The scope of environmental health refers to safe environmental measures by registered personnel in both the private and public sectors. Such sectors include private organizations, government departments and agencies, and general environmental consultants and emergency response groups (Fanchi, 2017). The purpose of environmental health is to enhance the policies and programs that aim at minimizing chemical exposure to soil, food, air and water in efforts to protect people and provide society with healthier environments (Jia et al., 2017). The primary goal of the process is to promote a healthier environment that improves the health of people. The organization aims at lowering the number of people who die every year because they are exposed to unhealthy environments. Therefore, the collaborative base for environmental sensitization programs is to decrease such exposures to harmful pollutants around homes and workplaces.
The other objective for environmentally safe places is to have aesthetic value in society. When an area has a beautiful scenery, the ambiance appeals to the eyes, and people have prestige. Additionally, some programs are based on environmental health, targeting different companies and other operators (Friman et al., 2020). The program’s goal is to train the target group on the safety of environments hence equipping them with the essential skills. When companies have a workforce that has been trained on the necessary abilities for health and safety, there would be minimal cases of harmful substances in the environment.
Populations Affected by Environmental Health Issues
Environmental health issues affect many, among them being children. The overall child mortality is said to have gone low towards the end of the 19th century (citation?). However, environmental hazards claim at least over three million children who are below the age of five years annually (Fanchi, 2017). The number of children killed by such hazards makes up to 10% of the world’s population (Fanchi, 2017). Additionally, environmental issues comprise almost 50% of the global population to the specific people with underlying health issues (Fanchi, 2017). For instance, children from the whole world require protection from the prevailing risks like traditional smoky emissions, increasing exposure to the hazardous environment for children.
Health inequities are caused by the unfair and unequal distribution of wealth, power and income. Environmental health contributes to this inequity because it alters the climatic conditions that can be useful for agricultural productivity. Areas exposed to poor environmental health can be slow in development due to low income (Friman et al., 2020). For example, if the water is polluted in fish-catching areas, it means massive fish deaths will be evident, and therefore, the society will not benefit agriculturally. Additionally, if people suffer from environmental hazards, they are likely not to engage in work hence leaving them with no income (Jia et al., 2017). It is good to get an effective policy that would necessitate productive energy in society.
How Environmental Science Has Contributed to The Understanding of Environmental Health
Environmental science helps learn and understand the natural world since it incorporates all parts of nature in the research. Research in environmental science equips society in understanding how health measures in the environmental approach relate (Jia et al., 2017). For example, by learning about the natural world, people become more aware of the practices that can be safe for the environment. For instance, research institutes enlighten the students and other stakeholders on challenges with which regions have dealt, such as air pollution and possible mitigation measures. Through the research, countries can ascertain the feasibility of safety measures on the surrounding by factoring in all the possible actions and policies relating to the environment (Friman et al., 2020). Through the science, society is aware of the future of ecological issues because of the determined forecast on certainties and uncertainties of eco-friendly approaches.
How Environmental Health Field Has Influenced Policy and Population Health
Through environmental health, there have been policies set to pinpoint the impact and prevention measures that are for the benefit of public health. The policies have influenced a significant effort in minimizing the impact of environmental hazards. Due to the risk of environmental borne diseases, countries have imposed strict measures regarding food safety, water, air and soil pollution (Fanchi, 2017). For example, potential environmental concerns have led to setting dumpsites in particular places to deposit waste products. Additionally, people are more sensitive to living near industrial places because they have a phobia of the side effects of industrial air and water pollution.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has imposed measures such as having cleaning programs in towns so that waste materials can be safely disposed of according to the regulations. Farmers have adapted to new agricultural methods that rely on organic procedures with less harmful compounds. Most processes in industries encourage the recycling of materials as one way of eradicating massive waste disposition in the environment. For example, plastic waste that does not decompose easily can be recycled to make other products to prevent the risk of destroying the ozone layer. Additionally, global organizations have encouraged less application of chemicals in food products as it contributes to massive risks in foodborne illness.
The Role of Environmental Health Agencies in the US and the World at Large
The environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US was started in 1970 under the former president’s regime the late Richard Nixon. The US agency under the federal government is responsible for environmental and human health (Guo et al., 2018). EPA has promoted health to the nationals by limiting dangerous air pollutants from industrial processes, refineries, power plants and gas extraction and vehicle fuel emissions. Through the limits, public health has been promoted by helping birth defects, asthma attacks, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer (Guo et al., 2018). The EPA assists in regulating entities to meet the federal environmental requirement and is also responsible for confronting the environmental laws’ violators.
The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) is a global environmental agency that provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment. Through the UNEP, countries are inspired, informed, and enabled to improve living standards without disputing the health approaches (Udoh, 2018). UNEP, established in 1972, assesses environmental conditions and activities globally by strengthening the countries for better environmental management. The agency has been a key player in curbing food waste due to poor environmental approaches, averting marine waste and microplastics, and developing and reviewing environmental laws in the world.
UNEP has made efforts to eradicate contact to lead paint, lowering the chances of air pollution by encouraging the reduction of chemical emissions and improving the quality of water by restricting waste products being disposed of in the water bodies (Udoh, 2018). In collaboration with the UNEP, the EPA has played a role in developing a global alliance to reduce lead paint to prevent possible health hazards from the environment.
References
Fanchi, J. (2017). The energy in the 21st century (2nd ed.). World Scientific.
Friman, H., Matsliah, N., Sitbon, Y., Banner, I., & Einav, Y. (2020). Higher education learning how to protect the environment. Energies, 13(20), 5450.
Guo, Z., Zhang, Y., Peng, Y., & Wang, W. (2018). Ecological risk assessment approach of offshore macro-engineering project based on us environmental protection agency framework. Journal of Clean Energy Technologies, 6(2), 171-177.
Jia, F., Soucie, K., Alisat, S., Curtin, D., & Pratt, M. (2017). Are environmental issues moral issues? Moral identity about protecting the natural world. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 52(4), 104-113.
Udoh, I. (2018). Public health emergency, UNEP environmental assessment and the clean-up of deltas. Arts & Humanities Open Access Journal, 2(6).