Loren Santiago - MPH 632: Environmental Health

The NY Times published an article informing readers that sunscreen contributes to damaging our coral reefs around the world. According to a 2008 study by Environmental Health Perspectives, non-biodegradable sunscreen is toxic and can cause "viral infection in corals that can lead to bleaching." The study also revealed that 14,000 tons of sunscreen is deposited in the oceans each year. While places like Hawaii are attempting to place bans on non-biodegradable sunscreen, they are meeting resistance from individuals who claim that coral bleaching is not due to sunscreen but to other factors such as global warming, agricultural runoff, sewage, or overfishing. Sunscreen should still be allowed as it protects us against skin cancer, they argue. Reading this article, I thought back to when I traveled to the Galapagos Islands. I was fortunate enough to go snorkeling in their amazing waters, but I remember that specific eco-friendly sunscreen was recommended, to reduce damage to the...

Answer the following questions: What is the source of your drinking water?  According to SF Water, San Francisco gets 85% of our water from the Hetch Hetchy watershed. The rest of our water comes from the Alameda and Peninsula watersheds. In April 2017, SF also started using groundwater from the Westside Groundwater Basin aquifer. Where does your water ORIGINATE? (It is treated at a water treatment plant, but what watershed or aquifer is the sources of the water?)  The Hetch Hetchy watershed. What chemicals were found in your water that were higher than expected?  Most of the chemicals listed were well under the maximum contaminant level goal or the maximum contaminant level. However, I was surprised to know that byproducts of disinfection were still found in the water, like haloacetic acids. I also saw that even though the range for Giardia lamblia was <0-0.11, I thought it was a bit scary because it was still detected. What chemicals did you NOT expect to ...

San Francisco has three sewage facilities: North Point Wet-Weather Facility: built in 1951, active only during wet weather, provides pretreatment and primary treatment with disinfection of wastewater from the northeast part of the City. Capacity is up to 150 MGD (million gallons per day). This system is outdated, with new improvements to infrastructure to come soon. Oceanside Treatment Plant: built in 1993, receives up to 20% of the City's flow, treats water from the westside of the City. Capacity is up to 15 MGD, but during a rain stop, it can be up to 175 MGD.  Southeast Treatment Plant: built in 1953, receives up to 80% of the City's flow, our largest wastewater facility. Responsible for the Bayside, Daly City, and Brisbane. Capacity is 60 MGD and up to 250 MGD during a rainstorm.   These facilities combined serve over 800,000 customers and is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). The facilities collect and treat both sewage and stormwate...

If you were to develop a nationwide campaign to get people to drink tap water instead of bottled water, what would be your campaign slogan? "Drink From Your Sink" and "Water Without Waste" I would use these phrases as my campaign slogans. I used rhyming and alliteration to make them memorable. They are simple, and to the point. The first indicates that water from your own sink (tap water) can help save money and the environment, thus we should just "drink from our sink." It is essentially water without waste, as the second phrase states. Bottled water leaves us with so many plastic bottles that we cannot keep up with them, even if we try to recycle. In addition, sending our plastic to a recycling facility does not guarantee that it will be recycled, as the video states. It is so important for us to realize that we need to stop spending money, wasting resources, and polluting our planet. Drinking tap water can be a start to this. 

The Clean Water Act is important in the preservation of our most precious resource, water. This act regulates the amount of pollution in our water and sets safety standards for surface water. This led to improved water conditions for humans, animals, and the environment alike. While it does not eliminate the problem of contaminated water completely, it was a step forward in maintaining our water supply. It is so important to regulate our water because we use it for so many things, not just drinking. We use it for agriculture, industrial purposes, health, and much more. Keeping our water safe to use is essential for our lives and public health.

The Trump administration released a new infrastructure plan that proposes "protecting clean water with greater efficiency." Although this sounds like something positive, the plan would essentially lessen the amount of regulations and agencies that protect US water. The EPA would have less say in these matters. According to the article, 16 million Americans already get sick from tap water each year. With this new infrastructure plan, there could be more risk for contaminated water from runoff from new highways, dams, or pipelines. More contaminated water would lead to the possibility of cities having to pay to clean the dirty water in order to make it safe to drink. Water is such an essential resource; it's unfortunate that we have to worry about the quality of our water or if it is contaminated. Eliminating regulations on water should be avoided, and if anything, should be increased. Americans already get ill from water, and if we continue to lift regulations, it may on...

How would you develop a national awareness campaign?   Name some of your potential collaborators (stakeholders). When developing awareness of radon, I would promote education in various areas, if I had the funds and means to do so. There are multiple ways to expose people to information. Brochures, pamphlets, and posters are always a good way to reach people. These paper resources can go in a variety of places such as stores, doctor's offices/clinics, or even a cork board in a coffee shop. While not everyone pays attention to the things that they see when they go out to shop or do errands, most of the world is connected through the Internet, their phone, or some other piece of technology. For a national awareness campaign, I would utilize this platform as much as possible. A commercial would be good for people who watch television. For those who don't actually watch television, but use sites like Hulu, a short educational clip could be shown right before they watch their show...

Using the National Library's ToxNet resources  that you just learned about while viewing  enviRN–Evidence , review and describe one or more health effects that associated with exposures to: Urea formaldehyde (found in pressed board, a common building material) Formaldehyde from pressed wood products can contaminate indoor air. Individuals working in buildings made from this material can breathe in the formaldehyde or may have skin contact with it. Health effects due to formaldehyde in the air may include irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat, or allergic reactions. Those with asthma may be especially sensitive. It was also reported that lightheadedness, dizziness, and incoordination was reported by some workers exposed to formaldehyde via the air. Formaldehyde is carcinogenic, and can cause myeloid leukemia or nose or pharynx cancer.  Bleach (a cleaning/disinfectant product) There was a study done on bleach to assess its effect(s) on women...

Some people are deciding not to have children because of climate change. The title "No Children Because of Climate Change? Some People Are Considering It" caught my eye. The reason it caught my eye is because I had told a family member about some of the things I had been learning in this class, and she said something along the same lines. "That makes me not want to have kids," she said. It seems as if she is not the only one pondering the idea. It's true- this world is a scary place. With all the natural disasters, the social injustice, and so on and so forth, it can be a question for some to reproduce. Yes, climate change is a huge problem. Yes, it will continue if we do not take it seriously and make changes. That being said my reaction to this article instead of agreeing with the idea of not reproducing, is to instead think more positively and become more educated. We can create change if we work diligently. While I see the benefits of not reproducing, I al...

Transportation affects everything. Public health is a complex subject with many parts to it, and transportation is one of them. Having recently moved from LA to SF, I can definitely see huge differences in public transportation between the two cities. SF is known for having great public transportation, and LA is famous for having horrendous traffic and smog. I would say both live up to their name. As the articles listed state, having means of transportation will not only improve air quality and reduce the amount of air pollution, but it will result in additional health benefits. Walking, biking, and other physical activity are so much better than sitting in a car commuting for an hour. Even if it just a short 10 minute walk to the bus stop, that adds up if it is done every day. In addition to being beneficial to our health and our environment, access to public transportation is essential for equality. People need adequate access to more places than just work. They need transportati...

I did this assessment in San Francisco County. Who and what are the top polluters in your zip code?  The top 3 polluters were: 1. San Francisco Drydock Inc. 2. Chevron Prods. Co. San Francisco Terminal 3. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Hunters Point Power Plant What percent of the homes in your zipcode have lead-based paint? 7% of houses in my area have a high risk for lead hazards. Are there Superfund sites in your zip? (In your BLOG, make sure to tell us what a Superfund Site is)  There was only one Superfund site listed in my zip code: Treasure Island Naval Station - Hunters Point Annex. A Superfund site is a toxic waste site. What can you tell us about the Superfund sites that are near where you live?  At this point in time, the stage of clean-up for this Superfund site is "construction underway." The threats and contaminants detected at the Superfund site in my area include ground water, sediments, soil, and surface water. These are contaminated with ...

Blog about your observations/thoughts regarding environmental justice. It is upsetting and and frustrating that certain populations have to face these environmental justice issues, particularly African Americans. The 8 horrifying examples given by Chiles (2015) are just that -- horrifying. These are an imposition on their basic human rights. When it comes to clean air, safe communities, appropriate living spaces, good schools, or non-contaminated food and water, everyone should have access to them. Unfortunately, it has been an uphill battle for those who live in black neighborhoods.  How does this fit into the concept of "social determinants"?  How does it connect to the "Black Lives Matter" movement? Social determinants of health include a multitude of factors - community, social support, access to education, jobs, or opportunities, access to healthcare, public safety, and more. African Americans face environmental injustices and multiple health dispariti...

Why are we still ONLY focused on sedentary lifestyles and diets when addressing obesity in the US?  Why are we not also looking at ways to decrease exposures to those chemicals that may be contributing to the epidemic? Watching the various videos and reading the articles presented, it is clear that we are not taking a broad approach to healthcare issues. As Rishi Manchada states, our zip code is becoming more important than our genetic code. He emphasizes the importance of asking patients about their living situation, and reveals that most doctors know  that it is an important factor and can affect a patient's health. Even so, they are unaware of how to go about it, so they eliminate it in their assessment altogether. It is so important to look at a patient with a "whole person" perspective. Their genetics play a part, yes. However, as the research shows, exposure to chemicals/allergens/toxins can cause issues as well. It is especially important for healthcare providers...

Upon watching "Body Burdens" with Anderson Cooper, I was shocked (again) at how drastically the environment can influence our bodies. The health hazards and toxic levels of chemicals that build up are troubling. It is especially worrisome because the children mentioned in the video had extremely high levels compared to their parents. In particular, the flame retardant, or PBDE levels, were much higher. Chemical exposure happens in multiple ways, not just through the foods we eat or what we drink. If I were to receive the lab results presented, I would first wonder where and how I was exposed. I would want to know how to reduce my exposure, and I would want to know how to prevent further exposure in the future for me and my loved ones. As we know, exposure to these chemicals can come from anywhere - products we use, things we eat or drink, places we live.  In addition to this, I would feel upset. As the video stated, manufacturers are not required to test new chemicals o...

This video on cosmetics and personal care products was very enlightening. I was really shocked to learn that there used to be formaldehyde in Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo. Being a pediatric nurse, I used that all the time on my patients! Even though the reformulated their shampoo and it does not have formaldehyde anymore, it's still something to be aware about. For years before attention was brought to it, people had been using it. Babies and kids are especially vulnerable, and you wouldn't think that we would be unknowingly using harmful chemicals on them that are supposed to be "gentle." It's unfortunate that most of the products that we use involve harmful chemicals. Women in particular (since we tend to be the individuals that use all the products) should be more aware. Watching this video made me rethink what I am using and buying. What's also unfortunate is that there is such emphasis on beauty, but these product that enhance our looks can ...