7.2: Learning Outcomes

At the completion of chapter, students will be able to

1. Discuss pollution as a major risk to human health at this time, in particular in the developing world.
2. Discuss risk assessment and the concept that "the dose makes the poison".
3. List sources and types of pollutants, including the six criteria pollutants, and explain the difference between primary and secondary pollutants.
4. Describe the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in protecting the environment.
5. Outline the provisions of the Clean Air Act, and explain the purpose of air quality standards.
6. List the major types of indoor air pollutants and describe ways to reduce exposure to them.
7. Explain the difference between point source and nonpoint source pollution (and what difference it makes when you are trying to reduce pollution)
8. Give examples of biological and nonbiological pollutants that threaten our drinking water.
9. Define the term "waterborne disease outbreak" and give examples of agents that can cause such an outbreak.
10. Describe the measures communities take to ensure the quality of drinking water and to manage wastewater.
11. Explain the general purpose of the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
12. Define pest, pesticide, target organism and nontarget organism.
13. Explain some of the health and safety concerns with pesticide use.
14. Describe the composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) and outline acceptable MSW management strategies.
15. Discuss the importance of "reduce, reuse, recycle" as an approach to reducing waste.
16. Define hazardous waste and give some examples.
17. Identify approaches used by the FDA, the USDA, and local health departments use to ensure food safety.
18. Describe in general terms how the FDA ensures drug safety.
19. Discuss occupational health risks and protections in relationship to environmental health.
20. Discuss climate change as a risk to human health, including how it may affect rates of infectious disease, access to food and clean water, natural disasters, forest fires, air quality and heat exhaustion.
21. Explain mitigation and adaptation as strategies to cope with climate change.
22. Discuss how measures to address climate change may also contribute to improvements in overall health (for example, prevention of chronic disease) – the "co-benefits" of action on climate change.

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