Standard+4.3.12.c

=The Necessity of a Healthy Environment=

Standard 4.3.12.C. Analyze the need for a healthy environment.

A healthy environment is needed to promote the health of the human population. One example is found in water. A common water pollutant is known as pathogens (disease causing agents). These include bacteria, viruses, and parasitic worms. In less developed countries, pathogens kill 13,700 people on average every day, half of whom are children under the age of 5. Diseases that can be caused by bacteria in contaminated water are typhoid fever, cholera, bacterial dysentery, and enteritis. Viruses cause infectious hepatitis. A way to determine water quality is by counting the number of colonies of coliform bacteria. The World Health Organization recommends 0 colonies per 100 milliliters if one wants to drink the water (Miller, 1996). A healthy environment promotes healthy water, which in turn promotes human health.



Air pollution known as photochemical smog forms mostly in large cities with a vast number of cars and factories. Automobiles are the leading cause of smog. On hotter, sunnier days, smog is more present becuase of greater amounts of ozone and other elements. At peak levels, smog irritates respiratory tracts and people's eyes. People with asthma are especially sensitive (Miller, 1996). The photo below is smog pollution over Los Angeles. Smog pollution harms the environment and in turn is hurtful to the human population.



As people knowing this information, we need to work on creating cleaner vehicles and cutting down on air pollution.

Back to Environmental Health Home Page