There are 3 sewage facilities in Marin County:
1. The Central Marin Sanitation Agency in San Rafael
2. The Mill Valley Sewage Treatment Plant in Mill Valley
3. The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District in San Rafael
I admit, I was a little surprised to learn that there were 3 of these plants in Marin county. I wonder if all of these plants have arisen out of necessity? Is there that much waste being produced in our county? I don't feel I have enough information to make the call as to yes or no, but I'd certainly be curious to find out the answer. Out of these three plants, the closest one to my home is the Central Marin Sanitation Agency which is 4.2 miles away.
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
The Story of Bottled Water
If I was to develop a nationwide campaign to get people to drink tap water, my campaign slogan would be:
Come Back to the Tap!
The idea behind it would be that Americans have gotten away from drinking their tap water as bottled water companies have manufactured demand by seducing us with false imagery and generating fear. The focus would be to bring Americans back to their taps and have them vote/support initiatives that work to further clean up their drinking water. A secondary mission of this campaign would be to continue to shine light on the bottled water industry and expose it for assisting in the manufacturing of a problem that only they can "fix".
Come Back to the Tap!
The idea behind it would be that Americans have gotten away from drinking their tap water as bottled water companies have manufactured demand by seducing us with false imagery and generating fear. The focus would be to bring Americans back to their taps and have them vote/support initiatives that work to further clean up their drinking water. A secondary mission of this campaign would be to continue to shine light on the bottled water industry and expose it for assisting in the manufacturing of a problem that only they can "fix".
Consumer Confidence Water Report - Marin County
1. Marin's water originates in reservoirs. There are 17 reservoirs in Marin that MMWD (Marin Municipal Water District) pulls from.
2. Marin's water proved to be free of high levels of contaminants. The only contaminant I was a bit alarmed by was the relatively high amount of chloride which was reported to average 34 mg/L. This contaminant is reported to originate from the runoff/leaching of natural deposits.
3. The only chemical that I saw listed on the list of possible contaminants that I was not expecting was radon. Even though the MMWD reports that the average amount of radon in our reservoir water was "N/A"- I was still a bit disturbed to see it even on the list as a potential contaminant. I am pleased to see that they are continually testing for it though!
4. Honestly, Marin's water is quite clean of chemicals. The one chemical that stood out as being a bit high, and that can cause adverse health effects, is chloride which can increase your risk of cancer, cause cell damage, and result in heart complications.
I do not filter my water in my home. In the past, my parents used a filter on and off again - but it never stuck around for very long. I've always drank Marin's tap water and did not feel a need to buy bottled water, or even invest in a filter myself. After reading this report, I feel confident continuing this practice. I am also constantly trying to avoid bottled water simply as a way to avoid contributing to plastic waste. The only time I may consider investing in a filter or purchasing bottled water is if I were to move or if I was traveling.
2. Marin's water proved to be free of high levels of contaminants. The only contaminant I was a bit alarmed by was the relatively high amount of chloride which was reported to average 34 mg/L. This contaminant is reported to originate from the runoff/leaching of natural deposits.
3. The only chemical that I saw listed on the list of possible contaminants that I was not expecting was radon. Even though the MMWD reports that the average amount of radon in our reservoir water was "N/A"- I was still a bit disturbed to see it even on the list as a potential contaminant. I am pleased to see that they are continually testing for it though!
4. Honestly, Marin's water is quite clean of chemicals. The one chemical that stood out as being a bit high, and that can cause adverse health effects, is chloride which can increase your risk of cancer, cause cell damage, and result in heart complications.
I do not filter my water in my home. In the past, my parents used a filter on and off again - but it never stuck around for very long. I've always drank Marin's tap water and did not feel a need to buy bottled water, or even invest in a filter myself. After reading this report, I feel confident continuing this practice. I am also constantly trying to avoid bottled water simply as a way to avoid contributing to plastic waste. The only time I may consider investing in a filter or purchasing bottled water is if I were to move or if I was traveling.
Monday, September 24, 2018
Clean Water in America
The Clean Water Act has done a great deal to protect America's water. From my previous understanding of the Clean Water Act, I only considered the CWA's impact on American's drinking water. What I had failed to realize was the impact the CWA has had on industry. I really appreciated learning in the 'Clean Water Act of 1972' video that 36.8 billion has been generated through fishing, hunting, and bird watching revenues in many states because there is clean water for the animals to thrive on. On a similar note, learning that water-front property has increased in value on bodies like the Chicago river as they get cleaned up, was another way that industry has been positively impacted. I enjoyed learning these facts about how industry is positively impacted by the protection of clean water because many of these industry giants can/should be powerful allies in the fight to protect our water. Being able to turn to them and say, "Hey! Look how much money clean water has provided you with! Don't you want to protect that?" can prove to be a powerful incentive.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Radon
When I hear someone talking about a nation-wide awareness campaign, my mind automatically goes to social marketing as a strong possibility. I think social marketing has huge potential to influence people and their decision making processes because I find myself influenced by social marketing campaigns every day. As I get on to the freeway near my home, there is a bus stop whose billboards are ALWAYS showing social marketing campaigns (alerting us that its tick season, reminding us about the importance of speaking up if we see abuse, telling us to get flu shots, etc.) and they serves as strong reminder to me every morning.
I would use social marketing billboards, radio ads, TV ads, and leaflets to get the word out about the importance of radon testing and to raise awareness about the harm it can do. I would form working relationships with (at the very least) the organizations mentioned in the Radon YouTube video we watched for this module - the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cancer Learning Center, and the Utah Department of Health. Partnerships with local governments would be important as well as their support will be critical when determining where our marketing should go in their communities. Local government can play a crucial role because they know how to reach their people and likely have a strong sense of which communities might be at a higher risk than others. This information is paramount as we plan where to launch our social marketing campaign efforts and decide on what method of message delivery would work best.
Fragrance Policy
Our group would utilize the motto of being a "fragrance free facility" for a hypothetical health club. No scented deodorant, body wash, shampoo/conditioner, perfume, or any other personal care products would be allowed. Now, considering that our fictional policy is for a health club that provides members with showers, sinks, etc. we think it would be a good business practice to provide members with deodorant, body wash, shampoo/conditioner, shaving gel, etc that was not scented. By providing them with product alternatives, we make it much easier for them to uphold the rules surrounding fragrance because they do not need to bring their own products from home. Also included in our health club would be prominent signage that alerts members as to why the fragrance free policy is in effect and how they can do their part in contributing to carcinogen free air.
This policy would help reduce the body burdens and exposures of our members by providing them with a space where they could reside without having copious amounts of carcinogens, mutagens, and tumor promoting chemicals from fragrances bombarding them. For a family oriented health club like the YMCA (for example) that often services families and young children - we think a safe space such as this is very important.
This policy would help reduce the body burdens and exposures of our members by providing them with a space where they could reside without having copious amounts of carcinogens, mutagens, and tumor promoting chemicals from fragrances bombarding them. For a family oriented health club like the YMCA (for example) that often services families and young children - we think a safe space such as this is very important.
ToxNet
Health Effects
Urea Formaldehyde: This chemical is a known, and well documented, mutagenicity that causes cells to mutate. Many studies done on ToxNet were preformed on lab animals, primarily rats, and tumors were found to develop in these animals exposed to Urea formaldehyde. In animals that were subjugated to Urea formaldehyde through means of inhalation,the tumors appeared most on their noses.
Bleach: ToxNet proved bleach (hydrogen peroxide) to be a very strong carcinogen. Studies showed that health effects include cancer development in lab animals exposed to this chemical. Most methods of testing involved consumption of the chemical by lab animals (fish,rats,mice) but some were exposed via inhalation which is the method that most humans are exposed.
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Transportation
I was raised in a community that, until I was in high school, had no access to public transportation. I lived in a small town with no streetlights, no traffic signals, and a grand total of three stop signs. I didn't grow up taking the bus to school or seeing people leaving/arriving in my community on public transportation and thus I never really "learned" how to take a bus. As a child in grade school, and even into high school, I can remember being intimidated by public transportation. I found the idea of riding a bus with strangers to be scary! And what if I missed my stop or got on the wrong bus?
According the the American Public Health Association (APHA) I may have increased my health risks by neglecting public transportation. My risk of dying in a crash while taking public transit is 1/25 that of my risk of dying in a private automobile and since I drive my own car to work, I am 44.6% more likely to be overweight or obese.
The How Does Transportation Affect Public Health? article gave me some insight as to how my transportation habits are negatively impacting the health of my community. "Active Transportation" (exercise) has obvious positive outcomes for the personnel involved, but it also does not generate air/soil/water/noise pollutants. Public transportation options, while still producing some emissions, are generally much lower in pollutants than individual automobiles as well. If I could partake in "Active Transportation" or public transportation more regularly, I could contribute to lowering air/soil/water/noise pollutants in my community and thus make their home environment a more positive social determinant of their health.
According the the American Public Health Association (APHA) I may have increased my health risks by neglecting public transportation. My risk of dying in a crash while taking public transit is 1/25 that of my risk of dying in a private automobile and since I drive my own car to work, I am 44.6% more likely to be overweight or obese.
The How Does Transportation Affect Public Health? article gave me some insight as to how my transportation habits are negatively impacting the health of my community. "Active Transportation" (exercise) has obvious positive outcomes for the personnel involved, but it also does not generate air/soil/water/noise pollutants. Public transportation options, while still producing some emissions, are generally much lower in pollutants than individual automobiles as well. If I could partake in "Active Transportation" or public transportation more regularly, I could contribute to lowering air/soil/water/noise pollutants in my community and thus make their home environment a more positive social determinant of their health.
Air Pollution
My Zip Code: 94903 Marin County
* There are no manufacturing facilities in Marin
*1% of houses in Marin have a high risk of lead hazards
*Superfund sites = worst toxic waste sites
*There are no superfund sites in Marin
*In 1999 Marin ranked in the top 20% of all U.S counties in terms of worst air pollutant VOC's (volatile organic compound emissions)!!!!
*Marin has 23 bodies of water with reported problems. Of these, 11 are classified as being of "medium" risk and 12 are classified as being of "low" risk.
*The leading pollutant in Marin's water are various pesticides (63%)
*The 'Distribution of Burden Mapper' highlighted a few environmental justice issues
-Facilities Emitting Criteria Air Pollutants (facilities per square mile): People of color = 26 ; Whites = 8.7
-Facilities Emitting Criteria Air Pollutants (facilities per square mile): Families below poverty = 10 ; Families above poverty = 8.1
Overall, I was most surprised by the issues I found with air quality problems in Marin. I already feel like I had a pretty solid understanding of the environmental justice issues in place in Marin, but it never gets old seeing the statistics in your face like that. I was very pleased to find out with 100% certainty that there are no manufacturing facilities or superfund sites in Marin!!!
* There are no manufacturing facilities in Marin
*1% of houses in Marin have a high risk of lead hazards
*Superfund sites = worst toxic waste sites
*There are no superfund sites in Marin
*In 1999 Marin ranked in the top 20% of all U.S counties in terms of worst air pollutant VOC's (volatile organic compound emissions)!!!!
*Marin has 23 bodies of water with reported problems. Of these, 11 are classified as being of "medium" risk and 12 are classified as being of "low" risk.
*The leading pollutant in Marin's water are various pesticides (63%)
*The 'Distribution of Burden Mapper' highlighted a few environmental justice issues
-Facilities Emitting Criteria Air Pollutants (facilities per square mile): People of color = 26 ; Whites = 8.7
-Facilities Emitting Criteria Air Pollutants (facilities per square mile): Families below poverty = 10 ; Families above poverty = 8.1
Overall, I was most surprised by the issues I found with air quality problems in Marin. I already feel like I had a pretty solid understanding of the environmental justice issues in place in Marin, but it never gets old seeing the statistics in your face like that. I was very pleased to find out with 100% certainty that there are no manufacturing facilities or superfund sites in Marin!!!
Environmental Justice
I found the 8 Horrifying Examples of Corporations Mistreating Black Communities with Environmental Racism article to be very fascinating because it served as a history lesson as much as it did a wake-up call. The issue of "Durban Poison" in South Africa was especially interesting as it has been a while since I read anything that had to do with apartheid and it helps to explain why/how these things come to be. An example such as this paints the picture of history very clearly so that environmental racism, as it exists today, is highlighted and better understood for those of us who were very young when apartheid ended. We can very obviously see how these decisions were not made by accident - there were laws and regulations put in place to protect/appease white communities at the expense of communities of color.
As I read over the Black Lives Matter website, I can see how environmental justice goes hand-in-hand with their message. Although I could not find anything explicitly listing "environmental justice" as one of the movement's goals, I think "creating a world free of anti-Blackness, where every Black person has the social, economic, and political power to thrive" (BLM website) as well as a loudly stated mission to "support freedom and justice for black communities" says enough to connect the dots between the movement and environmental justice. I wonder how understood/considered environmental justice is by the BLM movement? I wonder if they have conducted any research of their own linking environmental justice to their communities to strengthen their cause and generate awareness?
Environmental justice is clearly something that needs to be considered when assessing someones social determinants of health. Social determinants of health consist of the conditions in which a person is born, grows, lives, works, and ages (to quote the WHO website). Of course their proximity to toxic waste incinerators etc needs to be considered when assessing the possible health outcomes of this person or their community! Looking back at the Rishi Manchanda video, we can see how few health care providers may actually think to ask questions about things like their patients social determinants of health - and yet these things are so, so important!
As I read over the Black Lives Matter website, I can see how environmental justice goes hand-in-hand with their message. Although I could not find anything explicitly listing "environmental justice" as one of the movement's goals, I think "creating a world free of anti-Blackness, where every Black person has the social, economic, and political power to thrive" (BLM website) as well as a loudly stated mission to "support freedom and justice for black communities" says enough to connect the dots between the movement and environmental justice. I wonder how understood/considered environmental justice is by the BLM movement? I wonder if they have conducted any research of their own linking environmental justice to their communities to strengthen their cause and generate awareness?
Environmental justice is clearly something that needs to be considered when assessing someones social determinants of health. Social determinants of health consist of the conditions in which a person is born, grows, lives, works, and ages (to quote the WHO website). Of course their proximity to toxic waste incinerators etc needs to be considered when assessing the possible health outcomes of this person or their community! Looking back at the Rishi Manchanda video, we can see how few health care providers may actually think to ask questions about things like their patients social determinants of health - and yet these things are so, so important!
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Vulnerable Populations
I found this section to build really nicely upon Module 2. I especially liked how the Little Things Matter video built upon the pancake metaphor described in Module 2 to drive home the point that these trace amounts of chemicals are enough to alter human health. An example of this was highlighted in the Little Things Matter video with regard to Ritalin and its treatment of ADHD which positively effects ADHD symptoms, even at a level of concentration lower than a lot of chemicals commonly found in the body. The power of drug companies here needs to be addressed so that these chemicals become much more closely regulated.
Another thing I found really interesting was the article on estrogen-mimic. I honestly don't know if I'll ever want children - but I have a a few close friends who have been trying, and failing, for some time to become pregnant. This article, combined with the discussion of the body burden test, made me worry for them. I wonder if I should suggest that they partake in something like the body burden test, or suggest that they read some of these articles on chemicals that can alter fertility... but I'm not sure its my place. Still, perhaps more knowledge would assist them, and they might be able to change their fortune if they were equipped with some of this knowledge. I feel like this is a tricky situation however...these things become so much more complicated when the subjects are your friends.
Another thing I found really interesting was the article on estrogen-mimic. I honestly don't know if I'll ever want children - but I have a a few close friends who have been trying, and failing, for some time to become pregnant. This article, combined with the discussion of the body burden test, made me worry for them. I wonder if I should suggest that they partake in something like the body burden test, or suggest that they read some of these articles on chemicals that can alter fertility... but I'm not sure its my place. Still, perhaps more knowledge would assist them, and they might be able to change their fortune if they were equipped with some of this knowledge. I feel like this is a tricky situation however...these things become so much more complicated when the subjects are your friends.
Lab Result Discussion
After watching the "Body Burdens"video with Anderson Cooper, the results of the fictional lab test felt even heavier than when I initially read over them before watching the video. I think its always scarier when you see/hear someone in a white lab coat discuss serious topics like your reproductive health or your likeliness to test positive for cancer. Every time we watch a video like this regarding some new area of environmental health, I'm always appalled at how often I hear the words "We just don't know" when talking about the effects of these chemicals on human health. The chasm of uncertainty is overwhelmingly frightening!
Out of the list provided in my fictional lab test, the scariest result for me was the carcinogens. I'm seriously paranoid about getting cancer; so much so that I don't even like to talk/write about it because I'm afraid I'll jinx myself. I realize that's ridiculous (one of the few things in this world that probably can't give me cancer, is talking about getting cancer) - but then I think "why even risk it!". I think I am also very concerned about carcinogens because I am aware of the staggering cancer statistics in Marin county. I'd be very interested in going through the body burdens test for real, but I can't even begin to imagine how much anxiety my test results would cause me.
Out of the list provided in my fictional lab test, the scariest result for me was the carcinogens. I'm seriously paranoid about getting cancer; so much so that I don't even like to talk/write about it because I'm afraid I'll jinx myself. I realize that's ridiculous (one of the few things in this world that probably can't give me cancer, is talking about getting cancer) - but then I think "why even risk it!". I think I am also very concerned about carcinogens because I am aware of the staggering cancer statistics in Marin county. I'd be very interested in going through the body burdens test for real, but I can't even begin to imagine how much anxiety my test results would cause me.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Household Products
Product 1: Clorox Commercial Solutions Heavy Duty Liquid-Plumer Gel
I selected this product for this exercise because I thought it had to be one of the worst products in my household. Upon entering this product into the Household Products Database on the U.S Department of Health and Human Services website I discovered that I was not mistaken. Clorox Commercial Solutions Heavy Duty Liquid-Plumer Gel was deemed to be hazardous by OSHA in 2012 and is known to react with other household chemicals like ammonia to produce hazardous gases such as chlorine. The "Health Rating" of this product was a 3.
Product 2: Febreze Auto Fabric Refresher
This is a product that I have not used in my own car, but that I know my boyfriend uses is his. I ride in this car 2-3x/week and he rides in it 3-4x/week. I decided to look up information on this product so that I might share what I find with him and try to get him interested in the risks involved with some of the products he uses. One thing I found to be interesting about this product was that the manufacturer's Material Safety Data Sheet does not state whether the ingredients are considered carcinogens or potential carcinogens. It feels like this information could be being intentionally withheld from the customers. The "Health Rating" of this product was a 1.
I selected this product for this exercise because I thought it had to be one of the worst products in my household. Upon entering this product into the Household Products Database on the U.S Department of Health and Human Services website I discovered that I was not mistaken. Clorox Commercial Solutions Heavy Duty Liquid-Plumer Gel was deemed to be hazardous by OSHA in 2012 and is known to react with other household chemicals like ammonia to produce hazardous gases such as chlorine. The "Health Rating" of this product was a 3.
- "Health Rating" Scale: 0 = Minimal, 1 = Slight, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Serious, 4 = Severe
Product 2: Febreze Auto Fabric Refresher
This is a product that I have not used in my own car, but that I know my boyfriend uses is his. I ride in this car 2-3x/week and he rides in it 3-4x/week. I decided to look up information on this product so that I might share what I find with him and try to get him interested in the risks involved with some of the products he uses. One thing I found to be interesting about this product was that the manufacturer's Material Safety Data Sheet does not state whether the ingredients are considered carcinogens or potential carcinogens. It feels like this information could be being intentionally withheld from the customers. The "Health Rating" of this product was a 1.
- "Health Rating" Scale: 0 = Minimal, 1 = Slight, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Serious, 4 = Severe
The Clorox Commercial Solutions Heavy Duty Liquid-Plumer Gel proved to be a product that I want to replace in my home immediately. Not only did it make me uncomfortable to know that I was exposing my boyfriend and myself to this product, but I also felt terrible knowing that I was dumping this product down our sink and into our water systems (as instructed)! The toll that I've personally taken on our environment from just my use of this one product over the years is terrifying. As I stated in my "Personal Care Items" blog, this kind of database/information needs to be more readily available to the general public so that we can all make more informed decisions about what we put on our skin, furniture, dishes, and down our drains. The more education we can provide about this topic, and instruction on where to find fast facts, the better!
Personal Care Products
Product 1: Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Dry-Touch Sun Screen SPF 30
I selected this first product to be what I hoped would be the "healthier" of my two selections. I use this product on my face every day, assuming that sun screen is an important component of my skin care regimen. After running this product through www.ewg.org, I felt a bit relieved! This product held up pretty well from what I learned - the only cause for concern being "Use Restrictions" which scored just below "Moderate".
Product 2: Cover Girl Full Lash Bloom by LashBlast Mascara
This is one of the few other products, aside from my Neutrogena sun screen, that I apply to my face every day. I assumed that this product would be "worse" than my Neutrogena sun screen, and I was right. The most concerning aspect of this product was the "Overall Hazard" which ranked smack-dab in the middle of "Low" and "Moderate". Even though my findings surrounding this product were less than ideal, they were actually better than I had thought they would be.
Overall, I wasn't incredibly alarmed at my findings concerning these two products. I think I will likely spend some additional time using www.ewg.org to check out other products I have in my house that I use on a regular basis - and it will probably serve me as decision making tool in the future when I decide to switch shampoo or change toothpastes. Based on the information I found today, I will not currently be changing out either of these products from my daily beauty regimen. To conclude, I think that everyone should have access to the kind of data provided on www.ewg.org. I am glad this website is public, and I now feel obligated to tell people about it and usefulness! I already leaned over and interrupted my boyfriend's statistics homework so that he could run an analysis of his hair gel! I think this kind of information and teaching gets lost in most general education programs, so it becomes the duty of public health professionals to help spread the word wherever we can.
Ken Cook Video:
This video was a terrifying wake up call to remind us all that we are being exposed to some very terrible chemicals on a daily basis - even when we try to lead "healthy" lives. The fact that these 10 Americans averaged 200 chemicals in their blood was astounding and that so many of them were absorbed while they were still in their mothers womb was very sad. Even before we are able to make choices of our own we are already being exposed to toxic chemicals via our mothers blood, even if she is doing all that she can to try and protect us based on the knowledge she has. I found Mr Cook's point about how much low doses matter to be extremely powerful. He does a very, very good job of driving this point home with his pancake metaphor.
I selected this first product to be what I hoped would be the "healthier" of my two selections. I use this product on my face every day, assuming that sun screen is an important component of my skin care regimen. After running this product through www.ewg.org, I felt a bit relieved! This product held up pretty well from what I learned - the only cause for concern being "Use Restrictions" which scored just below "Moderate".
Product 2: Cover Girl Full Lash Bloom by LashBlast Mascara
This is one of the few other products, aside from my Neutrogena sun screen, that I apply to my face every day. I assumed that this product would be "worse" than my Neutrogena sun screen, and I was right. The most concerning aspect of this product was the "Overall Hazard" which ranked smack-dab in the middle of "Low" and "Moderate". Even though my findings surrounding this product were less than ideal, they were actually better than I had thought they would be.
Overall, I wasn't incredibly alarmed at my findings concerning these two products. I think I will likely spend some additional time using www.ewg.org to check out other products I have in my house that I use on a regular basis - and it will probably serve me as decision making tool in the future when I decide to switch shampoo or change toothpastes. Based on the information I found today, I will not currently be changing out either of these products from my daily beauty regimen. To conclude, I think that everyone should have access to the kind of data provided on www.ewg.org. I am glad this website is public, and I now feel obligated to tell people about it and usefulness! I already leaned over and interrupted my boyfriend's statistics homework so that he could run an analysis of his hair gel! I think this kind of information and teaching gets lost in most general education programs, so it becomes the duty of public health professionals to help spread the word wherever we can.
Ken Cook Video:
This video was a terrifying wake up call to remind us all that we are being exposed to some very terrible chemicals on a daily basis - even when we try to lead "healthy" lives. The fact that these 10 Americans averaged 200 chemicals in their blood was astounding and that so many of them were absorbed while they were still in their mothers womb was very sad. Even before we are able to make choices of our own we are already being exposed to toxic chemicals via our mothers blood, even if she is doing all that she can to try and protect us based on the knowledge she has. I found Mr Cook's point about how much low doses matter to be extremely powerful. He does a very, very good job of driving this point home with his pancake metaphor.
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