HLSC 1F90 Lecture Notes - Lecture 23: Septic Tank, Falling Slowly, Healthy Planet
31 Mar 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Human health is fundamentally related to the health of the planet. Humans can become ill or die from: ingesting food, water or dust that is polluted, inhaling air contaminated with toxins, coming into contact with polluted water, soil, objects. Contamination can come from: industrialized agricultural and manufacturing processes, reliance on fossil fuel for powering machinery and vehicles, heating houses, cooking food, etc, poor waste management practices (coupled with excessive packaging/poor sanitation. Oct 2011: global population reached 7 billion. Growth is due to fertility and life expectancy. Although fertility rates are falling slowly, infant mortality rates are falling quickly. Fertility (developing nations): 4. 63 now; 2. 5 in 2050. Most contaminants (98% bacterial, 80%+ synthetic) come from nonpoint sources. To be health, water sources must be clean. Therefore: be active in political processes that regulate water, practice good personal water management (don"t dump household wastes, don"t over-use water) These steps apply to developed and developing countries.
