Environmental Health

When i first started watching the video and saw her little jar of waste I thought to myself "well that is just impossible." As the video went on and she explained the various ways in which people can live a Zero Waste Life it actually seemed pretty doable, it just takes a bit more effort. She made a great point when she talked about how people do not take the time to look at their own waste and what it consists of- I sure do not do it. With that being said, i think i will take a closer look at my trash and figure out what i can eliminate/substitute. For instance, using reusable bags/containers/jars. I use way too many plastic baggies for my snacks when i could and should be using jars and reusable containers. I also need to take composting anf recycling more seriously as i tend to forget that things that are recyclable and reusable can be repurposed. Whether or not I can live a totally Zero Waste Life is questionable, but I can definitely try harder. 

1) Consider your workplace or a workplace of one of your family members. Are there chemical, biological, radiological or ergonomic issues? Using the industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls, how might you address the issues? How are they being addressed in reality? I work in an office, meaning that we are sedentary for majority of the day. I have noticed how this has impacted my joint health,  and how my back begins to hurt after sitting for a long period of time. Overtime I developed a herniated disc in my lower back and had to address this to my employer. When looking at the hygiene hierarchy of controls, my employer and I utilized administrative controls, and replaced my sitting desk with an adjustable standing desk. I am lucky enough to have an employers who recognizes the importance of ergonomics, however, i do not believe these issues are being address properly across the workforce, primarily due to lack of funding/knowledge.   2) What might be the barriers to ...

  Pneumoconiosis  (Black Lung) The CDC is working closely with NIOSH to monitor the health and safety of coal miners, a subgroup that is extremely affected by pneumoconiosis. In 1995, NIOSH established a recommended exposure limit for coal mine dust and updated databases that thoroughly describe the risks and health effects related to the exposures associated with coal mine dust. NIOSH also operate the Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program which was implemented to prevent coal workers from contracting  pneumoconiosis. Through this program, the health of coal miners is monitored during quaterly visits to ensure they are not exceeding the exposure limit put in place in 1995. I think implementing programs where they monitor the health and safety of workers is crucial and would be beneficial for all companies. 

OSHA has an alliance with AIHA, in which they developed a training/educational programs for both employers and workers.  What I thought was really cool is that these two organizations joined forces and created "1 page cheat sheets" that both employers and employees can use to identify hazards, methods of control, and other useful resources that are related to occupational safety.  When looking at one of the cheat sheets (Quick tips for job health and safety on safe patient handling and mobility), it appears to be a comprehensive list that prompts the reader to ask themselves questions related to their daily tasks/machinery in which they are using to ensure that not only are they safe, but the people in which they are working with are safe as well. Although cheat sheets may seem a bit juvenile, they could be extremely beneficial for those whose job requires them to be "always on the go."

Majority of my uncles work for the City and County of San Francisco as garbagemen. unfortunately, most people are unfamiliar with the ways in which they should dispose of hazardous waste and products, therefore those who work in this field could be exposed to harsh chemicals. What are the health risks associated with this chemical? Garbage men are exposed to things like Lead Acid Batteries, Mercury Lamps, Oils, pesticides, etc. As we know, lead poising can cause infertility, memory loss, and neurological changes.  Is the chemical a carcinogen? Lead is most likely a carcinogen- under investigation What personal protective equipment or special precautions should be taken when working with this chemical? They are covered head to toe and wear protective gear such as masks, goggles, and gloves.  If this is a chemical found in your workplace, what training/education were you given about any risks associated with this chemical? N/A- uncles' workplace Look ...

Highly Fluorinated Chemicals  Highly Fluorinated Chemicals  are  man made and put into everyday products. What is fascinating is the fact that these chemicals are in fact man made, yet still utilized to make everyday products. Unfortunately, these chemicals make their way into our drinking water, which contributes to the high amount of Americans who contain  Highly Fluorinated Chemicals  in their bodies at 98%. The fact that these chemicals never break down is extremely concerning.  Antimicrobials  Antimicrobials are considered to be unnecessary and are said to cause more harm t harm than good.  These chemicals are added to thousands of products- soaps, flooring, exercise mat, container, keyboards, and even counter tops. The amount of products that contain these chemicals is astonishing and I would have never known if I did not watch this lecture. It is extremely concerning that these chemicals disrupt hormone functioning and devel...

I had no idea that children were more prone to lead toxicity than adults due to their behaviors and overall physical anatomy. Prior to this class, i had very little knowledge about lead and lead poisoning, all i ever knew was that it was a terrible thing. Reading this article, i have been exposed to knew information i never knew about. for example, I did not know children could obtain cognitive, attentional and behavioral impairments from lead poisoning. All of this information is just absolutely mind-blowing, and me knowing very little information about lead poisoning goes to show that there is not enough education and information out there for the general public to understand the negative consequences associated with lead/lead poisoning. The program implemented in Nigeria seems to be contributing to decreasing the number of lead poisoning cases amongst children, which is amazing!! For there to be 400 deaths of children in 2010 is both alarming and shocking, and creates a sense of u...

I would assume that biodegradable products are apart of Green Chemistry considering that they fall under #4: Design safer chemicals and products : Design chemical products that are fully effective yet have little or no toxicity- particularly with the introduction of paper straws to eliminate plastic wastes from oceans.  I find the  12 principles of green chemistry to be rather interesting since I had never heard of them before. I think if we can implement the 12 principles of green chemistry, we will see drastic changes in our environment. One principle that i would want to look into is #7:  Use renewable feedstock. This is a concept and idea i have never heard of and i am interested to know how this will significantly impact this environment and the population's health.

What I believe is essential for an ideal chemical policy is to take the health of the population into consideration and make that the top priority, along with wildlife and our ecosystem. These chemicals not only impact human beings, but they hinder and negatively effect the elements that are apart of the circle of life. If we continue to introduce harmful chemicals into the environment, we risk hurting our environment which contributes to our development and well being. These chemical impact our quality of life and could lead to harmful outcomes if policies and regulations are not put in place to further protect the health of the population and environment, even if that means the eliminate pesticides chemicals people "swear by," because in the end, we must protect health and prevent harm. 

I chose to read background paper #1 ( Require Safer Substitutes and Solutions)  because it caught my eye the most. Coming across such pesticides/chemicals is inevitable, and this paper addressed ways in which we can improve current policies to prevent harmful and dangerous incidents. The authors advocated for a ltering production processes, substituting safer chemicals, redesigning products and systems, which I thought was super innovative considering that this has typically been a conservative (for lack of a better word) system/process. I think by implementing  safer production process could decrease exposure rates and protect the health of the population drastically. What I think would truly make a difference is substituting out harmful pesticides/chemicals, with safer alternatives, which is what the authors address in the paper. I think this is a great solution as it provides an alternative that could solve the problem,  as opposed to eliminating the use of pesti...

L ast night I ate salmon and zucchini with a side of brown rice. Brown rice contains about 16% of  Piperonyl butoxide. This pesticide works with bug killers to "increase their effectiveness." It may sound naive of me to say this, but i guess i never really thought about how many pesticides could be found in rice- I found this to be quite shocking. Salmon was not listed on the website, so I chose catfish, which was the only type of seafood listed on the website. Catfish contains 34 pesticide residues- 34!! 61% of DDE, which is basically a breakdown product of DDT, which we all know caused an immense amount of harm!! This make me reflect on just how much our oceans are impacted by the chemicals/pesticides we choose to use. Zucchini also was not listed, so I chose winter squash. Winter squash has 64 pesticide residues! It contains about 22% of  Endosulfan sulfate.  This exercise was truly mind blowing and eye-opening. I just could not believe what i found on the website- i...

For my literature review, I would like to focus on the food industry. Under the USDA, the FSIS protects  the public’s health by ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and processed egg products. By performing inspections at more that 6,000 establishments nationwide, FSIS strives to prevent food borne illnesses and  enhancing public education and outreach to increase safe food-handling practices. Not only are the focused on the safety of our food, but they are concerned with handling animals in the most humane way as possible.  San Francisco's Department of Public Health provides an immense amount of services related to food safety. One that I found extremely interesting is that it offers a Food Safety Certification course and exam. Prior to doing my own research, I did not not this was offered by the SFDPH and was required by law  that at least one employee must be certified in food safety. If all employees are working with food, I think all should be certified know...

The US Chemical Safety and Hazardous Investigation Board investigates industrial chemical accidents.  They do so by conducting what they call "root cause" investigations to determine how the chemical accident(s) occurred. Such investigations look into the  deficiencies in safety management systems, possible  equipment failures, human errors, unforeseen chemical reactions or other hazards. The CBS does not necessarily give citations to industrial companies, but they do provide recommendations to  plants,  Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), industry organizations, and labor groups as to how they can prevent industrial chemical accidents and protect the safety of workers. By doing so, the CBS protects the environmental health by working collectively with agencies to protect the health of the community by determining how they can prevent the exposure of harmful chemical caused by in...

Review your local (city or county) health department's website and list the services that you would consider Environmental Health Services.  What is interesting is that the San Mateo Health Department has a link for "Environmental Health," however, when you click in the link, an error message pops up- did they take down this specific page due to lack of funding or did they decide to cut it out because they felt it was unnecessary? Very interesting. The health department has a laboratory where they test for the quality of water and "other "environmental health issues." The website was very non-specific in explaining the services in which they provide related to mental health which I found fascinating. It more so lists they services it provides, such as: restaurant inspections,  household hazardous waste and medical waste disposal, water protection and water quality monitoring, pollution prevention, and other regulatory activities and services, but never we...

Your thoughts about the vanishing of bees (what else have you heard/seen about this issue?) As of late, I have read more articles, listened to more podcasts and heard so much more about how our bees are in danger. I have always been super curious about this subject, especially since there has been headlines pertaining to bees on sooo many news websites.  Dirt!: The Movie  wow this movie is super interesting! Most people are afraid of dirt/afraid to get a little dirty, but this movie goes to show how valuable and how important dirt is to our well being and overall existence. Dirt represents life on earth- an idea we do not ponder on as often as we should!  Were you able to discover if there is a factory farm near you? Were you already aware of farms near you? What do you think about this?  There are no factory farms that are necessarily in San Francisco, but I know there are plenty in the surrounding Central Valley. Here is a fact that i found yet knew noth...

Utilizing the first article, discuss what is locally grown and what is currently in season in your area. living in San Francisco we do not grow/produce produce in vast amounts, but we have many local community gardens that produce a vast amount  of fruits and veggies  In California, the following foods are in season during the month of October:  Apples Avocados Dates Figs Grapefruits Pears Vegetables Greens (Arugula, Kale, Collard Greens, Swiss Chard) Bok Choy Brussel Sprouts Broccoli Cauliflower Eggplant Fennel Okra Snap Peas Tomatoes Winter Squash Discuss your thoughts on seasonal/local foods and hospital menus.  I think this is a great idea! People who are in the hospital are there to get better, and providing them with fresh and local foods will only contribute to their health and well being  Find a Harvest Calendar for your state (or a state you are interested in) utilizing the link in the first article (found underneath the exam...

1. Prior to reading this article, I knew that antibiotics where used in the food industry, but never really understood why or how. The fact that the food industry uses more antibiotics than for medical purposes is absolutely mind blowing and hard to wrap my head around.  What makes me extremely concerned, and something I wish I knew prior to reading this article, is that we can become antibiotic resistant by consuming such, foods which makes us even more susceptible to illnesses/disease-scary. 2.The fact that living conditions for livestock have become so bad that it is know impacting the surrounding community is just heart breaking. For one, such animals should be granted with greater living conditions regardless, and two, shouldn't this superbug tell us something about our food?! we need to make changes ASAP. 3.OMG I swear by hand sanitizer in the outside world!! This article is truly eye opening and has me second guessing myself when I reach for some hand sanitizer. I also kne...