Environmental Health Issues

1) What do you personally find most troubling about climate change? I personally find it troubling that the government is not really doing anything about climate change when the effects are observable. I was recently diagnosed with asthma and would hate to find out about any other health issues because of certain exposures that I am unaware of. My children also suffer from allergies and I do not want them to get sicker. There has been so many natural disasters. The frequent wild fires, longer drought seasons, and intense tropical storms. The amount of money that goes into reconstruction after these disasters occur can actually go towards eliminating some of the causes of climate change like investing in geoscale engineering projects and a mass adoption of solar energy and battery technology.  2) As a public health professional, what do you think needs the greatest attention right now? As a public health professional I think that the we need to stop fossil fuel and...

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? The issues that my workplace typically experience are biological and ergonomic issues. Working with children brings different blood and bodily fluid exposures. Teachers and students are exposed to viruses. Depending on the age group, teachers are also lifting children throughout the day. Using the hierarchy of controls, I would address these issues with administrative controls and personal protective equipment. To reduce teachers from straining and hurting themselves while lifting children and moving furniture we should go through training to know the proper ways to push, pull, and lift objects on the job. One way to avoid getting or spreading viruses is through keeping everyone's hands clean as well as the objects...

After taking this course and learning about how our lifestyle choices effect the environment and the world we live in, I started to make some gradual changes in my home like: Period Cups No Plastic Water Bottles or Paper Plates Filtered Water Stainless Steel Bottles The first change actually happened last year before I started this course. I was not intentionally trying to help the environment I just wanted to save money. It is very unfortunate that women have to pay for feminine hygiene products every single month because of a biological process that is out of our control. I came across a couple of YouTube videos where women talked about period cups. This was something that I had never heard of before so I did a little more research and decided to go ahead and try it. I had nothing to lose. That was the best decision that I have ever made! I purchased the divacup and have not purchased a single tampon or pad and it has been a year and half.  The next choice that I ...

Pneumoconiosis Pneumoconiosis is also known as Black lung. Pneumoconiosis can develop when airborne dusts, are inhaled at work. Exposure to silica, asbestos, and coal dust are the most common causes of pneumoconiosis. Most dust types are not known to cause pneumoconiosis.  In 1969 and 1977, regulations for U.S. underground coal mines were mandated by federal legislation and amended. However, in 2005 and 2006, clusters of rapidly progressing and potentially disabling pneumoconiosis were reported in certain geographic areas. CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) responded to the reports by instituting field surveys that were conducted under the Enhanced Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (ECWHSP). The results showed a total of 37 cases of advanced pneumoconiosis.  The national chest radiograph program recommends that all miners receive an initial radiograph upon hire, a second radiograph after 3 years, and additional radiog...