M9.4 Heavy Metals

Lead Exposure

It is shocking to learn that the toxic effects of lead have been known for over a century, yet lead was still commonly used up until 1978 in the United States. The authors hinted that because lead was so effective, regulatory bodies may have overlooked it's detrimental and hazardous side effects. 

Lead can affect populations throughout their lifespan. When fetuses are exposed while in utero, they are at greater risk for stillbirth and neonatal death, as well as neurodevelopmental issues early on in life. Childhood lead poisoning is exhibited by behavioral changes, seizures, encephalopathy, anemia, hyperactivity, learning deficits, etc. More recently, researchers have discovered that even at low levels of exposure, children can have cognitive behavioral problems and social issues. Interestingly, children are more sensitive to the effects of lead and more readily absorb lead through their GI tract than adults do. When adults are exposed (typically through occupational hazards), sequelae include cardiovascular effects, decreased kidney function, infertility in both men and women, and neurological effects. Notably, exposure to lead has also been linked with an increased likelihood of committing a crime and other deviant behavior. Lower crime rates over the last several decades have been associated with decreased environmental lead exposure. Lastly, older adults can have high blood lead levels through bone resorption. Elder adults with high blood levels are found to have higher rates of dementia with decreased executive function, memory, and dexterity. They are also at greater risk for mortality. Lead causes significant societal burden and continued efforts need to be implemented in order to decrease exposure; prevention is key! If exposure goes unchecked, deleterious results can occur. This is exemplified by the case study in Nigeria where over 400 children under the age of five died in one year. 

On a side note, I found it very fascinating that ancient Roman aristocrats used to drink lead-laden wine, which caused psychosis and infertility. In fact, it is thought that high lead exposure contributed to the downfall of the Roman Empire! 

M9.3 Green Chemistry

Green/Sustainable Chemistry

What are your thoughts on green chemistry?

Green chemistry is absolutely essential to the health of the environment. As the movie mentioned, every single molecule of plastic ever produced is still on Earth because it is virtually indestructible. Now it is killing our wildlife and destroying our ecosystems. Scientists and government officials should have had more foresight and recognized this could have been a problem back when plastics were first developed. I guess they always say hindsight is 20/20 for a reason. I'm glad to learn that some scientists are taking an active role to ensure less pollution is produced in the future through the green chemistry movement.

Have you heard of or seen any examples of green chemistry in your work or daily life? 

I have not heard or seen any examples of green chemistry in my daily life-- at least none that I know of. As I have mentioned previously, I work in a hospital and feel I'm exposed to harsh cleaning products/chemicals on a regular basis. However, I learned in one of the movies that Kaiser Permanente has banned triclosan-containing products. I would be interested to learn about what products they are using instead and if any of these products are considered to be apart of the green chemistry movement. 

What are your thoughts on the 12 principles of green chemistry? 

I find the 12 principles to be comprehensive and sensible. It is interesting that we rely on products made from non-renewable resources so heavily in our everyday lives. Examples of these resources include fossil fuel and coal. Therefore, it is important that scientists focus on researching chemicals made from renewable feedstocks or resources (#7). I am also greatly in support of efforts to design chemicals that degrade after use (#10) because we produce an extraordinary amount of waste. This concept is related to principle #1 that calls for a prevention of waste so no chemicals are left to clean up. These principles are important for reasons I discussed above in question #1. For the well being of our planet, I hope that the green chemistry movement becomes better funded and more widespread. The 12 principles of green chemistry will help move us into a healthier future. 

M9.2 Six Chemical Classes

Chemical Summary

1. Highly Fluorinated Chemicals 

• man made chemical that has been in production since 1940
• two most well known chemicals in this class are PFOS and PFOA (C8)
• resistant to breakdown in the environment and in organisms 
• high levels found in the animals even in remote areas
• used on products such as carpeting, upholstery, apparel, food packaging, non-stick cookware, paint, and dental floss to provide oil and water repellency 
• particulate molecules are found in air, dust, and groundwater, which are the main sources of exposure for animals and humans 
• human health effects include cancer, thyroid disease, delayed puberty, early menopause, decreased testosterone, infertility, decreased immune response, and increased cholesterol 
• C4 and C6 may not be safer alternatives (more research is needed)
• it is most likely that highly fluorinated chemicals are not necessary in most applications 

2. Antimicrobials

• specifically looking at the widespread use of triclosan and triclocarban 
• increasing use in everyday products such as personal care products, soaps, deodorant, clothing, toothpaste, cosmetics, kitchen supplies, furniture, toys, sporting equipment, and school supplies
• not bioaccumulative, but humans and animals are exposed at high levels especially through direct contact and water contamination 
• human health effects include endocrine disruption (estrogen-enhancing and testosterone-blocking), thyroid disease, and increased childhood allergies 
• safer alternatives are alcohol based products 
• triclosan and triclocarban are often unnecessary because they are not proven to be any more effective than traditional cleaning products. 
• increased use also potentiates risk for microbial resistance 

3. Flame Retardants 

• class includes PBDEs, brominated and chlorinated-containing chemicals (mostly organhalogens)
• added to products to meet safety standards established in the 1970s
• mostly used in electronics, wires/cables, polyurethane foam, building materials, furniture, and some baby/children products
• when materials that contain flame retardants burn, more toxic soot is released
• flame retardants are semi-volatile meaning they are released into the air which cases particulate matter to settle in dust à increases risk for toddlers d/t hand-to-mouth behaviors 
• human health effects are cancer, immunosuppression, delayed neurodevelopment, endocrine disruption, learning disabilities, ADHD, and infertility 
• no evidence suggests these chemicals improve fire safety 
• regrettable substitutes were put into place without proper safety and efficacy testing (example: firemaster 550 is possibly linked to obesity and anxiety) 

4. Bisphenols and Phthalates 

• these chemicals are dangerous because only a small amount can cause permanent harm due to endocrine disruption
• found in food, soil, air, and water which increases human exposure rates 
• Bisphenols include chemicals like BPA and BPS, which make plastic harder and clearer
• this class of chemicals is used in products like eyeglasses, water bottles, baby bottles, epoxy resins, and thermal paper 
• chemicals leach into products and are directly ingested or are inhaled via dust
• the adverse effects or BPA are numerous: reproductive harm, thyroid disease, immunosuppression, metabolic disorders (obesity, Type I DM), spontaneous abortion, childhood obesity/asthma, and neurodevelopmental issues 
• the alternative BPS may be equally as harmful 

• Phthalates make plastic more flexible and fragrances last longer, which contributes to their widespread use in personal care products, household products, and building materials 
• humans are exposed through many routes: skin absorption, inhalation, and absorption
• prenatal exposure has been linked with incomplete testicular descent, hypospadias, obesity, early breast development, and asthma
• we currently do not have enough data/research to know if the alternatives are safer 
• humans rely heavily on plastics in our everyday lives, so to reduce risk we should use glass whenever possible, avoid receipts, and demand labeling of products 

5. Organic Solvents: 

• purpose and function is to dissolve and disperse materials, act as a carrier, cleaning/stripping agents, and mixers 
• examples include the following:
• hydrocarbon solvents: petroleum distillates and mineral spirits
• chlorinated solvents: paint strippers and dry cleaning chemicals 
• oxygenated solvents: nail polish, nail polish remover, janitorial cleaners, personal care products 
• cyclosiloxanes: dry cleaning chemicals, cosmetics/personal care products, and conditioners 
• humans are exposed through inhalation of volatile vapors as well as through water pollution 
• these chemicals are neurotoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, carcinogenic, and cause contact dermatitis/reproductive toxicity 
• the environment is also impacted by these chemicals through ozone and water pollution 
• scientists are currently researching safer alternatives to limit human exposure

6. Some Heavy Metals

• naturally occurring in the environment and never breakdown (meaning they are bioaccumulative in humans)
• interact with oxygen and acid 
• readily conduct heat 
• some metals are beneficial to human health, whereas others are toxic even at low levels 
• toxic metal examples include: lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium, and cadmium
• found in products such as gasoline (prior to late 1970s), paint, treated wood, toys, tattoo inks, beads, blinds, lipsticks, protein drinks, mascara*, fluorescent light bulbs*, and chicken/hog feed* (*these products unintentionally had metals added to them) 
• lead's effect on human health: attaches to RBCs, replaces calcium in bone, neurotoxic, crosses placenta, developmental deficits, kidney failure, etc. 
• arsenic's effect on human health: binds to RBCs, skin lesions, cancer, paresthesia, anemia, vascular disease, etc. 
• to reduce human exposure better recycling of metals should occur and safer alternatives should be used as metals are mostly unnecessary in everyday products 

M8.5 Ideal Chemical Policy

Essential Components of Ideal Chemical Policies

An ideal chemical policy would implement much stricter regulations than what are currently in place. This is necessary to better protect the health of all living beings and the environment. Currently, significant resources are used to create new chemicals every year. Moving forward, these resources should be redirected to make the chemicals currently being used safer. This will help to create a more sustainable way of life.

Specific aspects of the policy should include the following:

• Non-chemical interventions should be tried first before farmers introduce pesticides onto their crops.
• Persistent organic pollutants should be banned across all countries.
• Chemical companies must prove the safety and efficacy of chemicals before they are approved for use. This will require extensive longitudinal testing completed by third party companies to reduce bias.
• Chemicals will no longer be sold freely on the open market. All products will be sold and monitored through verified vendors. This will eliminate inappropriate sale and use of chemicals.
• The EPA will work with chemical manufactures to develop sustainable methods of chemical disposal and clean-up. For example, the AUSAID is an international leader in DDT clean-up within the South Pacific. This portion of the policy is hugely important from a public health perspective. Currently, chemicals that are not properly disposed of can cause asthma, allergies, cancer, decreased fertility, as well as having significant impact on soil quality, water cleanliness, and insect pollinators’ well-being. If the issue of chemical exposure is reduced, adverse health outcomes will be markedly reduced. We have gone on far too long by allowing dangerous chemicals to remain in our ecosystem, thus negatively impacting the cycle of life.
• Monocropping must be outlawed. This will reduce the need for widespread use of chemical pesticides.
• Any farmer who needs to use chemical pesticides must be trained on the adverse effects associated with its use.
• Anyone who sprays pesticides must be given proper personal protective equipment to ensure their safety and the safety of their families.
• The safety and efficacy of previously approved chemicals will be reviewed every decade. Every chemical must be reapproved during this review.
• It will be outlawed to support industrial food production through government subsidies. Instead, all government subsidies supporting food production will be given to organic farmers who use sustainable farming practices.

These goals may seem unrealistic and expensive, but these are the steps I believe need to be taken to ensure a safe world for our generation and generations to come.  

M8.4 Chemical Policy Reform

The Louisville Charter for Safer Chemicals

My group suggested numerous ideas to create better chemical policies. The following list is a summary of the overarching themes/elements suggested by the group:

1. Require consumer education about their risk regarding chemical exposure and identify ways they can mitigate their risk.
2. Clearly label chemicals and products that contain chemicals. 
3. Tighter government regulation of chemicals that can cause severe harm (example: mandates restricting gasoline or pesticide usage and requiring smoke or fragrance free environments). 
4. Improved safety testing methods and a longer approval process. 
5. Hold chemical manufacturers more accountable.
6. Remove harmful chemicals off the market as soon as harm is discovered.

These strategies are similar to those of the Louisville Charter for Safer Chemicals. During this convention, authorities agreed that chemical policies should require safer, less harmful chemicals be used as a first-line defense; ban persistent chemicals; provide consumers and workers information about chemicals; quickly follow-up on any early indications that new or existing chemicals may be harmful; mandate comprehensive safety testing on all chemicals; and take immediate action if harmful exposure does occur. My group touched on most of the same points, except for specifically naming persistent chemicals as a class of chemicals to ban and addressing the actions to take if chemical exposure does occur. These are two very important pieces that we did not discuss. 

The most challenging aspects of a task such as the Louisville Charter include identifying priorities among competing areas of need and finding consensus. The authors of this charter also clearly and succinctly explained the importance of each article within the charter. This was an influential document that has affected policy reforms on both micro and macro levels. 

M8.3 Pesticides

What's on my food?

For dinner, I ate a frozen meal from a company called, Beetnik, which focuses on preparing all-natural and organic foods using only simple ingredients. The meal contained the following items (please note that the information listed here would only be applicable if the meal was not organic): 

Onions: no information

Sweet potatoes: 19 pesticidesà reproductive toxicity, bee toxicity, neurotoxicity, carcinogenic

Carrots: 26 pesticidesà reproductive toxicity, bee toxicity, neurotoxicity, carcinogenic

Celery: 64 pesticidesà reproductive toxicity, bee toxicity, neurotoxicity, carcinogenic

Lemons: no information 

Bell peppers: 53 pesticidesà reproductive toxicity, bee toxicity, neurotoxicity, carcinogenic

Garlic: no information 

Ginger: no information 

Poultry: 0 residue

Water treated tap: 59 pesticidesà reproductive toxicity, bee toxicity, neurotoxicity, carcinogenic

In total, I could have been exposed to 221 pesticides. Many of these chemicals are duplicates, but nonetheless, I'd still be ingesting these chemicals multiple times and increasing their bioaccumulation within my body. This is crazy and highlights the importance of washing produce and eating organic. I'd be interested in seeing a comparison list of the chemicals found on organic ingredients, because not all organic food is completely pesticide free. 

I have really been encouraging my family to eat organic, but as a family of four, this is significantly more expensive. For example, my frozen dinner was double the cost of a regular frozen meal ($6.50 versus $3.25 respectively). This cost difference adds up quickly. As I learned in Harvest for Hope, organic food may be more expensive on the front end, but will be more cost-effective long term due to the increased health benefits it offers. However, something needs to be done to better protect citizens as a whole. From a public health perspective, this comes down to implementing stricter policies that are actually enforceable. New policies are needed to foster significant change because this issue affects everyone. See the blog post entitled Module 8.5 to find out more about what these ideal chemical policies should look like! 

M7.8 Topic of Interest

Toxic Metals in Lipstick

As required by the US Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the main regulatory body responsible for safety of cosmetic products, such as lipstick, is the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After receiving pressure from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), several Senators, and consumers, the FDA decided to expand upon existing research by conducting a lengthy investigation into lead-containing lipsticks. However, the law does not require cosmetic products or their ingredients, aside from color additives, to have FDA approval prior to product launch. Additionally, the cosmetic companies are not required to give the FDA product safety test results. Yet, there is a limit to the amount of lead that color additives can contain at 10 ppm. The FDA has determined that exposure is minimal to the consumer at this level and therefore, has not required cosmetic companies to rid lead from lipstick. The CSC believes this level is still a harmful amount and further action should be taken by the FDA to protect consumers. 

Resources

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productsingredients/products/ucm137224.htm#expanalyses

http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/regulations/us-laws/lead-in-lipstick/  

M7.7 Government Agencies

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was created under The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (aka the Superfund Act) and is a program within the US Department of Health and Human Services. The agency's main function is to evaluate the side effects of toxic/hazardous substances and the consequences of exposure. ATSDR's duties include the following: health assessments at waste sites, consultations regarding the effects of hazardous substances, health surveillance, emergency response to hazardous spills, continued research in environmental public health, maintaining toxicological databases, dissemination of information related to hazardous substances, and education/training regarding hazardous substances. In short, the agency assesses the health and environmental risks associated with Superfund sites, decontaminates Superfund sites, and offers solutions to prevent further harm from hazardous substances. In 2014, ATSDR worked in 600 communities with over one million people, responded to 57 emergency hazardous spills, and updated or released 12 new ToxProfiles. The agency attributes its success to their three-step standard operating procedure when addressing an issue: assess available research and data; partner with the stakeholders and the EPA to make a recommendation; collect additional data to ensure evidence-based outcomes. 

Resource

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/about/index.html

M7.4 Local Environmental Services

County Programs and Services

This list is a compilation and summary of the services and programs offered within my county that are related to the health of the environment: 

• Department of Agriculture: regulates the safe use of pesticides, promotes practices that ensure a healthy food supply, and prevents the introduction/spread of invasive species that could harm the food supply.
• Animal Care and Control: offers short term shelter for animals. This helps to prevent the spread of disease.
• Office of Building Inspection: ensures that buildings are built according to regulatory codes that promote safety. People can apply for solar and renewable energy permits here as well.
• Children’s Health Initiative: provides comprehensive health insurance for all children living in the county who are eligible based on family income. Children need access to medical care to ensure they are reaching developmental milestones, are getting vaccinated, are managing diseases they may develop like asthma, and are being monitored for lead exposures.
• Clean Water Program: protects the water in the county by preventing pollution, following federal regulations, and promoting public awareness.
• Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency: this agency includes three major programs: Department of Agriculture and Environmental Management, Department of Environmental Health, and Vector Control District. The goal of the agency is to protect the environment while promoting the agricultural industry, and ensuring the health and safety of the county’s citizens.
• Consumer Protection Division: protects the health of the people residing in the county. The division inspects food facilities, public recreational water facilities, and wastewater treatment systems. In addition, the division also offers counseling about radon/mold/Psittacosis and investigates lead exposure/foodborne illness outbreaks.
• Department of Environmental Health: In order to promote health and safety for the community, the department strives to protect and improve the environment.
• Integrated Pest Management: monitors pesticide use and coordinates an organized response when pest outbreaks occur.
• Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance: develops policies and programs that promote the health and safety of the environment. OSEC will also conduct investigations when issues arise.
• Public Health Department: strives to prevent disease and injury within the community at large.
• Recycling and Waste Reduction Division: oversees and fiscally manages the Recycling and Waste Management Commission. Services included are garbage, recycling, composting, and safe medication disposal.
• Solid Waste Programs: preserves the health of the community by ensuring proper disposal of solid waste and medical waste.
• Vector Control District: aims to minimize vector-borne diseases by decreasing issues with mosquitoes, rodents, wildlife, and insects that cause disease.
• Weed Abatement Program: provides education regarding methods to reduce weed invasion in order to preserve the health of the environment and the citizens of the community. 

I was surprised there were so many programs and services dedicated to protecting the health of the environment and the community. Considering my county was consistently rated in the worst 10% in terms of air quality, pollution, and Superfund sites, I would be interested to know if some of these agencies/departments/programs were created in response to these reports.  It also seems that many of the programs do not operate in silo, but instead connect and partner with each other to solve larger issues. Additionally, I was surprised to consider Animal Care and Control under this umbrella. However, it does make sense when you think about it because stray animals can precipitate the spread of disease and lead to unsanitary conditions. 

My county is also running a campaign that emphasizes the proper disposal of medications. This is a large issue that is significantly polluting our waterways. As a healthcare professional, it is part of my responsibility to educate my patients on ways they can safely handle their medications and properly dispose of any extra doses left over. Healthcare facilities are also making efforts to change practice and comply with new regulations regarding proper medication waste disposal. 

M6.7 Obesogens

Local Produce

Locally grown produce are seasonal fruits and vegetables that are grown in close proximity to where one lives. Buying locally sourced food has many benefits. For example, buying locally reduces food miles, also known as the miles the food travels to get from the farm to the consumer. The average food miles for produce in the grocery stores are 1500 miles! As you can see, this has a significant impact on carbon emissions due to airplane travel. Additionally, buying local supports your local economy and puts money directly into the pockets of your hard-working community farmers. Lastly, there is a clear distribution path from the point of harvest to the consumer. This helps mitigate any delay in recalling potentially contaminated foods. Moreover, the consumer can easily identify if the food came from a farm that uses organic and ethical farming practices. 

Hospital Menus  

Hospitals should lead by example and encourage their patients to make healthy dietary choices by supplying locally grown fruits and vegetables. I appreciated that the article provided some tips for hospitals trying to make this transition. Some of these ideas included posting signs to educate patients, starting to offer one meal per week, and using the redesigned menu as a marketing strategy. I worked at a children's hospital that had a terribly unhealthy and processed food menu. After years of receiving complaints, the hospital finally took action. The hospital starting growing fruits and vegetables onsite to supply ingredients for the cafeteria. The menu was also redesigned to include organic foods that were more sustainably produced. This made a significant difference in patient satisfaction rates. Furthermore, it exemplified healthy eating and cooking so parents and children knew what good food choices looked like. 

Harvest Calendar

I have not previously paid much attention to local foods that are in-season when purchasing produce. Using a harvest calendar, I found that artichokes, asparagus*, celery, lemons, brussel sprouts, strawberries, oranges*, tangerines, sweet potatoes, and avocados* are currently in-season within my state. The produce with asterisks are the fruits and vegetables that are available locally. Using a harvest calendar will allow me to explore and get creative with different produce.    

Obesogens

I had never heard of obesogens and found this topic to be quite fascinating. As a healthcare provider, I was also taught that obesity is a result of genetics, poor food choices, and a lack of exercise. With more emphasis always placed on the latter two reasons. After reading this article, I feel I had an "ah-ha" moment. This makes perfect sense as to why there has been an unprecedented increase in obesity rates over the last several decades. With rates rapidly increasing, there must be something besides diet and a lack of exercise causing the problem. Chemicals are mimicking hormones and disrupting natural growth and development. Babies exposed in utero to certain chemicals will have more adipose cells than those babies not exposed. This higher percentage of adipose cells means they will be heavier than their counterparts and will struggle to lose weight. 

For example, one of these chemicals is DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene), a chemical that is formed during the breakdown of DDT containing pesticides. DDE has significant side effects when humans are exposed. It is a probable human carcinogen, but evidence is insufficient to definitively classify as one. In animals, it has shown to cause liver and thyroid cancer. Human exposure to DDE can cause incident diabetes, increased risk of testicular germ cell tumors, fetal loss, GI cancers, lung cancer, and preterm labor. It was associated with differences in height and childhood asthma among children exposed in utero. Conversely, DDE exposure was not associated with a difference in birthweight, pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, breast cancer, or uterine cancer. Interestingly, ToxNet did not reference articles that link DDE to an increased risk of obesity. 

M6.6 Use of Antibiotics

Antimicrobial Resistance and the Overuse of Antibiotics

Having had a patient, who I cared for very much, pass away from septicemia related to a multidrug resistant organism (MDRO) makes this issue very personal. Recently, there has been significant work in the healthcare industry with the implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs to reduce the inappropriate use of antimicrobials. However, the general public also needs to shift its mindset about when antibiotics are necessary. As Dunn (2011) stated, a comprehensive review just determined that antibiotic products do not protect people from gastrointestinal bugs or upper respiratory infections any more so than simply washing with regular soap and water. Additionally, patients need to adjust their expectations regarding antibiotic prescriptions when diagnosed with viral infections because antibiotics have no clinical effect on viruses. This paradigm shift involves thinking more selflessly by putting the greater good of the whole above one's immediate needs. 

After reading that more animals receive antibiotics than humans, with more than 80% of antibiotics in the US being sold for agricultural purposes (Food & Water Watch, 2015), clearly the food industry also needs to significantly change its antibiotic usage practices as well. Notably, livestock are the perfect breeding ground for antimicrobial resistance. Overpopulated factory farms are in much greater need of antibiotics due to poor and unsanitary living conditions (Dallas, 2012). To make matters worse, farmers cannot contain these dangerous bugs within the confines of the farm. Research has found that those who live in close proximity to farms are at greater risk to carry MRSA, even if they do not have direct contact with the livestock or the farms (Dallas, 2012). The need for livestock antibiotics can be resolved by raising animals in better living conditions by allowing them the time and space to roam. 

Currently, about 23,000 people are dying each year from MDROs, of which 22% are traced back to originate from foodborne pathogens (Food & Water Watch, 2015). Hospitals are also a large source of MDROs. To help mitigate the spread of disease, some healthcare institutions are buying antimicrobial furniture, textiles, and building materials (Schettler, 2016). However, this has unknown safety and environmental consequences. Additionally, such products increase cost and provide a false sense of security. Healthcare organizations should be extremely careful and only buy products that have undergone rigorous EPA investigation (Schettler, 2016). 

BBC just published an interesting article about the dire state of antibiotics. It discusses the history of antibiotics, current unsafe farming practices, and economic incentives that have cut funding for antibiotic research . Follow the link for more information: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38828079 

Resources

Dallas, 2012: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=163935

Dunn, 2011: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/scientists-discover-that-antimicrobial-wipes-and-soaps-may-be-making-you-and-society-sick/

Food & Water Watch, 2015:https://usfca.instructure.com/courses/1569184/files/63504203/download?wrap=1

Schettler, 2016: https://noharm-uscanada.org/sites/default/files/documents-files/3854/Antimicrobials%20Report%202016_1.pdf

M6.4 Industrial Farming

Vanishing Bees

I had heard of this issue previously, but never paid much attention to it or researched it any further. However, I was fascinated by the movie and found it very informative as well as emotionally touching. After watching the movie, I checked the label on my current jar of honey and found there was no ingredient list. I think this is odd because just about every edible item has an ingredient list. This made me question if I was eating "funny honey" or not. I was also shocked about the mistreatment of bees, especially the queens, on industrial pollination farms. Additionally, I learned about the devastating effects of colony collapse disorder (CCD). Systemic pesticides are suspected to be the cause of CCD because when this mode of delivery was developed no further safety and efficacy testing was completed. This movie highlights the ineptitude of the regulatory bodies put in place to supposedly protect us. I agree with the farmer who stated that the Environmental Protection Agency should take protection out of their name because they are not protecting anyone. Another farmer called them "pestitutes" because the agency has been corrupted by the large chemical companies. I also want to note that Bayer, the chemical company who makes the most dangerous pesticides, also makes many pharmaceuticals used by patients worldwide. This deserves some further investigation about conflicts of interest, especially of their toxicologists. Regardless, I feel the lack of government regulation and lax policies related to safety testing is to blame for this issue.  

Dirt! The Movie 

I appreciated this movie because I had never considered dirt to be a living thing or vital to our health and well being. This point was driven home when the movie illuminated the fact that most impoverished and destitute communities stem from a lack of healthy soil. Once the water dries up and the soil vanishes, no plants can grow causing the animals starve to death. Jobs are lost and people are hungry. Families are then forced to leave their homes in search of a new place that can sustain them. This really changed my perception on the importance of soil. Additionally, I found it interesting how different cultures use soil. For example, those in India use soil to build homes, whereas, those in Mexico believe soil contains healing power and center a pilgrimage around this belief. Starving people in Haiti will make yellow mud cookies to feed themselves and their children. Interestingly, I remember reading that people who grow up eating dirt often crave the taste of it as adults. Conversely, in America we often take soil for granted by continuing the practice of large monoculture farming. We should learn from history so we can avoid another large scale dust bowl. Lastly, this movie taught me to treat soil as the precious resource that it is! One way to give back to the earth is through composting (more on that below). 

Factory Farming

Luckily, there are no factory farms in my area or even my surrounding area. This makes me glad to know that there are no harmful farms in my community. However, living in an industrialized city does not come without its risks. All the asphalt and pollution from over developing the land can damage the soil as well. 

Composting

I currently live in a county where compost collection is mandatory. My family has significantly reduced our trash accumulation by implementing composting in our household. However, we do not have our own compost pile. The compost bin is collected on a weekly basis with our trash and recycling. I've always been curious as to where the compost goes and what the county uses it for. This module has inspired me to start my own vegetable garden that contains a compost pile and a bee hive. When I own a house this will be a priority of mine. That way I can ensure my food is organic and I'm contributing to renewal of important life-sustaining resources.