13: Environmental Health
- Page ID
- 145194
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health. Health is the science, practice, and study of a human's well-being and their health and preventing illnesses and human injuries. Other terms referring to or concerning environmental health are environmental public health, and public health protection/environmental health protection.
- 13.1: Intro to Environmental Health
- This page discusses environmental health, emphasizing its impact on human well-being and illness prevention through the interaction of natural and built environments. It highlights the importance of environmental protection in preserving ecosystems for human health. Key concepts include the natural environment’s components and the built environment’s human-altered spaces, as well as carrying capacity, which defines the maximum sustainable population based on available resources.
- 13.2: Overpopulation
- This page discusses human overpopulation, which occurs when a population's ecological footprint surpasses the carrying capacity, leading to unsustainable conditions. Factors influencing this issue include higher birth rates, lower mortality, immigration, and resource depletion. Overpopulation can affect even sparsely populated areas lacking resources. Advocates for population moderation highlight concerns over quality of life, carrying capacity, and food security.
- 13.3: Air Pollution
- This page discusses air pollution and its health risks, which contribute to around 7 million deaths each year as per WHO. It covers Air Quality Indices (AQIs) used to report pollution levels, and highlights Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) affected by various contaminants in buildings. Strategies for improving IAQ include source control and ventilation.
- 13.4: Climate Change
- This page discusses climate change as a long-term alteration in weather patterns due to natural and human factors, especially greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights global warming, characterized by a notable temperature increase since the mid-20th century due to human activities. Expected impacts include higher temperatures, rising sea levels, and extreme weather, with regional variations.
- 13.5: Water
- This page discusses drought as a natural phenomenon caused by water deficiency from imbalances in precipitation and evapotranspiration, influenced by regional factors and human activities. Unlike sudden disasters, drought develops gradually and is a persistent issue. To tackle water scarcity, it encourages innovative conservation strategies like gray water systems and rainwater harvesting.
- 13.6: Waste Management
- This page covers waste management, detailing its comprehensive approach from waste creation to disposal, emphasizing the importance of minimizing adverse effects on health and the environment through strategies like the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Thumbnail: Runoff of soil and fertilizer during a rain storm. (Public Domain; Natural Resources Conservation Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture).