Blogging

Is blogging an effective learning tool?

  Throughout my use of blogging in class, I feel that I have learned much more that I would have if this class were conducted in a conventional matter.  I believe that blogging is an effective learning tool.  In my experience, I was able to do my own research and use the information that I feel was important.  This way of learning steers away from taking notes in a class and then memorizing them for a test a few weeks later.  Blogging really gives the students the motivation to research and learn about what interests them in a particular topic.  

  In most of my classes now, it's difficult for me to learn the information because I have no way to relate to what I'm learning about.  I get bored in class and don't want to do the mindless homework or readings.  With blogging, I'm able to read about the topic on my own and draw connections between the topic and my life.  This allows me to retain the information better, and actually feel like I'm learning in class.  I look forward to researching the information because I know that I have the ability to choose what I want to focus on.  The blogs are in my own words, which also helps me better understand the material or topic.  For me, sometimes after I'm done with my blog, I keep researching the topic because it's interesting to me.  I feel that this happens for other students as well, which really benefits me knowledge on the topic even after the blog.

  Another reason that I feel blogging is an effective learning tool is the lack of stress involved.  I can write the blog on my own time and I have a little bit of freedom with what I write about the topic.  This allows for me to really enjoy the research and enjoy writing about what I have found.  Although the blogs take some time to write, I feel that the work is definitely worth it for the knowledge that I have gained.  It is also less stressful because it allows for the students to do the work throughout the school year, rather than trying to memorize everything for a final exam at the end of the year.  

  Blogging also allows for online record of your work and knowledge throughout the class.  I know that I don't have to hunt down any papers or worry about having thrown them away, because all my work and thoughts are online.  In the future, if I ever want to look back on what I've done in the class, I can always look it up online.  Overall, I love the idea of blogging as a tool for learning.  I think that it benefits the students more than a conventional class. 

Solid and Liquid Waste

What is waste? 

  Waste is anything that is unwanted or has been used up.  If the item has fulfilled its purpose and is no longer wanted, then it becomes waste.  Waste can come from a variety of different sources, such as packaging, furniture, clothing, food, bottles, paper, and much more.  This can become an issue when people are creating too much waste.  There are location limits as to where we can put all of these unwanted products.  The Earth isn't getting any larger, and the population is only increasing.  If we don't become more aware of what we are throwing away, waste management becomes the issue.  People in society today are not always conscious of what they are throwing away at the time.  We put in it the trashcans and once a week someone takes it away.  We never see it again, which is why society isn't aware of the amount of waste they produce.  It is our job to become more aware of our impact on the environment when it comes to waste disposal.  

How can I learn more?

  The best resource for finding more information is the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.  Once on this page, under the 'Divisions and Offices' tab, click on 'Materials and Waste Management.'  On this page, you can find out more information about different programs conducted.  There is a lot of information on this website, and many others that are helpful when learning about waste management. There are different tips for limiting and reducing the waste that is produced.  Overall, it's important for society to be aware of the influence that they have on their surroundings.  If society doesn't change its habits, the waste is only going to grow out of control

What can I do?

  Waste affects the whole population, whether they know it or not.  There are many different ways that society can change their habits to better the environment.  One of the main ways to limit waste is to recycle.  Recycling is a way to reuse products after they have had their initial use.  Not only does recycling reduce the amount of waste that you produce, but it also allows for more environmentally products to be made from the recycled material.  There are other various ways to reduce the amount of waste produced, recycling is just one.  Now it's your job to go learn more about the ways that you can limit your waste production. 

Sources:

   Full Cycle: Green by Nature

     http://www.fullcycle.co.za/index.php/what-is-waste-and-why-is-it-a-problem.html

  Ohio EPA 

     http://epa.ohio.gov

  Ohio EPA: Recycling 

     http://epa.ohio.gov/ocapp/recycling.aspx#164884406-basics

Air Quality in Ohio

   There are many countries around the world then tend to no have sufficient air quality.  Here in the United States, we are fortunate to have better air quality than those in places such as Linfen, China.  Our government sets standards and tests the air regularly to ensure safe breathing air for the citizens.  The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency deals with the air quality in Ohio. They have many difference locations for air quality testing, and keep undated data on their website for public information.

  Many individuals don't even know that the air quality data is something that they have easy access to.  With the new technology of the internet, this data can be sent around the nation instantaneously.  The best way to find this information about the air quality in Ohio is to go onto the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's website.  Once on this page, the 'Divisions and Offices' tab will then lead you to the link for 'Air Pollution Control.'  Then, about half way down the page, click on the 'Programs' tab, and the first program will be 'Air Monitoring.'  Then follow the links to Ohio Air's Website.  It may be confusing at first, but once you know how to get to the information, it's easy to go back and find it.  There are many different sources of information on this page, including air quality maps of Ohio, air monitoring sites, and how the air quality can affect your health.
   The constantly updated map shows the different levels of air pollution and air quality and how they affect the health of individuals.  The ratings range from having little to no harm on the health of the population to a health alert where everyone in the area is expected to contract damage from the air.  This is helpful to keep track of when traveling or even for the area that you live in.  This informational cite is a great way to stay up to date on the air that you are breathing in.  It's important that citizens are aware of their environment and how it's changing based on society and industrialization.

Sources:
  Ohio EPA
     http://epa.ohio.gov
  Air Ohio  
     http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dapc/airohio/index.aspx
  Air Quality Index
     http://www.epa.state.oh.us/portals/27/airohio/AirQualityandYourHealth.pdf

Safe Food Temperatures: Hot and Cold

What are the safe food temperatures?

  There are different safe temperatures for different foods.   The reason that these foods have to be kept at certain temperatures is to keep bacteria and other harmful disease causing species from growing on the food that you eat.  If the bacteria are not killed properly, then those that consume the product are subject to a wide range of food borne illnesses.  There common sources of illness from food including E. coli and Salmonella.  No one want to experience how these bacteria affect your body.  The way to fix this is to make sure that the food your store and cook is kept at the right temperature.  Poultry is to be cooked to about 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  Egg dishes and ground meat should be cooked to a minimum of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.  Beef and pork need to be cooked to no less than 145 degrees Fahrenheit.  These meats have different minimum cook temperatures due to the nature of the food.  As long as you cook the food to this temperature or higher, all of the bacteria should be killed, making the food safe to eat.  Not only are there safe cooking temperatures, but there are also safe storing temperatures.  When storing food in the refrigerator, the temperature needs to be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that the food is not growing harmful bacteria.  When freezing food, the temperature in the freezer needs to stay at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.  These guidelines will make sure that the food you store and cook is safe to eat.  

What is the danger zone?

  The danger zone is the range of temperatures where bacteria thrives.  If food is cooked or stored in between this range, there is the highest risk for bacteria growth and contamination.  This danger zone is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bacteria love warm and moist areas where they are able to reproduce quickly.  Interestingly, our average body temperature is right in the middle of this danger zone.  It makes sense because the good bacteria in our body need to thrive in an environment where they are able to live and do their job.  Although our body is kept in the danger zone, the food that we eat should never be able to reach the danger zone.  A rule of thumb to make sure that the food is not contaminated is that if it has been sitting out for over 2 hours, then throw it away.  Better safe than sorry.  Overall, it is most important to keep our body healthy if the food we eat is safe and hazardous bacteria free.

Sources:
  United States Department of Agriculture
     http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/danger-zone-40-f-140-f/ct_index
  Food Safety
     http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html
  Food Safety Information Council
     http://www.foodsafety.asn.au/resources/temperature-danger-zone-keep-hot-food-hot-and-cold-food-cold/

Water Quality: Potassium

How do I find out about my water quality?

   The best thing to do when you are unsure of something is to get informed.  It's very important to be educated and learn more about your environment.  One way to learn more about your drinking water is to go on the Ohio Department of Health website.  This is a very valuable resource that can answer many questions you have or point you in the correct direction for answers.  For example, if you want to know more about the quality of the water you drink, this is the place to be.  After you are on the Ohio Department of Health website, click on the letter 'W', then go to 'Wells and Private Water Systems', then on the left-hand site click on 'Water Quality.'  Once you are here, the possibilities are endless.  It's up to you to take the reigns and learn more about the water you drink.  There are many different contaminates you can learn more about, along with how they affect the water quality. 

What is Potassium? Will it harm me? 

  Potassium is one of the many substances that are in our drinking water.  You may be surprised to know that not everything in our drinking water is bad.  This is one of those examples.  Potassium is an element that is usually found in different rocks and soil.  It is a naturally occurring element that has been running into our water from the soil and rocks.  Potassium is color-less and odor-less, so most people have no idea that it's in the water just by looking.  The good thing about Potassium is that it is harmless to healthy individuals.  Our body's actually need Potassium to function believe it or not.  The only time where it may become an issue is if an individual has a disease or takes medicine that effects how our body handles Potassium.  The common diseases where Potassium become an issue are kidney disease, heart disease, and diabetes.  So overall, there is no harm from Potassium to healthy individuals, but if someone does have one of the diseases listed above, there are ways to treat the water.  Now the research is up to you!  It's your turn to take control and learn more about the many ways that water can be treated.  

Sources:

  Ohio Department of Health

     https://www.odh.ohio.gov/default.aspx

  The Drop on Water: Potassium 

     http://www.novascotia.ca/nse/water/docs/droponwaterFAQ_Potassium.pdf

Fukushima Today

    In March of 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant experienced a magnitude-9 earthquake followed by a tsunami.  These two disasters, one after the other, destroyed the power plant and created a nuclear explosion, which in turn released radiation into the public.  All of the events of this disaster lead to 19,000 deaths and over 350,000 residents were forced to move.  Even today, four years after the major disaster, those that live in Japan near this catastrophe are still experiencing the effects of this event.  

How did this effect the environment?

   Many plants, animals, water, and soil are affected by these events.  There are plants that have absorbed radiation and are now contaminated.  The soil around this area is now filled with radiation, which means that plants can't grow and crops, such as rice, can't be harvested.  There are animals such as monkeys and butterflies that have been greatly affected by the radiation.  The monkeys that live near the Power Plant site have a lower blood count cells than those that live away from the site.  Also, a common butterfly, the pale blue butterfly, is experiencing slow growth, stunted growth, and high mortality rate near the power plant.  Not only does this affect the animals, but this also leads to a major downfall in the amount of food available for humans.  Parts of the Pacific Ocean that are near Fukushima are closed for fishing due to the high levels of radiation in the seafood. 

How did this effect humans and their health?

  There are many individuals whose health was affected by this disaster.  The doctors in Japan are seeing a rise in the number of diseases that patients have since the disaster.  Many of them believe that these illnesses are due to the radiation from the nuclear explosion but aren't allowed to tell their patients the cause of their illness.  They don't want to cause more chaos and worry in society.  Many instances of thyroid cancer have been found in children.  There were 89 cases of thyroid cancer in a sample of less than 300,000 children.  Many other health related issues caused by radiation include tumors and genetic disorders.  Even after four years, this disastrous chain of events is still affecting the citizens.  No one knows when the lingering hazards will be removed to make a safe environment for the citizens of Japan. 

Sources:

  Fukushima Update

     http://fukushimaupdate.com/deaths-tied-to-fukushima-nuclear-disaster-up-18/

  Vice News 

     https://news.vice.com/article/no-one-wants-you-to-know-how-bad-fukushima-might-still-be

  Ocean Health Index

     http://www.oceanhealthindex.org/News/Radioactive_Fukushima_July

  Tech Times

     http://www.techtimes.com/articles/13316/20140818/fukushima-disaster-show-effects-of-radiation-in-animals-plants-study.htm

Glyphosate in Food

What is Glyphosate?

  Glyphosate is the main ingredient in Monsanto's RoundUp Herbicide.  This is a product that is meant to kill plants which gets rid weeds and other unwanted plants.  When glyphosate is in action in plants, it prevents certain proteins from being made in the specific plant.  Due to the fact that these proteins aren't being made, the plan cannot grow, and therefore it dies.  Many farmers use this product to kill off weeds and other plants that are taking nutrients from they crops.  The concern for this product is the fact that the crops are being contaminated too.  While the farmer is trying to spray the unwanted plants, there is no way to prevent the herbicide from getting on the crops that he is growing to be sold later.  The two main crops being contaminated are a big part of today's society: soy and corn.  This causes issues later down the road when our food supply is being contaminated with toxic products and the citizens are consuming these infected crops.

Why is it dangerous?

   Glyphosate is a dangerous alone, but when it comes into contact with humans, it causes many harmful effects.  The toxic chemical is not meant to be able to infect humans.  One of the main issues with this chemical is that fact that it is systemic.  This means that the chemical spreads through all of the cells in the crops, and cannot be washed off.  The chemical is then ingested into those that consume the contaminated product.  Many studies have been done showing the harmful affects that these chemicals have on humans after entering their system.  The common concerns are birth defects, reproductive disorders, tumors, blood cell damage, kidney disease, and cancer.  The high levels of glyphosate that have infected these crops has an average of 11.0 parts per million.  These chemicals are at a dangerous level, which causes the diseases stated above.

What do we do?

  This is a major concern for many individuals all around the world.  Although it is an issue, there are many ways to avoid contact or decrease contact with such harmful chemicals.  One of the main ways to combat these chemicals is to check labels.  Reading the labels will let you know what you and your loved ones are coming into contact with.  This will help gain knowledge and be more aware of what you are putting near your body.  Another thing to check is that the animals are being grass fed to avoid them eating the chemicals that will in turn transfer into your system.  A way to ensure grass fed animals and a chemical free product is to support local farmers and small businesses.  Even when you think you are sure the projects are safe, make sue to double-check the labels and information about where your products are coming from.  Lastly, the best way to make a statement about this issue is to boycott businesses that are using these harmful chemicals and products.  Overall, it's up to you to make sure that everything you consume is safe.



Sources:
  National Pesticide Information Center
     http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/glyphogen.html
  Environmental Working Group
     http://www.ewg.org/agmag/2014/04/extreme-levels-herbicide-roundup-found-foo
  Take Control of Your Health
     http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/20/glyphosate-roundup-levels.aspx
  GMO Awareness
     http://gmo-awareness.com/resources/glyphosate/

Ebola

What is Ebola?

   Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), also known as Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever, is a virus that has been transferred to humans from wild animals.  This disease is extremely fatal if come in contact with.  The symptoms start with fever, fatigue, muscle pain, sore throat, and many other flu-like symptoms.  After this wave of sickness, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash are common.  Another common sign is that of symptoms of liver or kidney damage.  Inside the body, the virus attaches to the inside of the blood vessels.  This action makes the blood less thick, which leads to leaking of blood out of the blood vessels.  In as little as ten days since the start of the symptoms, the individual can go into a coma and lose their life.  So far, there has been no proven vaccine or treatment to cure this horrible disease. 

Where did it come from?

   Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The name comes from the outbreak of this disease near the Ebola River.  The main outbreaks today are in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria.  The disease is thought to have come from bats, gorillas, monkeys, or other animals living in the forest.  Once in humans, the disease is spread through bodily fluid of those that are infected.  It is not an airborne disease. The disease has only gotten worse over time with the increased amount of travel around the world.  Even if one person is affected and doesn't get treated properly or quarantined, they can be the cause of a major outbreak.  Those that treat these individuals are also at a higher risk due to such close contact with infected patients.  This disease will only continue to spread if certain precautions aren't taken to ensure that it won't infect others.

Am I at Risk?

   As most illnesses, everyone is at risk for contracting a disease, such as Ebola.  There are many ways to prevent this disease from coming in contact with you or your loved ones.  Overall the main suggestions are to stay clean and sanitized, limit exposure to those who are sick (even if they don't have Ebola), and limiting travel. The list below contains suggestions for ways to prevent this disease from spreading.

• Limiting travel to areas of infection
• Washing hands, or using hand sanitizer 
• Avoiding open wounds or body fluid of others
• Don't eat raw or undercooked meat
• Avoiding those who are sick along with avoiding things they contact
• Stay away from animals that have been known to carry this disease
• Avoid being near and don't touch deceased bodies of those who had Ebola
• Report any unprotected exposure

Sources:

   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

     http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/qa.html

   World Health Organization

     http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

   HuffPost Healthy Living 

     http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/02/ebola-symptoms-infection-virus_n_5639456.html

Animal Disaster Rescue

What Does This Mean? 

   Animal disaster rescue is becoming more prevalent in today's society.  After large disasters occur, such as a hurricane, not only are the humans in danger but also their animals.  In society today, pet owners are becoming more and more attached to their beloved companions.  Sometimes these individuals will stay in harms way if their pets aren't safe.  This is a major concern for the health and safety of the humans and their pets.  This is not the only need for animal rescue.  There are many cases where the animals are stray or wild, but are still in harms way.  Animal disaster rescue teams, such as DART, Red Rover, and IFAW, are the ones who step in to get the animals into safety.  Many of these teams take trips to disaster locations to help with the damage.  There are many different locations for these different organizations throughout the country.  These organizations are very important for the wellbeing of the overall community and country. 

How Can I Get Involved?

   These teams are always looking for new faces and help!  The more hands they have helping animals, the faster they can get them to safety and move on to the next location.  Disaster Animal Rescue Team (DART), is one of the organizations that works at the local, state, and national levels for disaster response.  There are a variety of ways to get involved with so many different levels of opportunities.  There are many different options, ranging from passing out fliers to spread awareness, setting up fundraisers, or even overall volunteer work on projects.  Even if you don't have the time or ability to put in labor, there is always the option of donations.  Most of these organizations rely on donations and grant money, so every thing is appreciated and put to good use.  If this is something that is interesting to you, you can easily contact the organization of your choice or visit their website for further information!

Sources:

   SPCA-LA

       http://spcala.com/aps/dart_main.php

   Red Rover

       http://www.redrover.org/volunteering-redrover

   International Fund for Animal Welfare

       http://www.ifaw.org/united-states/our-work

    

Polluter Pays Principle

What is it?

   Pollution is when harmful chemicals or hazardous waste has been introduced into the land, water, or air.  The polluter pays principle basically states that those who inflict the pollution must pay to prevent and fix the issue.  This was put into place to prevent people from mindlessly polluting the environment.  The money that is forced to be paid makes the individual or business think twice about polluting.  This is a way to ensure that the environment is left better that it was found and to set good habits for the future generations.  Although this sounds like a great idea, there are many issues that have come up when attempting to implement this principle. 

Issues When Implementing Polluter Pays Principle 

   Although this principle may seem to work and be a great idea for prevention, there are many reasons why this is something that is hard to target and implement.  One of the main issues of this principle is the fact that the source of pollution may not be easy to track.  The big business or company that is doing the polluting may have been hiding the fact that they are the ones polluting.    This leads to another issue of who is going to go around tracking down all the damages.  The time and money put into tracking down the source may not be worth the damage.  Another issue could be that the damages inflicted are too much for the company to afford, which would send them out of business.  This could cause a domino affect and plenty of businesses could lose their funding.  Overall, this principle changes the way that many businesses function, and people don't like change.  This is something that could cause many more issues in the future, although it is only trying to preserve the environment.  

   Environmental pollution may not be something that is commonly talk about now, but for the future this is a growing issue. The growing population only leads to more possibilities for pollution in the future.  Overall, this is an issue that needs to be addressed before the damage is too much to handle.  People need to be aware of the surroundings and want to make their environment a better place for the future.  

Sources:

Economic Help

   http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/6955/economics/polluter-pays-principle-ppp/

The Guardian 

   http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jul/02/polluter-pays-climate-change

The Encyclopedia of Earth 

   http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/155292/

Noise Induced Hearing Loss

What is Noise Induced Hearing Loss?

  Currently ten million people in the United States suffer from hearing loss cause by noise.  This damage can come from many different sources ranging from attending concerts or being near explosions.  The damage acquired tends to come from either moderately loud noises heard over a long period of time, or brief bursts of extra loud noise.  The longer that an individual is exposed, or the louder the noise, the more likely the person is to be diagnosed with noise induced hearing loss.  In many cases, both ears are harmed, but it's possible to only have one ear lose hearing.  The noise causes damage to the hair cells inside the inner ear.  Overuse of these important cells causes them to slowly die and are never able to be repaired.  The hairs are used to transmit electrical impulses to the brain to be interpreted as sound.  When these hair cells die, they are no longer in use and the brain never receives these signals, resulting in hearing loss.  After the damage, there is no way to surgically correct this loss.

Who is Effected?

   Many of these cases are diagnosed in the work setting.  The reason for this being that many of these individuals are exposed to the same loud noise for an eight-hour shift.  Work is not the only place that this damage tends to occur.  In recent research, more young teenagers are reporting signs of noise induced hearing loss.  There are as many as 12.5% of children with reported noise induced hearing loss.  This increased loss of hearing in children is said to be due to the new age technology and ability to turn up the volume on personal headphones without anyone else hearing.  This is proof that noise induced hearing loss effects anyone, no matter their age.  

How Can I Prevent Noise Induced Hearing Loss? 

  Good news is that this damage is preventable!  There are many precautions that can be taken to avoid noise induced hearing loss.  The main way to prevent hearing loss is to educate yourself and be aware of your surroundings.  Many simple fixes include turning down the volume on loud music, or moving away from the source, if the option of turning it down isn't available.  A way to avoid damage in the work place specifically would be to use earplugs or wear noise-canceling headphones.  Another way to avoid hearing loss is to limit the exposure to these damaging loud noises.  It's important to implement these techniques early to prevent any possible noise induced hearing loss.

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

   http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/noise/

US Department of Health and Human Services

   http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/noise.aspx

American Hearing Research Foundation 

   http://american-hearing.org/disorders/noise-induced-hearing-loss/

Tracking Public Health

Birth Defects throughout the Nation

How do we know how many children are born with birth defects? How is this data collected?

   The Center for Disease Control and Prevention handles tracking of particular diseases and health concerns.  The part of the CDC that mostly deals with tracking this data is the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network.  This branch uses many different forms of research to collect this data for the nation.   Particularly for birth defects, the two most common forms of data collection are active and passive.  The active form of data collection involves professionals in public health or health care going to hospitals in search of records and data.  Passive data collection is when the doctors or hospitals send out their records to public health databases such as this one.  
   This sounds like a lot of work on either end of the job, depending if the hospital is sending records or if the public health organization is going in search of the information.  Due to this labor, only 42 out of the 50 states are currently involved in tracking birth defects.  Along with the work involved, not all birth defects are known.  Due to this, only data for 12 birth defects are currently available on the national data website.  A few of these defects include cleft lip, Down syndrome, and spina bifida.  Although the data is not fully complete, these statistics give a good idea of what birth defects are most common and allows for the continued research for causes of these defects.

How does this effect me?

  Although you may not think this effects you now, but this data is very important for the future of this nation.  There are many people that are parents currently or want to become parents later in life that have to understand the risks along with having children.  It's important to look at research and data, such as this, to learn about the complications that could occur with pregnancies.  Although it is not fully understood yet, there are many environmental factors that could lead to birth defects.  For example, there has been a link between chemical exposure and nervous system defects in the baby.  This is something that will effect the population for the rest of history, so it's important to be aware and conscious about behaviors.  

Sources:

National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network

   http://ephtracking.cdc.gov/showCollectingBDData.action 

Everything You Need to Know About Poison Control Centers

Poison Control Centers

What is a Poison?

     A poison can be anything when used inappropriately.  There are many things that are completely safe when used properly; there becomes an issue when the product is used in the wrong manner.  If someone uses something, such as a medicine, that doesn't belong to them or they use it in the wrong dose, this could become a poison.  Although not all poisons are related to misuse, there are many substances that are just dangerous in any amount due to their nature, such as carbon monoxide.  Not all poisons are gasses though, poisons come in many forms such as solids, liquids, and even sprays.  

What are Poison Control Centers? Why would you need one? 

     Poison Control Centers are used in case of an emergency when you don't know if you or someone else has come in contact with a harmful product or situation.  These centers have 24-hour hotlines that are always available to offer assistance over the phone.  The universal hotline is 1-800-222-1222, which will direct you to the local poison center near you.  The local poison center for Ohio is located in Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.  Even if you think that you may never need it, this number could save someone's life.  This is a free service that could replace a costly emergency room visit if there is an at home treatment for your situation.  Although there is a hotline, there are also locations that are available to visit if necessary.  

   There are many reasons that you may need to call or visit a Poison Control Center.  Many common situations that people encounter include concerns that their child got into something, food poisoning, chemical spills, concern about drug interactions, pet poisoning, etc.  The hotline is an important resource that could be used to answer a simple question or even point you to the hospital if professional assistance is needed.  Don't be afraid to call at anytime, these are trained professions that will help talk you through any situation.  If there is an uncertainty, don't hesitate to call; better safe than sorry. 

  

Sources:

   US Department of Health & Human Services

          http://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/poison-info/what-is-a-poison/index.html 

   National Capital Poison Center

          http://www.poison.org

   American Association of Poison Control Centers

          http://www.aapcc.org/centers/?states_served=OH&local_center_submit=Search#search

What is Environmental Health?

What is Environmental Health?

  What is the first thing you think when you hear 'environment'?

         You maybe think of trees, plants, animals, or even recycling.  These are many factors that are all part of the environment or have an impact on the way the environment works together.  Based on the definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the environment is "the conditions that surround someone or something."  Although you may have thought of more specific things when thinking about the environment, everything that you thought of is a part of our environment.  So basically, the environment is everything around us at any given time.

  What do you think when you hear the word 'health'?

          The first thing I think of is being sick, going to the doctor, and taking care of my body.  There are things that go into keeping your body as productive as possible, wether it be exercising or taking vitamins everyday.  Although none of these are wrong, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defined health as "the overall condition of someone's body or mind."  This definition includes everything that you could think of related to the physical or emotional health of your body.

   How do we relate the environment to health?

          After defining those two separate words, we may have a better understanding of what environmental health is when we combine their meanings.  Just to remind us, environment is what surrounds someone or something, and health is the physical or mental state or an individual.  Environmental health deals with how the environment affects the health of those that live in that environment, and how those living in that area affect the environment.  This idea of environmental health isn't a one way street, people change the way the environment works, and the environment changes how people live.  The study of environmental health examines how both people and the environment are able function together.  Overall, those that study this topic are trying to find the best way to allow us as humans to take care of the environment around us.  They are also studying how to prevent any further damage of the environment that could affect the health of future generations.

Sources:
     National Library of Medicine:
          http://kidsenvirohealth.nlm.nih.gov/generic/11/what-is-environmental-health
     Health, Environment, & Work:
          http://www.agius.com/hew/resource/envhlth.htm
     World Health Organization:
          http://www.who.int/topics/environmental_health/en/
     Merriam-Webster Dictionary
          http://www.merriam-webster.com