Environmental Health Issues

The city of Sacramento has two intake structures, one located on the American River and one located on the Sacramento River. Each feeds water to a water treatment plant, E.A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant on the American River and the Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant on the Sacramento River. The treatment processes at both plants are the same.  After the water is treated, it flows through our distribution system to reservoirs where it is stored until it is needed. There are several reservoirs located throughout the City. Do you drink bottled water? Yes, I do drink bottled water I buy it by the gallon because when I was buying the individual water bottles my son would waste it and I would find half filled water bottles around the house.    How does this square with what you learned when you watched the  Story of Bottled Water  (see next exercise)? After watching the Story of Bottled Water I am definitely going to change my ways. It will be a...

There are three sewage treatment facilities in Sacramento 1. Pioneer Reservoir - 8 miles away  2. Sacramento County Waste Water - 22.6 miles away  3. Sacramento Area Sewage District - 18.3 miles away

"Stay Healthy, Save Money, Drink Tap"

Clean water is an essential ingredient for healthy communities. Water is not only for recreational use, water is used in our everyday lives whether we are drinking it, showering in it, or cleaning with it. Clean water is important for our health. Being exposed to dirty water or sewage contamination in water systems can lead to diarrhea, hepatitis A, meningitis, ulcers, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) and a number of other diseases (GCF, 2018). The Clean Water Act has kept pounds of pollution out of the rivers which benefits public health, recreation, drinking water, and wildlife. All people, plants, and animals need water to survive. Without water there would be no life on earth. Reference: (2018). The Importance of Clean Water. [online] GRACE Communications Foundation. Available at:  http://www.gracelinks.org/2382/the-importance-of-clean-water.  

  H ow would you develop a national awareness campaign? 1. Budget 2. Volunteers 3. Advertisements I think that the easiest way to bring national awareness is through social media and television. If we start by educating those that can get the attention of the people then it will make them want to learn about it as well. Posting flyers in hospitals, grocery stores, and schools will also get people's attention.  I would start out by educating some famous people (i.e. singers, actors, politicians etc.) so that they can do a public service announcement/commercial that can be shown on mainstream t.v.  I would also put out an announcement on the radio. These announcements will provide a brief description of what radon is, the effects of radon, and how to test your house for it.  Social media is also a great way to bring awareness. In addition to social media I will have those in real estate address it so that they can bring it to buyers attention. The more the...

  Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is used in building materials and to produce many household products. It is used in pressed-wood products, such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard; glues and adhesives; permanent-press fabrics; paper product coatings; and certain insulation materials.  Exposure occurs primarily by  inhaling  formaldehyde gas or vapor from the air or by absorbing liquids containing formaldehyde through the skin. When formaldehyde is present in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm, some individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and  throat ; coughing; wheezing;  nausea ; and skin irritation. Some people are very sensitive to formaldehyde, whereas others have no reaction to the same level of exposure. Bleach is considered to be great at reducing the number of germs and bacteria on surfaces and household bleach also expel fumes...

It is interesting to see how the ways of transportation can determine the amount of pollution along with the safety of others in terms of accidents. When I first moved to Sacramento, I was surprised to see that there were not that many buses on the street. Coming from a city where I saw buses everywhere and how they ran  about 15 to 20 minutes apart from each other, it was sad to see that there were not many here in Sacramento. I thought to myself what will I do if my car breaks down? How will I get to work? Why is everything so far? One thing that I did realize is that there are a lot more runners and bike riders here compared to Newark. I think it may be because of the limited transportation. So this can be a good and bad thing. It is good because people are choosing to exercise because of the limited transportation. It can be bad because this will cause everyone to just use a car which will cause more pollution in the air. 

Air Pollution in Essex County 07112 I decided to use the zipcode where I grew up in Newark, NJ Who and what are the top polluters in your zip code? Sun Chemical Corp. Newark Plant, Newark, NJ-  - Air Release Developmental Toxicants,  - Kidney Toxicants,  - Gastrointestinal Toxicants,  - Neurotoxicants,  - Respiratory Toxicants,  - Skin or Sense Organ Toxicants What percent of the homes in your zipcode have lead-based paint? 7 Percent Are there Superfund sites in your zip?  (In your BLOG, make sure to tell us what a Superfund Site is) Yes 2 Superfund sites which are Caldwell Trucking Company and White Chemical Corp. These sites have caused contamination of drinking water sources.  What can you tell us about the Superfund sites that are near where you live? White Chemical Corp. There are approximately 12,000 people are estimated to live and work within a one-quarter mile radius of the site, and could have been at r...

Years of Lead Contamination Suspected in Newark, NJ  The video above talks about years of lead contamination in Newark, NJ. This is the city where I was born and raised before moving to California four years ago. It is sad to say that environmental injustice is nothing new to me. I have first hand experience of environmental injustice and it is very unfortunate that like Flint, when the issue is brought to the public nothing happens when people of color lives are involved. The concern will last for a very short time and then it is forgotten because it is not affecting the Mayor, Superintendent of the schools, or Governor because they do not live there. The issue goes ignored. Some would ask why won't they move to better cities where they won't be exposed to high levels of lead or bad air quality? It is easier said than done. Along with the other 8 Horrifying Examples of Corporations Mistreating Black Communities with Environmental Racism, these situations fit w...

Why are we still ONLY focused on sedentary lifestyles and diets when addressing obesity in the US?  Why are we not also looking at ways to decrease exposures to those chemicals that may be contributing to the epidemic? Three Reasons Why I Think Sedentary Lifestyles and Diets are the Focus for Addressing Obesity 1. Chemicals are harder to see- I think that as human beings things has to be seen or have a scent to it in order for us to believe it. The only way to know the existence of certain chemicals is through testing. We would have to get tested to know what toxins are inside of us. Objects need to be tested to know what is in it and if it is harmful. Sedentary lifestyles and diets is an outcome that is easier to see when it comes to obesity and it is unfortunate that it is the only thing that we are taught.  2. Afraid of change- As Elise Miller mentioned in the First Thousand Days video, at first, people were concerned about eliminating the lead out of thei...

 Lab Results and Blood  Urine Samples Chemical(s) Potential Health Effects  Dioxins Carcinogen, endocrine disruptor, cognitive disfunction DDT  Reproductive toxicant Organophosphate (pesticide) neurotoxicant, Parkinson’s Lead Neurotoxicant, kidney toxicant, insomnia, impotence Solvent Liver toxicant, neurotoxicant PCBs Carcinogen, toxic to immune, neuro, and repro systems Phthalates Repro toxicant (infertility), testicular damage, endometriosis, endocrine disruptor My first thoughts about getting the news of these chemicals being found in my body are horrifying. I do not even want to breathe because no matter how healthy I try to be there are still ways for me to ingest toxins unknowingly. This is in no way shape or form fair to those that are trying to be healthy. CNN YouTube news special on "Body Burdens" of Potentially Toxic Chemicals with  Anderson Cooper. After watching this video it is very surprising but not really surpri...

Module 2.4 Household Products The household product that I searched is Lysol Bathroom Cleaner, Aerosol, Regular Scent-Old Product. I normally use this product when cleaning my bathroom because I do not like the smell of bleach when using Clorox brand and the scent from Lysol is not as strong. It was interesting to see that the health rating is a 2 (Slight) especially after reading about all the precautions that you should take when using this product. I would assume that if you should avoid skin contact then it should be really dangerous to inhale. I always thought about killing the germs when cleaning my house but I realized that I am actually slowly harming myself. Another household product that I use daily is Ajax dish detergent. There is NO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER which is scary. For that reason alone I am going to change the dish detergent that I use. I really like how these websites are bringing things to light. It is important to know what we a...

Module 2.2 Personal Care Products The personal care products that I decided to search were Colgate toothpaste and Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I decided to search for these products because this is something that I use everyday. I honestly thought that the Colgate toothpaste toxicity rate was going to be higher than what it is. Seeing that the overall hazard is low is actually surprising. I think that the reason why I had these expectations for the toothpaste is because of things that I had heard in the past regarding toothpaste and how there are other healthier options. I do not think that I am going to change my behavior with the tooth paste because I am kind of picky with the toothpaste that I use. I think that if the toxicity rate was higher then I would look into purchasing something else. The Shea moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie toxicity rate did not surprise me. I was kind of curious to know if it was going to get a higher number due...