MPH 632- Emebet's Blog

Blog  about the above articles. Utilizing the first article, discuss what is locally grown and what is currently in season in your area. Tomatoes, pears, corn, figs, apples, walnuts, persimmons, asian pears, oranges, citrus and avocados are all in season right now in California.  Discuss your thoughts on seasonal/local foods and hospital menus.  I    think that is a great idea. I    think it will also help patients feel like they are recovering in a healthy way with some kind of connection to their environment. I    thoroughly support this idea.  Find a Harvest Calendar for your state (or a state you are interested in) utilizing the link in the first article (found underneath the example Harvest Calendar for New York State).   What are your thoughts on the second article? Have you heard of obesogens before? I    have heard of obesogens but it isn't until recently t...

Antibiotic Resistance 101: How Antibiotic Misuse on Factory Farms Can Make you Sick Antibiotic resistance among animals or factory farms can quickly translate to people. The ever changing process of bacteria reproduction also makes it hard to treat because strains often morph and change rapidly. The best way to avoid this process altogether is to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock. Nearby Livestock May Raise 'Superbug' Risk Nearby Livestock poses a particular problem because of livestock MRSA often brews in unhygienic environments. In order to avoid such problems it is vital that we reduce the use of antibiotics in these settings to avoid a large public health crisis. MRSA is hard to treat already but can easily become antibiotic resistant making it more difficult. That is why it is important that our meat markets and farm do not use antibiotics or reduce the antibiotic use in our meat.  (Links to an external site. Scientists Discover That Antimicrobial Wipes a...

Your thoughts about the vanishing of bees (what else have you heard/seen about this issue?) I    think that it is really sad that the bee population is in such a rapid decline. While I    am not a huge fan of bees, I     understand their importance in our environment and it worries me that many people do not care about this problem because they do not like the insect. The role bees play in the gran scheme of things is uncanny. Who knew such a small insect could affect great change. It is refreshing to see and read reports of their impact on our world. Hopefully we can start to change some of our habits to positively impact the bees. Dirt!: The Movie  I    find it fascinating that there is a documentary about dirt, only because I    feel like we seldomly think about dirt and the foundational nature of it. It is a basic building block to our environment and without it many of ...

Answer the following questions: What is the source of your drinking water?   Where does your water ORIGINATE?  (It is treated at a water treatment plant, but what watershed or aquifer is the sources of the water?) The water in the Sunnyvale/Santa Clara area is purchased surface water and serves approximately 150,000 people.  What chemicals were found in your water that were higher than expected? There wasn't anything that was higher than expected, because I  didn't know what to expect.  What chemicals did you NOT expect to find in your water?  No, I  mean after watching the videos about what is in our water etc, I    think I    understood that even with the best intentions and the type of water cleaning or purifying our agencies do, things still find there way in.   BLOG about your water quality Where does your water come from? The source! ...

Where are the sewage treatment facilities in your community?   There are 6 pumping facilities in the Santa Clara/San Jose area. Here is the website information:  http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1663 The closest is located here:  700 Los Esteros Rd, San Jose, CA 95134. The facility serves 1.4 million residents and over 17,000 businesses.   

My campaign slogan would be: "Less plastic makes our world more fantastic! Tap in". I    think this slogan could be very catchy and hopefully would encourage consumers to explore alternatives to bottled water.

The Clean Water Act of 1972 was established to regulate pollutants discharged into US waters. The act gave the EPA the authority to enforce pollution control programs that set standards for the wastewater industry. The passing of this act had large effects on the public health realm. For one, standardizing such a process ensures that everyone has equal access and opportunity to safe and clean drinking water. This is an example of social justice in the realm of public health. The creation of this act really helped to emphasize the need for public health to enter the environmental sector. This really emphasizes the interconnectedness of our different sectors.  It is very important for us to have some of these processes readily defined because it helps us understand how these issues affect us at both the micro and macro levels.

Given that there are potential health effects associated with the fragrances in our personal care products, how might you develop and implement a fragrance-free policy in a hospital, school, or other institutional setting? Consider how you would deal with the fragrances that are in employees’ personal care products.    In my opinion the first thing to do would bring attention to the number of products that include some kind of fragrance. Once attention to the topic is drawn, I    would introduce other products that do the same thing except these products do not use fragrances. I    think one way to do this would be to host an event in which people can bring the products they use and either exchange the product for something that is fragrance free or just learn about alternative  products. What do you all think? How else should we address developing a fragrance-free policy?  (I    created a discussion...

Using the National Library's ToxNet resources  that you just learned about while viewing  enviRN–Evidence , review and describe one or more health effects that associated with exposures to: Urea formaldehyde (found in pressed board, a common building material) Mild symptoms associated with formaldehyde exposure include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. This kind of irritation can lead to sneezing, shortness of breath, sleeplessness, tight chests, nausea, and the creation of excess  phlegm.  Bleach (a cleaning/disinfectant product) Symptoms associated with bleach are blurred vision, burning pain, redness and blisters on the skin (if the exposed to bleach in a gas form), burning sensation in the nose, throat and eyes. Coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.  In both cases prolonged exposure can result in intensified symptoms and possibly longterm effects.

Given that there are an estimated 21,000 excess deaths from lung cancer associated with exposure to radon,   how would you develop a national awareness campaign?   Name some of your potential collaborators (stakeholders). I    would partner with the local governmental agencies in areas known to have high levels of radon, to do testing for the communities. I    would recruit community volunteers who can act as spokespersons for their own community and help these people understand why it is so important to check regularly and fix the problem early on. Part of this process would include community education, so I    would also schedule information sessions in which people can get free kits and learn about what risk factors effect each particular community. I    think of the best ways to get the attention of the community is to ensure that the information being discussed is in context of the location...

BLOG about your personal experience regarding transportation and its implications for your health and the health of your communities and air quality. Growing up in Los Angeles, a bit removed from public transportation I  found that having a car was a necessity. There wasn't an "easy way" of getting from downtown LA to Santa Monica or the valley without a vehicle, so I have always had a car or was driven by parents and friends. I    feel like when I    drive my own vehicle throughout the city I    pay little attention to the type of emissions my car is contributing to the environment. I    drive a relatively newer vehicle and I    make sure it is up to date with smog etc. My car doesn't have dark looking exhaust and doesn't seem to pollute as much as others so I    think I    have this false se...

Using your zip code (or the zip code from your family home, find out the following and  enter info in your BLOG. Who and what are the top polluters in your zip code? The top polluters in my zip code are Chevron, ARCO, and Ultramar. I    believe all three of these organizations have to do with oil/gas production.   What percent of the homes in your zipcode have lead-based paint? 4% of homes in my county have a high risk for lead hazards.  Are there Superfund sites in your zip?  (In your BLOG, make sure to tell us what a Superfund Site is) There are 11 Superfund sites in my county.   A superfund aka CERCLA, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act was created in 1980 to clean up contaminated sites. The goals of Superfund: protect human health and the environment by cleaning up polluted sites, make responsible parties pay for cleanup work, involve communities in the superfund process...

How does this fit into the concept of "social determinants"?  How does it connect to the "Black Lives Matter" movement? Blog about your observations/thoughts regarding environmental justice. When we consider the social determinants of health we often think of the six items listed below. The social environment, economic environment, health services, physical environment, health behaviors, and biological influences. Each individual person or family defines what these mean to them--in context of where they live and how they live. One thing we often forget is that systemically many stringent rules and boundaries were put in place in order to keep people of color within certain geographical and physical boundaries. In order to offset the restrictions placed upon them, I    think minority people began making the best of their situation paying little mind to the conditions of their physical environment and focusing on surviving.  Throughout history we have see...

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? One of the main reasons we focus on sedentary lifestyles and diets when addressing obesity in the US is because both pieces are tangible and identifiable. For example, many people know if they eat foods with high amounts of fat, they are more likely to gain weight. Many people also understand that being sedentary typically means retaining and gaining weight at a faster rate when compared to someone who is active. Both of these items are easy to identify. The main difference is that exposures to chemicals seem like the least likely agent to cause weight gain and eventually obesity. Another aspect to consider is the way the our communities have made certain behaviors socially acceptable. For example, if you go to a gym it is often encouraged to use some typ...

Looking at the report from the blood and urine sample, I  feel really concerned in general. I    think it is pretty shocking to see what kind of harm these toxins can have on the human body. This report also makes me concerned about my family and my friends. I    think this report is helpful to see what types of toxins I    have been exposed to, but I    don't think it provides enough actionable intel so I    can figure out what changes I    need to make, either to my diet or my environment.

Products:  Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, Early Morning Breeze A low rating on the toxicity scale showed me that these wipes are not that bad. It is helpful to know that this product has some level of toxicity but the effects can be easily mitigated if the product is only used once in a while. I was not too surprised to know that this product was a bit toxic because when you pull it out of the container the smell is really strong. Knowing the toxicity of the product helps me be a bit more conscious about what I bring into my home. I think everyone should use these websites to check the toxicity of their home products. It is important to know what you are putting in your home & exposing yourself and your family to.   Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner I have learned that this product is rather toxic and can be create or interfere with chronic health concerns. I am honestly super shocked that this product is considered so toxic. That is not what I would have...

Products I use: Aveeno Active Naturals Moisturizing Lotion- I am a bit shocked by the description of some of the ingredients. Some of the ingredients can have great affects on internal organs and the endocrine system. This is shocking considering the overall toxicity is rather low. Aussie Cleanse & Mend Shampoo- Not as shocked with this product because it does have use restrictions. Normally I would ignore the use instructions/restrictions but after looking at the ingredients and understanding the toxicity, it makes a lot more sense as to why these products are supposed to be used in such a specific way. Were you surprised to find out the toxicity rating of your personal care products? I was a little shocked to see the ratings for the products I use the most often. The good thing is neither of the products I examined are super dangerous. Did you decide to change any of your consumer behaviors based on your findings? I may not change the way I purchase the items, but ...