Our Environmental Health
Environmental health science comprises many scientific principles and disciplines. Individuals in this profession study the environment and life, while searching for causes of diseases, as well as factors (which include chemical, physical, and biological) that affect the health of populations. There are a number of governmental, non-governmental, and non-profit organizations, in addition to advocates, private citizens, and political representative who assist environmental health science professional in educating and inspiring action to protect and preserve ecosystems and biodiversity.
One such organization is Healthy People; a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People are attempting to improve the health of Americans by encouraging participation in community programs and events. With a 10 year objective, Healthy People 2020 offers incentives and insight to many health-related issues Americans currently face. Their most recent endeavor is to communicate, focus attention, facilitate a course of action, and assess the results of leading indicators of high priority health issues that burden the nation. A high precedence of this program is poor environmental quality in the United States.
Environmental quality has a direct bearing on the lives and health of populations in the U.S. For instance, Healthy People addresses the concern that the quality of air is dangerous; poor air quality causes morbidity and in some cases morbidity. They estimate over 127 million people in the U.S. are living in areas that surpass the safe air quality standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Air quality is essential to sustain human life; however, poor air quality is linked to causing asthma, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, air pollution and second hand smoke is attributed to 1 in 10 children having asthma; and 1 in 12 adults sharing the same health dilemma. There are additional determinants and factors of great concern as a result of poor environmental quality.
Poor water quality and toxic materials manufactured in clothing, cleaning products, pesticides, home decor, and food products cause birth defects, infectious diseases, lead poisoning, developmental disorders, and respiratory diseases. Increasing the air and water quality within communities, and using safe materials in manufacturing products people can reduce the risks of procuring diseases that poor environmental conditions present. In order to save habitats and human life (as well as wildlife), and fulfill the Healthy People’s objective, it is essential that the health and life-sustaining concerns and issues throughout the United States are addressed and threats minimized.
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