Blog #10  Hot News


REGENERATION AGRICULTURE  will likely become more of a household term as the term ORGANIC. Is is the newest news happening in the farming industry. It consists of minimizing tillage of the soil,  keeping  the land covered with plants at all times, rotating a diversity of crops and grazing livestock across the fields. I had always heard that rotating crops was a good idea, but I had not heard about not not tilling the soil. I lived in the San Joaquin Valley for over 40 years and I have seen some vineyards being pulled out and replaced by fruit trees in the last five years. This practice is supposed to get carbon out of the air and into the soil. I hope to learn more about this process and if it is going to help our environment then, let it be. 

Blog #9 Hot News



The uninhabitable earth is the title of the book by climate alarmist David Wallace-Wells. I have not read his book and really have never been a follower of climate change. However after seeing the devastation of the California fires, I really want to read his book. It does seem the earth is becoming uninhabitable due to global warming.

This picture posted by the Author leaves little room for doubt.

Blog #8 -Hot News

Elizabeth Kirk a Professor of International Environmental Law, Nottingham Trent University recently published an article on December 3, 2018 regarding solutions to the plastic invasion. Her article discussed a possibility to ending the use of plastic beginning with plastic bags and straws. I don't know how long it will take, but I have begun to see some restaurants using paper straws. I wish that plastic bags would be banned all together. People should use a reusable cloth bag which can be washed and reused. It seems that it is an impossible task, however if don't begin we will never finish.

Blog #7.1





The EPA has been considering regulating PFOS and PFOA in drinking water since 2009 according to an article posted by  Laurel Schaider

Visiting Scientist, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University. It is noted that the EPA is only targeting two chemicals and that this process will take several years to complete. The last time any changes were made to the regulation of water was over 20 years ago according to the author. Why should this process take so long. Why Years? In the mean time are we to continue to be exposed to toxins and chemicals that we know affects us? Do we just stand back and see what happens? I am quite glad that I am becoming more aware of what I am consuming especially water which is always viewed as safe.

Blog #10

How does indoor air quality contribute to health outcomes? Air quality is controlled in part by the air tightness in your home. I live in newer home and it is very energy efficient. It however traps moisture which can lead to mold

• What is the air quality like in your home or your local health clinics? I live in the central valley and I believe the air inside is a reflection of the air outside, therefore it is not very good.  Hospitals?Air in hospitals has to be bad with all the antibacterial agents that are constantly used.

2. Are there concerns about formaldehyde or carpets in your area? No, I do not have a carpet.
3. If applicable, do you educate your patients and communities about indoor cooking risks and ensuring air flow? Yes, some of my patients are farm-workers and are used to cooking indoors using wood or animal dung.

Blog #9

What health effects are clearly caused by common air pollutants? Too many to count on one hand,  Asthma, lung cancer, sarcoidosis, allergic rhinitis, COPD, exacerbation of any respiratory problems, some cardiac and endocrine diseases and neurogenic disease. 

• Were you aware of the effects on the immune system? Yes
• What steps can you take to reduce your impact on air quality? Some step we can take include moving to a more friendly environmental area if feasible,  keep vehicles smogged, burn fires only on designated days and designated places. Take steps to prevent forest fires.

2. Did you discover any environmental risks in your zip code or geographic area by utilizing the air quality assessment tools? Yes

• Who is responsible for regulating air quality-based in your community/country? EPA

3. Were the journal articles relevant to your current practice? YES

• How can you help mitigate the effects of particulate matter air pollution on your patients? I can tell my patients to wear masks when working with chemicals ans do so in a well ventilated space, run outside on healthy air day, monitor air quality in their region. 
• In terms of a pediatric population, how can you best educate parents on air quality? Keep children indoors on poor air quality days. Try not to have kids in the car during long car rides in heavy traffic.

Blog #8

Is there evidence of environmental racism in your community/state/country? Yes, most recently in 2018, LA county had several elementary schools testing positive for lead. The drinking fountains tested 120 ppb when the federal level allowed is 5 ppb. The district has spent more than $50 million dollars to address the problem, yet none of the plumbing has been replaced. Where did the money go?

• Have you heard of environmental justice before? NO, not before this class.
• Have there been any environmental events in your area that would fall under the purview of environmental justice? Yes, In the central valley where there is much cultivation of agriculture, farm workers are constantly exposed to pesticides and made to work without proper protection.
• When you hear the phrase "social determinants of health" do you think of environmental justice as one of them? How can we incorporate environmental justice into our work to address the negative social determinants of health? When I hear the term "social determinants of health" I did not think of the term of environmental justice, but I do think about health disparities among the poor. We can incorporate environmental justice by providing more education to the poor, because they are more likely to be affected than more affluent populations.

Blog #7

1. How does your community/area/country identify, manage, and pay for the cost of environmentally-related conditions?I believe it is through taxes. The tobacco tax has contributed to many programs to treat lung cancer.
   • How can you, as a health care provider, help to alleviate those costs?As a provider, I can help reduce the costs by educating my patients about the potential risk such as with mercury and lead. If they know what to avoid, they can improve their health.
2. Were you already aware of the potential links between environmental health exposures and neuro-developmental disorders? Yes, I was aware of lead and mercury exposure. But since this class I have learned of many I did not know existed.
   
   • How will this change your practice? I will continue to make it a priority to include at least one item of environmental entity at every visit.
3. If you are engaged in maternal and child health services, does your practice already incorporate the recommendations from the international group of obstetricians? In my practice I see OB and pediatrics. We do have some systems in place such as educational videos for OB patients.  During the CHDP visit much information is given about lead and mercury. Children are routinely checked for lead.
4. The relationship between environmental health exposures and reproductive effects can be extremely complex. How can you incorporate what you've learned from the UCSF video into your practice? I would need to simplify the material to be given to patients and only present one concept per visit in order to ensure proper understanding.
5. Considering Dr. Lamphear's short video, how will you educate pregnant women on newborn care? I would emphasize the importance of doing everything possible to avoid at least the toxins and exposures that they maybe aware of such as lead and mercury. I would share with my patients the risks posed on the brain by these chemicals/toxins.