The Fight for Clean Air in Texas Public health often involves out of multiple disciplines but at its core, resides in the general interest of the health of populations. How healthy a population is, often depends on their overall environment. Poor air quality can cause undesirable health issues among individuals in sensitive portions of the population who are asthmatic, have lung disease, or even cardiovascular conditions. Especially in areas where communities are affected by the outcomes of policies that directly impact the health of individuals, their safety, and other things. These issues often stem from very similar risk factors on multiple levels regarding the individual, inter-intrapersonal, community, institutional and policy regulations. In Houston, Texas one of the current issues is air pollution. Several populations are at risk of suffering from an increase in respiratory diseases. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) brought attention to the issue earlier this year with a four-part series of articles. They highlighted an increase in ozone levels across the city during 2015. It is suggested that this could possibly cause Houston to exceed EPA regulations. Houston and other surrounding areas in Texas need to commit to changes that can lower ozone average levels in 2016. People living in these communities are at particular risk of serious health effects due ground-level ozone and smog. There is a wealth of scientific evidence on the development of asthma,
Carol Browner was the administrator for the EPA from 1993 to 2001 which gives her credibility in establishing an argument about the topic of public health. In “Clean Air Regulations Public Health” article, Browning opened by mentioning the 1997 updated air quality standards for ozone and particulate matter. Throughout the remainder of the article, it is clear that she means to inform the reader about the issues of public health and discuss how the government has attempted to improve while at the same time showing what should take priority.
The University of Texas Health Science Center has found that the amount of PM2.5 in the air in Houston, Texas can be linked with a small increase in mortality rate. Houston is largely industrialized which accounts for the emission of pollutants that negatively affect the people and environment. Home to America’s largest petrochemical industry, as well as many ports and forms of transportation, it’s little surprise that the concentration of PM2.5 in the city can be greater than some other cities. Scientists recorded the levels of PM2.5 in Houston over 11 years and found that though the PM2.5 particles’ mass was greater than the national standard on only 17 days out of the 11 years, on those single days, the mortality risk increased by 1.43%.
This source features a report by Jill U. Adams on the dangers, and current regulations of air pollution and climate change. Holding a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Emory University, the author primarily writes a health column for the Washington Post. She has also been featured in the magazines Audubon, Scientific American and Science. Because this article covers climate change, there is an inherent liberal bias. However, this bias coincides with irrefutable scientific data proving the existence of climate change. The audience for this article is anyone effected by air pollution and climate change; just about everyone. This source upholds my speculation that human beings have a significant effect on the climate. Before reading this article, I wasn’t aware that 55 million people a year died from air pollution. I found this source on CQ Researcher while searching for ‘pollution.’
There are countless obstacles in life that people may face. It's has been reported poverty in St. Louis is a major issue when dealing with pollution. As stated by Census reports "15% are on below the poverty line and the median family income occurs around 22,000". Families who happens to be financially unstable with no medical care, little to survive, living conditions fall under unsanitary. They are mostly congested further more packed "like a can of tuna" living with numerous of people in an unstable environment. This may cause contamination in the air, which triggers people to have asthma or other diseases.
Pollution continues to pose an enormous threat to residents of urban cities worldwide. In the August 2008 Monthly Update, it is stated that approximately 800,000 deaths each year can be attributed to outdoor air pollution, making pollution the single most harmful environmental hazard to human health in urban areas (Kallman). The fact that pollution kills hundreds of thousands of people each year alone portrays just how dangerous living in these conditions can be. Kallman writes about a study which proves an increase in upper respiratory diseases, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, and low birth weights when exposed to air pollutants (August 2008: Monthly Update). These can be very serious diseases and complications which, when contracted, can lead to death or very serious illnesses. There
The city of Pekin has a history of very dangerous and unhealthy levels of air pollution caused by power plants and ethanol manufactures. “The Pekin area has the highest level of sulfur dioxide air pollution in the state, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), a level that now exceeds tightened federal standards” (Pekin has worst sulfur dioxide air pollution in state, 2011). This environmental issue has had great health effects on the Pekin community because of the mass quantity of sulfur dioxide pollutants in the air. “Exposure to sulfur dioxide, which is released when fossil fuels like coal and oil are burned, causes respiratory problems for children, the elderly and those with asthma or other respiratory illnesses, according to the IEPA. It narrows airways, leading to difficulty breathing” (Pekin has worst sulfur dioxide air pollution in state, 2011). The health problems that sulfur dioxide cause is detrimental to the health of the citizens in the city of
Currently, it is undoubtedly apparent that Texas has complications with its management of pollution in its multitudinous cities and metropolitan areas; such examples that distinctly portray the incompetence of maintaining a clean and healthy environment would be: detritus littering profusely in public places in cities, the health issues facing many Texans due to pollution, and the environmental ordeals occurring that effectively influence people, food, and water. Environmental pollution is a preeminent issue that needs to be allocated and resolved as swiftly as possible; it is an effort that would necessitate numerous organizations and communal aid.
Why I chose this issue: I currently live in an area of New Mexico that is heavily affected by air and water pollution (this is mainly
On to state officials, while the ADEQ is hard at work trying to control the air quality I don’t think state officials take the matter as serious as the public would want them to. The current Final Assignment-Phoenix Arizona air pollution 2
In many ways, public health ministries and agencies are the primary stewards of this country’s people’s health and welfare. While it makes sense that public policy should reflect the stewardship principles that put the health of the people and the environment above the economy. Risk assessment is useful in many, but not all, situations, it should not be used as a universal policy. This is because public risk perception is that our lives are more hazardous than they actually are. The EPA compiled a list of the op 11 environmental risks, this list included: global climate change, ozone depletion, habitat disruption, loss of biodiversity and species extinction, criteria air pollutants, toxic air pollutants, radon, indoor air pollution, drinking water contamination, application of pesticides, and occupational exposure to chemicals.
The second article is about another issue that is causing our climate to change that can be of higher risk that would be the ozone layer. Our ozone layer seems to be dimensioning it’s been said that pollution gases. Scientist have found evidence that increased pollutants in the air this study shows this comes from cars factories and these are some examples. Some of the sicknesses that occur because of this and our ozone layer not being protected could be bronchial asthma as we know this is a syndrome which can cause shortness of breath and make it difficult for one to breath, the air pollutants on health have been the focus of attention on this factor. During the years they have conducted many experimental studies these studies have shown that even the gas from diesel exhaust have been causing the upper respiratory disease and is able to control the immune system response by increasing bad side effects with animals and humans. There have been studies and during these studies that have been done they have found evidence that air pollutants can work with in the atmosphere or on human airways, this is a very strong effect on the human body. In fact, if the airways start the inflammation some pollutants start to overcome the chest making it hard to breath which would lead to allergen-induced responses. But, air pollution and with the changes in the climate would cause a human to have an effect this would be an allergic
Air Pollution today has lead CDC's fight against environmental -related respiratory illness, including asthma.An estimated number of 6.5 million deaths are attributed each year to poor air quality, making this the world's largest threat to human health.According to the World Energy Outlook and the IEA estimate that death due to household air pollution in Africa may decrease by 110,00 to 2040.However, due to economic growth, urbanization and automobile emissions, outdoor air pollution may rise from 300,00 to 450,000 over the same period. Am going to be looking at the causes of air pollution. the problems emerging with air pollution and also how we as a community can help decrease the amount of death rate associated with air pollution.I remember growing up in Africa Air pollution was always a talk about a subject that always comes out because it is really contagious due to the fact that we are breathing bad air that is caused by our human contribution to the environment.Air pollution is considered to be a public health problem, it is responsible for most of our health problems after some research has been conducted in many different parts of the world and regions. According to the Geochemistry and Health paleopathological research suggests that air pollution is a form of smoke, plagued our oldest ancestors.Air pollution has emerged as one of the leading risk factors for stroke worldwide.
This article, written by Jocelyn Lockwood, explores the severity and effects of air pollution in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Lockwood begins her article by discussing the findings of the ‘State of the Air 2015’ report, written by the American Lung Association, to emphasize that the amount of pollution in the air is dangerous. The author continues the article by referencing an interview with Blazer, a 9-year-old who has asthma, to give more evidence
Air pollution is a major problem in our world because it affects everything in the environment. With Texas’ largest city being Houston, where Downtown is known as the largest business area, population is massive, jobs are booming, there is no way of trying to escape trying to get out of having to drive to work, especially since most of the employees come in from all around the state. What makes this problem worse is that there are so many people who are trying to get to work that at times, there is very heavy traffic that cars will sit in for thirty to forty-five minutes in idle, which is where the problem arises because of the exhaust on the car. Houston isn’t the only city with this type of problem but it's one of the top five in the country. “These pollutants react with nitrogen oxides in the
To a great degree the eminent problem is the air pollution we breathe. Who can help amend the air we breathe. In order to improve the quality of the air, people have to be aware of the specific mode of pollution and the effect of it. The traffic-pollution causes affliction and distress to individuals. The reason for this tragedy is due in part by every one of us. High concentration of vehicle exhausts is the main source of air pollution in urban areas. Neighborhoods in proximity to heavy traffic areas can negatively impact a community’s health conditions and outcomes. Those people that are disproportionately exposed to great levels of exhaust fumes are those who have a low socioeconomic and educational status and are part of race/ethnicity