Health 11 Chapter 15 Environmental Health

Home , Pollution, Zero population growth

PowerPoint® Lecture Outlines prepared by Dr. Lana Zinger, QCC⎯CUNY 15

Environmental Health

• The United Nations projects the world population will grow from 7 billion in 2011 to 9.4 billion by 2050 and to 11.5 billion by 2150. • Although our populations are expanding exponentially, Earth’s resources are not. • A recent United Nations Global Environmental Outlook report (GEO-4) states that the human population is living far beyond its means and is inflicting damage on the environment that may already be irreparable.

! Bursting with People: Measuring the Impact • Impact on other species • Impact on our food supply • Land degradation and contamination of drinking water • Excessive energy consumption • Impact on our lives

! Factors That Affect Population Growth • Changes in fertility and mortality rates • Fertility rate—how many births a woman has by the end of her reproductive life • Rapid increases in overall population in poorer countries • Mortality rates from both chronic and infectious diseases have declined • People are living longer

! Different Nations, Different Growth Rates • By 2050, India is projected to be the most populous nation at 1.7 billion. • The United States is the only industrialized country in the world currently experiencing significant population growth. • The United States has the largest “ecological footprint.” • The United States makes up only 5 percent of the world’s population but is responsible for nearly 25 percent of total global resource consumption.

! Zero Population Growth • Zero population growth (ZPG) proponents believe that each couple should produce only two offspring. • Education may be the single biggest contributor to promoting ZPG. • Other contributors include access to information about family planning and contraception.

| Power of 2: Get an Energy Audit

Discussion Questions 1. Based solely on environmental concerns, are you willing to reduce your heat consumption? 2. What do you do to save energy? What other steps can you take?

• Air pollution refers to the presence, in varying degrees, of those substances not found in perfectly clean air • Air pollutants are either naturally occurring or anthropogenic (human caused). • Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970. • The goal was to develop standards for control of the most widespread air pollutants that seriously affect health

! Components of Air Pollution • Sulfur dioxide • Particle pollution • Carbon monoxide • Nitrogen dioxide • Ground-level ozone • Carbon dioxide • Hydrocarbons

! Air Quality Index • Tells you how clean or polluted your air is and what associated health concerns you should be aware of ! ! What is the air quality like where you reside?

! Indoor Air Pollution • Environmental tobacco smoke • Home heating • Asbestos • Formaldehyde • Radon • Lead • Mold

! Ozone Layer Depletion • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is a chemical used on Earth that contributes to the ozone layer’s rapid depletion ! Global Warming • Enhanced greenhouse effect—trapped excess solar heat that raises the planet’s temperature ! Reducing Air Pollution and the Threat of Global Warming • Energy • Transportation • Industrial practices

• 75 percent of the Earth is water • 1 percent of the world’s entire water supply is available for human use. ! Water Contamination • Point source pollutants enter a waterway at a specific location through a pipe, ditch, culvert, or other conduit. • Sewage treatment plants and industrial facilities • Nonpoint source pollutants drain or seep into waterways from broad areas of land.

! Pollutants Causing the Most Concern • Gasoline and petroleum products • Chemical contaminants • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) • Dioxins • Pesticides • Lead

! Minimize Your Ecological Footprint • Turn off lights when you leave a room. • Use compact fluorescent lights bulbs. • When buying new appliances, look for the Energy Star logo. • Turn off appliances when not in use. • Consider buying a laptop rather than a desktop computer. • Choose a printer that prints on both sides of the paper. • Recycle.

! Solid Waste • Per person average = 4.62 pounds/day • Municipal solid waste (MSW) ! Strategies to Control the Growing MSW • Source reduction • Recycling • Composting • Combustion with energy recovery

| Crack those Recycling Codes

Discussion Questions 1. Can you recycle on campus? Do you? 2. Were you aware of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? In what way do you think it affects the environment? What should be done about it?

! Hazardous Waste • Waste with properties that make it capable of harming human health or the environment • Superfund, 1980 • Enacted to provide funds for cleaning up hazardous dump waste sites • American manufacturers generate more than 1 ton of chemical waste per person per year (approximately 275 million tons)

! Nonionizing Radiation • Radiation at the lower end of the electromagnetic spectrum • Radio waves • TV signals • Microwaves • Infrared waves • Visible light

! Ionizing Radiation • Caused by the release of particles and electromagnetic rays from atomic nuclei during the normal process of disintegration • Measured in radiation absorbed doses, (rads) ! Nuclear Power Plants • Account for less than 1 percent of total radiation to which we are exposed, but the number of plants may increase in the next decade • Disposal of nuclear waste is extremely dangerous • Dangers of nuclear meltdown

! Symptoms of Noise-Related Distress • Disturbed sleep patterns • Headaches • Tension ! To protect your hearing, you must avoid voluntary and involuntary exposure to excessive noise.