Final Blog

This class was enlightening and I enjoyed being exposed to topics and conversations that I would not otherwise engage in. I enjoyed personalizing this learning, like looking into my personal care products and reflecting on steps to contribute to a healthier life and environment. I also appreciated the flexibility in choosing our own research topic as it relates to environmental health.

I liked that the blogs held us accountable for doing the online modules/readings and it was a quick way to write down our thoughts, reflect, and engage with peers. I thought the blog prompts were interesting and simple (not too challenging) and I did enjoy reading my peer's opinions/thoughts on the content. I will say, however, that I thought there were way too many blog posts and having to respond to each one for 2 people became a chore rather than something to look forward to. There could have been less blogs to do each week (2 max).

Thank you! And thank you Rudi and Matt for your thoughts and replies!

Climate Change

The most troubling thing I find about climate change is the inevitability of it. It feels very out of our control, and almost unstoppable, which is interesting since it is a result of our own human behavior. Although I have learned that there are small changes we can make in our daily lives to help, I still feel slightly disempowered to be able to really contribute to prevention. Our focus can be on preparedness and our response to the effects of climate change. Perhaps the thing that needs greatest attention right now is emergency response. I also think that part of this includes counseling and support for mental health around PTSD and trauma from experiencing large scale disaster. I would describe climate change to a long-lost relative as simply as possible. I'd describe it as the gradual shift in our environments i.e. temperature change which result in negative health outcomes for all life. I would list some examples like asthma (human impact), drought (ecological), and the loss of natural habitat  and (ecological). I would also include a discussion about what is being done to help slow down climate change. 

Missed one! 10.1 Video/Family Work Exposure

My dad is retired, but used to work for the City of Oakland's Sewage and Drainage Department. He started in the rough, being one to suit-up and clear out blockages, and then became a supervisor so that he no longer was directly in contact with drains and sewage lines but was still around them. I remember he was often out at night working during rain storms while I was growing up. This job definitely had chemical and biological health hazards in terms of exposure to the contents of sewers and drains. The only part of the hygiene hierarchy that I think fits with this is the lower level of protective equipment/gear. Some barriers to this may be personal opinions ("Oh I don't need to wear gloves or a mask") which could be addressed through education and mandatory gear. 

Zero Waste Life

While watching the video, I was (and still am) in amazement at this lifestyle! It is really inspiring, it seems like it was a hard transition (especially with having to hand-make products). I went shopping yesterday and was noticing all the plastic packaging and I felt myself torn- I didn't want to buy certain food due to its packaging, but I really wanted to eat the food! I ended up buying it anyway...but I think my mindfulness on the waste that I support and create is a good first step. Maybe I can make little changes in what I buy- buying less plastic packaging little by little. I want to do more shopping at farmers markets, too. I overall appreciate the woman's advice on steps toward a zero waste lifestyle.