This document discusses environmental health and several environmental issues that can affect human health. It addresses how population growth and consumption of resources can deteriorate the environment and subsequently impact human health. It then examines several key issues in more depth: population growth rates, homelessness, thinning of the ozone layer, reduction of rainforests, biodiversity, deforestation, and greenhouse effect/global warming. Each issue is defined and its effects on the environment and human health are described.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH

2. People’s use of resources can affect the
environment. When the quality of the
environment deteriorates, the quality of
people’s health is affected.

3. Before we can study environmental
health, we have to look at some
environmental issues
1) Population Growth Rates
2)Homelessness
3)Thinning of the Ozone Layer
4) Reduction of Rainforest
5) Biodiversity
6)Deforestation
7) Greenhouse effect and Global
Warming

5. I) POPULATION GROWTH RATE
A) Currently about 7.188 billion people live on Earth.
B) According to the World Bank Group, the world’s population is growing by
200,000
people each day.
C) Factors that contribute to a greater increase in population
1) Sufficient Food resources
2) Improved Health services
D) Because of these two factors people are living longer and death rates have
decreased.
E) As population grows, it consumes more of the Earth’s resources.

6. F) Governments are trying hard to
make sure their citizens have food
clean water, shelter, and
adequate health care by doing research and importing goods
G) But if the resources are little and the people cannot afford
imported goods, it can result to poverty, hunger and
homelessness.

7. H) Poverty: a condition in which a person does not have
sufficient resources to eat and live healthfully.
I) People who are poor and hungry often are more at risk for
disease.
J) Malnutrition: a condition in which the body does not receive
either the energy nutrients or the balance of nutrients required
for optimal health.

8. II) HOMELESSNESS: Having no shelter
A) An estimated 100 million people are homeless worldwide U.N. (2005)
B) Caused by illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, illness, domestic
violence
C) Children who have been homeless from 6-17 have high rates of
mental health problems primarily anxiety and depression and also
physical health
D) In many cities, housing costs have risen and are not affordable for
many people

9. E) There are many things that people can do to help homeless people:
1) You can volunteer at shelters for the homeless.
2) They can make people aware how to donate clothing and
personal care items, furniture and food to homeless shelters.
3) Volunteers also can tutor homeless children in after-school
programs so that children increase their chances of succeeding
in school
4) Advocate within communities for jobs, health services and
housing

10. III) THINNING OF THE OZONE LAYER
A) Oxygen is made of 2 atoms of oxygen
B) Ozone is a molecule made of three atoms of oxygen.
C) It is a protective layer of the upper atmosphere that prevents
most of the ultraviolet radiation from the sun from reaching the
ultraviolet radiation from the Sun
D) Too much UV radiation is harmful to living tissue and is associated
which causes skin cancer, cataracts and other health conditions

11. IV. REDUCTION OF RAIN FORESTS
A) Rain forests are located near the equator around the globe in Latin
America, Africa and Asia.
B) A tropical rain forest is a hot, wet, forested area that contains many
species of trees, plants and animals.
C) Rain forests cover about 7 % of the land on Earth. The vegetation in rain
forests produces oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere.

12. IV. BIODIVERSITY
A) Many of the world’s plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests,
which means they have a high biodiversity
B ) Biodiversity refers to the variety of species in an area.
This variety gives humans food, vegetation and medicine.
C) About 25 % of modern drugs like aspirin, painkillers, medicines for heart
ailments and drugs used to treat leukemia come from rain forest plants.

13. V. DEFORESTATION
A) Cutting down trees for timber or using the land for growing
crops
B) Approximately 12 million hectares are cleared each year.
C) It takes 80-100 years for deforested land to fully re grow
D) In some countries, forests are slowly being cleared for
agricultural land.
E) The soil will only be good for a short time.
F) This also leads to the elimination of species.

14. VI. GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND GLOBAL WARMING
A) Sun’s radiant energy strikes Earth’s surface, warming it up. Some of this is
emitted back into space, but certain gases in Earth’s atmosphere, primarily water
vapor, absorb some of this energy and radiate it back toward Earth’s surface. This is
the greenhouse effect. It helps make Earth warm enough to sustain life. Other gases
involved in the greenhouse effect are carbon dioxide and methane.
B) The Earth’s average temperature has increased by 1⁰F over the past 100 years.
This is because of the increase amount of carbon in the atmosphere due to
human activity.

15. C) Because environmental issues are large issues, it may seem that there is little
an individual person can do to contribute to environmental health.
However, small steps taken by many people can have a positive impact on our
environment,
1) Saving electricity
2) Planting trees
3) Recycling
4) Buying and selling recyclable and recycled products
5) Buying products that help the environment

16. AIR POLLUTION
A) Air Quality Index
( AQI) of Thailand
1) The chart shows the
AQI of Thailand
2) Air pollution in the form of
fine liquid or fine solid
particles called particulates
harms health status in
different ways.
3) Particulates can damage,
destroy or
interfere with the
action of the cilia,
hair like structures in the
respiratory diseases and
infections, such as asthma,
emphysema, bronchitis,
pneumonia and lung cancer,
heart disease, eye and
throat irritation and
weakened immune system.

17. Major Sources of Air
Pollution:
1) Fossil fuels:
A) Nonrenewable
energy sources that
formed from plant or
animal remains over
millions of years. Ex.:
Coal, oil and natural gas
B) Burning fossil fuels
releases CO², CO³,
nitrogen, oxides, sulfur
oxides and particulates
into the air.

18. 2) Particulates
Soot, ash, dirt, dust
and pollen are
particulates.
Some particulates
travel deep into the
lungs. This can
cause coughing,
wheezing, asthma
attacks, respiratory
infections, bronchitis
and lung cancer

19. 3) SMOG
A) combination of smoke, fog,
sunlight, vapor in the air,
motor vehicle emissions,
particles from factories can
combine to form smog.
B) Smog contains low-level
ozone which forms close to
the Earth’s surface which is a
health hazard because it can
irritate the eyes, lungs and
throat and cause headaches,
coughing and shortness of
breath.
C) Hot humid days can result in
an ozone alert and
people with asthma are
advised

20. 4) Motor Vehicle
Emissions
A) Gasoline, diesel
LPG
B) Emissions
include carbon
monoxide, airborne
lead, sulfur oxides
and nitrogen oxides.
C) Diseases:
lung cancer,
asthma, bronchitis,
chest pain

21. 5) Indoor Pollution
A) The concentration of pollutants
may be even higher because they
are trapped
B) Types: secondhand tobacco
smoke, exhaled smoke,
sidestream
C) Forms:
Secondhand tobacco smoke,
poorly vented wood-burning
stoves, gas appliances, kerosene
heaters, furnaces can emit
carbon monoxide, sulfur
dioxides, particulates
D) Can cause carbon monoxide
poisoning which are fatal
E) Symptoms: headaches, nausea,
vomiting, fatigue, dizziness,
unconsciousness

22. 6) Building Materials and
Cosmetics
A) Formaldehyde: a
colorless gas with a strong
odor used as a disinfectant
and preservative.
It is used in the manufacture
of particleboard, plywood,
furniture and other wood
products,
insulation, cosmetics,
upholstery, carpets,
household appliances ,
plastics and cigarette smoke,
some shampoos, nail polish
Solution: seal all wood
products

23. B) Asbestos: a
heat-resistant
group of minerals
that was used as
fire-proof
insulation in many
older buildings and
homes.
Linked to lung and
gastrointestinal
cancer.

24. 7) Radon
A) A naturally occurring colorless, odorless radioactive gas that is
released from rocks and soil
B) Can enter homes through cracks in the floor, walls,
drains and sump pumps.
C) Increases the risk of lung cancer

25. Ways to Keep the
Air Clean
1) Do not Smoke.
Carbon monoxide and
other chemicals pollute
the air
2) Driving
Avoid driving at high
speed.
Service your vehicle
regularly to keep the
engine running efficiently.
Consider carpooling,
using public
transportation, walking or
riding a bicycle.
3) Clean up your Home