Final Blog

When I first decided on majoring in Public Health, it was due to my interest in communicable diseases. The environmental aspect of public health had crossed my mind but not my interest. This class changed my thinking. I leave this class with a newfound interest but also with a sense of profound sadness. It's heartbreaking how much damage we are doing to ourselves and the environment. It is even more heartbreaking that most of the effects of environmental toxins are harmful to those who are the most defenseless- babies in utero. This class taught me a lot, such as the importance of being a better consumer, but more importantly how to protect myself and *baby* if I were to ever get pregnant.

I have no critiques for the class other than fewer blogs, haha. Dr. Sattler did an amazing job and I'm glad I took this class with her.

Disaster preparedness

In Oakland/San Francisco we have Disaster Healthcare Volunteers (DHV), and we also have the Medical Reserve Corps, which I believe is open to anyone who would like to volunteer. There are three levels: Level 2,3, and leader. In order to become a volunteer you must take a series of classes that range from earthquake preparedness to terrorism awareness. I'm also aware that the Red Cross has a divison for people who would like to volunteer, I remember looking for the sign up page a while back, but I never followed through.

Climate Change

1. What do you personally find most troubling about climate change?

What I find most troubling is the warming of the Earth. I keep reading about how its going to get so hot and only the rich will be able to escape by affording to travel elsewhere during heat waves. It makes me think of hot cities such as Dubai, or even Texas. What are the chances that one day it will get too hot and we wont be able to go outside anymore in certain places? 

side note: i recently read an article that said Dubai is planning on putting air conditioners outside!!

2.As a public health professional, what do you think needs the greatest attention right now?

 

So this is something I'm conflicted with. I feel like in terms of climate change public health and other divisions put too much emphasis on the individual person. They pressure them to make change, when in reality the data says that 100 or so companies are responsible for some high percentage of emissions (I think it was like 70%. I'll try and find the citaton). So I think Public Health should focus on making people aware of who those 100 companies are and then pushing for a boycott. 

However in terms of overall attention, I think public health needs to focus on obesity, because its 

1. preventable

2. expensive

3. associated with too many other diseases

3.If you were visiting with a long-lost relative who had never heard about climate change, how would you describe it and its attendant human health and ecological threats?

I simply describe it by saying, that for the past millions of years Earth has gone through cooling and warming cycles. The last one being the Ice Age. However as humans evolved we created things that changed the natural environment, throwing off the natural cycles and creating a new one. One where the Earth warms at a much faster rate and this warming has cosquences such as the melting of glaciers from the last ice age, which produces flooding and which can release previously "frozen" diseases. 

11.5 Zero Waste Life

I enjoyed watching the video about a zero waste life. Recently, I felt proud of myself for buying all-natural deodorant online; however, this video made me realize that although I'm buying better products, they still come in wasteful plastic packaging (shipping boxes). I try and do my part for the environment, but, indeed, I don't do enough. For example, I compost and recycle, yet continue to buy wasteful plastic products. I replace my plastic toothbrushes every 3 months and don't even get me started on my floss waste.
I truly enjoy watching videos like these because it helps make me aware of things. From now on, I'm going to be more mindful about what I buy and what I can make myself and what companies I support.
For example, Lush is a company that makes toothpaste that comes in dissolvable packets, and the containers are reusable!

10.8 Occupationally related disease

Byssinosis, also known as brown lung is a disease caused by exposure to cotton dust, usually in areas that are not well ventilated (American Lung Association). This disease is seen in yarn and fabric manufacture workers. Symptoms of the disease include breathing difficulties, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing (Lee, 2008). 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration under the United States Department of Labor now has guidelines that provide the exposure limits and measurement methods of cotton dust, and how to reduce it. 

1.  Lee, NS. (2008). "Byssinosis". Merck Manuals: online medical dictionary. Merck & Co. 

9.4 Heavy Metals

So I found that paper regarding lead to be extremely interesting. I feel like we are currently in the same position that we were in when lead was first linked to negative health outcomes. It took decades and clinically symptomatic individuals for lead to be banned in the U.S. 

Once again, it took clinically symptomatic individuals for lead to be banned and we now know that there are effects at lower doses that cause no symptoms! No symptoms! This is why I think we are again in the same position. I think most of the chemicals used today have effects at low doses that show no symptoms, yet we are going to wait for years until we have clinically symptomatic individuals before we do anything about it. 

9.3 Green Chemistry

Green chemistry seems great! How have I never heard of it before? Since I first started reading about chemicals, I have wondered why we haven't developed new safer alternatives. It's awesome to know that there is a field dedicated to it and that I just wasn't aware. I think the 12 principles of Green Chemistry and great, but I'm wondering what products have they created already if any? How long is the process of creating a new product? More importantly, how expensive is it?