal warming. Air Quality Index: Measured daily, the air quality index (AQI) is a number used by gvernment agencies t cmmunicate t the public the current and frecasted air pllutin levels. Indr Air Pllutin: Because peple in industrialized cuntries spend as much f 80% t 90% f their time indrs, indr air pllutin has been ranked as ne f the wrld's greatest public health risks. Recent studies indicate that the air within hmes and ther buildings can be 10 t 40 times mre hazardus than utdr air. Surces f indr air pllutin include tbacc smke, wdstves, prly ventilated furnaces, and chemicals in interir fabrics and glues. The EPA recmmends three strategies fr reducing indr air pllutin: Cntrlling surces f pllutin, Ventilating adequately Cleaning r filtering indr air. Can huseplants help indr air quality? Recent studies cnducted by NASA, scientists have identified 50 huseplants that remve many f the pllutants and gases fund indrs, including: Ale, Snake plant, Spider plant, Glden pths, Gerber daisy, Chrysanthemum, t name a few. Surces f Indr Air Pllutin: Envirnmental tbacc smke is the great surce f indr air pllutin. Wdstves emit significant levels f particulates, carbn mnxide, and ther pllutants. Asbests fibers in the air lead t many serius health prblems, including cancer. Frmaldehyde is a clrless, strng-smelling gas in sme carpets, draperies, wd paneling, cuntertps, adhesives, and furniture Especially prevalent in new hmes. Radn is an drless, clrless gas that penetrates hmes thrugh cracks, pipes, and ther penings in the basement r fundatin; it can cause lung cancer and ther respiratry prblems. Lead is a metal pllutant fund in paint, batteries, drinking water, pipes, dishes, and ther items. Mlds prduce tiny spres that many peple are allergic t. 4

5 Water and Marine Pllutin: Each U.S. resident uses three times mre water each day than the wrld average. The availability and quality f water fr use by humans, plants, and animals is affected by the increasing demand fr water and increasing pllutin f ur ceans, lakes, rivers, and streams. Run-ff frm farms and paved surfaces, effluent frm factries and pwer plants all cntribute t pllutin f grundwater and surface water. This pllutin makes its way t the ceans, where, added t verfishing and effects f climate change, is altering the health f the cean bita (rganisms f a gegraphic regin) and marine resurces. Awareness f these changes and their cnsequences is crucial if we are t prtect this mst precius natural resurce. Amng the pllutants causing the mst cncern and the greatest ptential harm are: Petrleum prducts and gasline Chemical cntaminants Plychlrinated biphenyls (PCBs) Pesticides Dixins Lead Land Pllutin: Changes in land-use patterns are impacting micrenvirnments acrss the glbe. Industrial-scale agriculture typically leads t lss f bidiversity and increased use f fertilizers. Sprawling urban grwth takes ver lands nce used fr traditinal agriculture and fragments wildlife habitats, affecting the bidiversity f the surrunding ecsystem. Cnversin f pervius t impervius surfaces such as pavement, parking lts, and rftps increases hw much strmwater flws int sewers and surface waters, carrying with it heavy metals, il, grease, and pesticides. Sustainable land use practices can help reslve these envirnmental prblems. Slid Waste: Strategies t cntrl the grwth f MSW include: Surce reductin f slid waste. Recycling Cmpsting Waste t energy cmbustin istes Hazardus Waste: The 1980 Superfund was enacted t prvide funds fr cleaning up chemical dump sites that endanger ur health and ur land. The EPA has taken actin t manage hazardus waste by mnitring generatin, transprtatin, strage, treatment, and final dispsal. Radiatin and Nuclear Pllutin: Nuclear Pwer Plants: The rutine health risks and greenhuse gas emissins frm nuclear fissin pwer are small relative t thse assciated with cal, but there are "catastrphic risks Nninizing Radiatin: Radiatin that has enugh energy t mve atms in a mlecule arund r cause them t vibrate, but nt enugh t remve electrns, is referred t as "nn-inizing radiatin." Examples f this kind f radiatin are sund waves, visible light, micrwaves, and cell phnes. Cell phne use: The Wrld Health Organizatin (WHO) recently listed mbile phne use in the same carcingenic (cancer causing) hazard categry as lead, engine exhaust, and chlrfrm. A team f 31 scientists frm 14 cuntries, including the United States, made the decisin after reviewing peer-reviewed studies n cell phne safety. 5

6 The team fund enugh evidence t categrize persnal expsure as "pssibly carcingenic t humans." Inizing Radiatin: This type f radiatin cntains enugh electrmagnetic energy t strip atms and mlecules frm the tissue and alter chemical reactins in the bdy. Examples include Gamma rays, X-rays, and nuclear pwer plants. Other Envirnmental Issues: Defrestatin Defrestatin is the clearing f earth's frests n a massive scale, ften resulting in damage t the quality f the land. Frests still cver abut 30 percent f the wrld s land area, but swaths the size f Panama are lst each and every year. The wrld s rain frests culd cmpletely vanish in a hundred years at the current rate f defrestatin. Energy Cnservatin and Alternative Energy Prductin: Energy cnservatin and prductin refers t effrts made t reduce energy cnsumptin and the develpment f renewable energy surces, such as: Alternative and renewable energy surces such as Bifuel, Bimass, Gethermal, Hydrelectricity, Slar energy, Tidal pwer, Wave pwer, and Wind pwer. Structure insulatin High efficiency lighting and machinery. Cnservatin: Habitat cnservatin is a land management practice that seeks t cnserve, prtect, and restre habitat areas fr wild plants, animals, and birds, especially cnservatin reliant species. Talk n Stats: Accrding t the Green Student U (greenstudentu.cm) Air Pllutin: Every year in the U.S. factries release ver 3 millin tns f txic chemicals int the land, air and water. This hazardus waste causes us t lse ver 15 millin acres f land every year, it leads t respiratry cmplicatins and ther health prblems and it makes ur rivers and lakes t plluted fr us t swim in and drink. Almst 232 millin different types f vehicles are driven by U.S. citizens every day, adding greenhuse gases int the air. U.S. vehicle emissins cntribute 45% t glbal warming. The average adult cnsumes 3,000 gallns f plluted air every day. Vehicle exhaust cntributes t 60% f carbn mnxide emissins in the U.S. and up t 95% in large cities. Every year 335,000 Americans die f lung cancer, a direct result f air pllutin. Water Pllutin: Over tw-thirds f U.S. estuaries and bays are severely degraded because f nitrgen and phsphrus pllutin Every year almst 25% f U.S. beaches are clsed at least nce because f water pllutin Over 73 different kinds f pesticides have been fund in the grundwater that we eventually use t drink 1.2 trillin gallns f sewage, strmwater and industrial waste are discharged int U.S. waters every year 40% f U.S. rivers are t plluted fr aquatic life t survive Americans use ver 2.2 billin punds f pesticides every year, which eventually washes int ur rivers and lakes. Land Pllutin: Every year ne American prduces ver 3285 punds f hazardus waste Land pllutin causes us t lse 24 billin tns f tp sil every year 6

7 Americans generate 30 billin fam cups, 220 millin tires and 1.8 billin dispsable diapers every year We thrw away enugh trash every day t fill 63,000 garbage trucks Every day Americans thrw away 1 millin bushels f litter ut their car windw Over 80% f items in landfills can be recycled, but they re nt. America s Trubled Waters, a reprt by US Public Interest Research Grups (U.S. PIRG), cites the fllwing statistics regarding the state f America s waterways: Apprximately 39% f ur rivers, 46% f ur lakes, and 51% f ur estuaries are still t plluted fr safe fishing r swimming. Pllutin caused nearly 20,000 beach clsings in 2004, the highest level in 15 years. In 2004, 31 states had statewide fish cnsumptin advisries in place because f txic pllutin. Accrding t American Rivers and the website healthyrivers.rg: Eighty percent f streams cntain insecticides, drugs, r ther chemicals. During 2002 and 2003, in just Wiscnsin, Iwa, Minnesta and Missuri, pllutin in rivers and streams killed 3.5 millin fish. The number f miles f rivers cntaining fish that may be harmful t yur health due t pllutin, increased frm 2% t 14% frm 1993 t Waterbrne germs and parasites cause an estimated 7.1 millin mild-t-mderate cases f infectius disease in the U.S. annually. Every year mre than 1.2 trillin gallns f untreated sewage, strm water and industrial waste are discharged int U.S. waters. The EPA warns that sewage levels in ur rivers culd be back t 1970s levels by the year Knw Yur Numbers: Reducing Yur Pllutin Numbers: Hw t Prevent Air Pllutin: Walk r bike mre and drive less; this is the number ne way t prevent fssil fuels frm plluting the air. Carpl r jin a ride share with friends and cwrkers Keep yur car maintenance up-t-date and maintain a clean air filter. When driving accelerate slwly and use cruise cntrl when pssible. If yu have t drive, d yur errands at ne time. Avid buying prducts that cme in aersl spray cans, use pump sprayers r g sprayless. Avid using lighter fluid when barbecuing utside. Limit fireplace use, especially wd. Use a push r electric lawnmwer rather than a gas-pwered ne Dn t use harsh chemical cleaners that can emit fumes Inspect yur gas appliances and heaters regularly Avid Smking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc) Hw t Prevent Land Pllutin: Fllw the 3 R's in Thughts fr Living belw. Buy bidegradable prducts. Stre all liquid chemicals and waste in spill-prf cntainers. Shp fr, and buy rganic fds that are grwn withut pesticides. Dn t use pesticides r chemical fertilizers. Use a drip tray t cllect engine il. Buy prducts that have the least amunt f packaging. Dn t dump mtr il r gasline n the grund. 7

8 Hw t Prevent Water Pllutin: Avid using pesticides and fertilizers that can run ff int water systems Sweep yur driveway instead f hsing it dwn Use nn-txic and bidegradable cleaning prducts. Clean up il and ther liquid spills with kitty litter r sawdust, sweet them up, and dispse f prperly. Avid cleaning paint brushes r pads in the sink Wash yur car far away frm city strm-water drains Dn t thrw chemicals, slvents, r petrleum prducts int sewer drains. Have yur septic system inspected every 3-5 years. Thughts fr Living: An Eclgical Ftprint is a measure f lad that a given ppulatin places n the Earth t meet its demands fr resurce cnsumptin and waste dispsal. The mre a ppulatin (a cunty, a city, r even a family) can reduce their impact, the "shallwer" their ftprint will be. Practicing the Three R's will reduce yur Eclgical Ftprint, and is an essential step tward a safer, mre health-friendly envirnment. Reduce hw much yu use, Reuse what yu can, then Recycle the rest. If dispsal is the nly ptin, d s in an envirnmentally friendly way. Reduce: Buy permanent items instead f dispsables. Buy and use nly what yu need. Buy prducts with less packaging. Buy prducts that use less txic chemicals. Remve yur name frm the mailing lists f materials yu n lnger want t receive: write t Mail Preference Service, c/ Direct Marketing Assc., P.O. Bx 90008, Farmingdale, NY Buy a hme water filter r filtratin system t reduce water bttles (plastic). Reuse: Repair items as much as pssible. Use durable cffee mugs. Use clth napkins r twels. Clean ut juice bttles and use them fr water. Use empty jars t hld leftver fd. Reuse bxes. Purchase refillable pens and pencils. Participate in a paint cllectin and reuse prgram. Dnate extras t peple yu knw r t charity instead f thrwing them away. Recycle: Recycle paper (printer paper, newspapers, mail, etc.), plastic, glass bttles, cardbard, and aluminum cans. If yur cmmunity desn't cllect at the curb, take them t a cllectin center. Recycle electrnics. Check cllectin centers and curbside pickup services t see what they accept, and begin cllecting thse materials. These can include metal cans, newspapers, paper prducts, glass, plastics and il. Cmpst fd scraps, grass and ther yard clippings, and dead plants. Bring yur wn bags t the grcery stre, either clth, r the bags used frm a previus shpping visit. Clse the lp - buy recycled prducts and prducts that use recycled packaging. That's what makes recycling ecnmically pssible. 8