In recent years we have become accustomed to seeing, hearing and adopting certain attitudes that we consider normal or acceptable, yet these attitudes and their effects are hugely negative for our health. We refer to those attitudes that harm the environment. There are many, too many human actions that are damaging the environment, many of them irreversible. The evidence for this is in many cases obvious, in other cases it is supported by scientific studies, and in some cases this evidence is difficult to carry out in the short term, but all signs point to its danger.
Today’s humanity sees technology and progress evolving; But there are also concerns about the continued deterioration of the environment in the area. The environmental problem is closely related to the connection that man has with his environment and also depends on the relationship between people. The demographic factor and the use and consumption of all natural and industrialized resources that man uses throughout his life, as well as the associated social, economic and cultural infrastructure, are determining factors in the emission of pollutants, the impact on the environment, etc. human Health.
That the degraded environment is making people sick is not new, but it represents a new scenario. Previously, environmental health was linked to certain conditions, such as the effects of nuclear contamination or certain dangerous jobs, and it was believed that science would solve every problem. Now the hole in the ozone layer, waste management, water quality and environmental risks that people are still unable to deal with, together with poverty and marginalization, create a more complex panorama that impacts public health.
General poverty is the common denominator, affecting both urban and rural environments; In many countries in the region, the proportion of poor families is increasing and community poverty affects people of all economic levels.
The close links between poverty, poor health and environmental degradation are something that public health epidemiological studies and other sectoral studies have demonstrated perfectly. These relationships are reciprocal and mutually reinforcing in the sense that each factor is both the cause and effect of the other and can reinforce the other. The struggle to survive on low incomes and inadequate social support leaves many poor people with no choice but to overuse or inappropriately consume basic resources, thereby exposing themselves to health risk situations to which they may involuntarily contribute.
At the local level, poverty manifests itself in the lack of financial, technical and managerial resources to provide basic infrastructure and services. Whether real or a consequence of financial priorities, such poverty has costs in terms of people’s exposure to health risks, the need for health care, and the degradation of the physical environment. A major concern is shortages in water supplies, basic sanitation, solid waste treatment and housing.
It is clear that diagnosis is not enough without a successful path to solutions, as human development and therefore health is based on dynamic and multidisciplinary foundations. Health, economic income and environment interact in human development. The global language that speaks of providing health to the entire population also requires global study models. The absence of these models of sustainable human development, which include the variables of health and poverty, jeopardizes the availability of resources for development in countries outside the framework of developed countries.
Cleaning the environment is crucial for health and well-being. However, the interactions between the environment and human health are very complex and difficult to estimate, which is why the application of the precautionary principle is particularly useful.
The most well-known health effects are air pollution, poor water quality and inadequate hygiene conditions. The health effects of hazardous chemicals are far less understood. Noise is becoming increasingly important as an environmental and health problem. Climate change, depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, loss of biodiversity and deterioration of soil quality can also have an impact on human health.
Environmental factors that have a negative impact on human health include:
warming of the earth. Climate and weather affect human health in many ways. The frequency of extreme weather conditions is increasing. Storms, hurricanes and floods kill thousands of people every year and increase the risk of contaminated water.
Dangerous and scarce drinking water and inadequate sanitation. It is estimated that more than a billion people do not have access to sufficient clean water and three million people die from water-borne diseases every year. Around 90% of malaria cases worldwide are due to environmental factors.
Food safety. (Healthy food and long-term security of supply.) A healthy food production environment is essential for a sustainable food supply and good nutrition. Food contamination is a growing problem. Organic chemicals and heavy metals that persist in the environment and accumulate through the food chain have negative effects on human health, leading to cancer, reduced fertility and neurological damage. Security of supply depends on maintaining soil productivity, protecting genetic diversity and the way resources are used.
Indoor pollution and local atmosphere pollution. Many households around the world use unprocessed solid fuels for cooking and heating and have poor ventilation. It is estimated that 2 million people die every year as a result of indoor air pollution. Local air pollution also poses a health threat in many major cities, and increasing urbanization could lead to even more serious environmental health problems.
Due to population growth and rapid technological development, finding a solution is not an easy task. Furthermore, it is not possible to blame a single sector for the problem since industry, households and automobiles are all involved in the generation of pollutants. However, a first step is to disseminate information about the functioning of ecosystems and their relationship to humans and their health, because only in this way can it be understood that environmental restoration must be a shared responsibility for all.
Human health is both a goal and a primary condition for development. Healthy people are more productive, and high levels of community health prevent the need to expend social wealth on coping with disease and social disorders.
The relationship we have developed with nature has threatened our continued existence on Earth; Isolated efforts will not reverse the current situation. We have time to stop this process. We must propose that the environment becomes another way to unite wills, set policy, take action and, above all, measure results. www.
Cristian Frers – Higher Environmental Management Technician and Higher Social Communication Technician