Public Health, Safety, And The Environment

As seen in the film Fed Up, obesity in the U.S. can be traced back to changes in food production. The novel Gaining Ground by Forrest Pritchard describes an alternative food system option in which family farms and farmer’s markets become once again important components of the U.S. food system. The American food system has evolved

In the article, “The Paleo Diet” by Loren Cordain, the author talks about America’s fascination with diet fads, telling readers about their widespread appeal as a “fix-all” for America’s health problems and obesity. I have to admit, like a lot of people, I am a bandwagon jumper. Whether this new fad be a new fashion trend or a new video game sensation, chances are that I’ve tried it. And new diet fads are no exception for me.

The President's Task Force on Environmen-tal Health Risks and Safety Risks to Chil-dren was formed in 1997 by executive order. It consists of government officials from the EPA, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and others. One of its first projects was to formulate a plan to eliminate childhood lead poisoning, 42 a goal that was incorporated into the Healthy People 2010 goals for the nation. For the first time, the strategy concentrated on primary prevention and was directed at housing. It did not require that a lead-poisoned child first be identified before a house was considered eligible for participa-tion (the principle of primary prevention).

(Parker-Pope, 2007) “If you have three dollars to feed yourself, your choices gravitate toward foods which give you the most calories per dollar.” said Dr. Drewnowski, Professor of the Department of Epidemiology and Medicine at the University of Washington. He further stated, “Not only are the empty calories cheaper, but the healthy foods are becoming more and more expensive. Vegetables and fruits are rapidly becoming luxury goods.” (Parker-Pope, 2007) Much of these cost are due to our Governments Farm Policy. Farm policy encourages the production of commodities for processed foods instead of healthy foods. Whether by intention or not, because of the low cost of commodities like corn and soybeans, sugars and fats like fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oils, current farm policy has directed food industry investment into funding ways of using these cheap food additives in processed foods, thus causing consumers to eat more added sweeteners and oils than is healthy. Because these highly processed foods can be produced at a very low cost, they give significant profit for the food industry which creates an industry incentive to market “junk” foods instead of healthier foods. (Food without Thought:How US Farm Policy Contributes to Obesity)

It’s no secret, Americans love their processed, energy-rich foods. And undeniably, this love affair has led to an obesity epidemic. In spite of the evidence against processed food, however, there are some who believe the problem may hold the key to the solution. David Freedman, author of “How Junk Food Could End Obesity,” criticizes Michael Pollan for his argument in support of unprocessed, local foods due its impracticality. Freedman’s criticism is based on the idea that “It makes a lot more sense to look for small, beneficial changes in food than it does to hold out for big changes in what people eat that have no realistic chance of happening” (Freedman Sec. 1). He contends that processed foods already play a big part in our diets, so instead of trying to expand the wholesome food business, we should try to make processed foods healthier. Freedman’s argument, however, overlooks many negative effects of processed foods and conventional farming. Michael Pollan’s wholesome food movements takes into account not only the obesity problem, but also the quality of the environment and the rights of farmers. Although Pollan’s solution to obesity may not seem the most efficient or time effective, the trades offs it provides in terms of environmental sustainability and the well-being of farmers outweigh the loss of efficiency.

Food waste is an environmental, economic, and ethical problem that can lead to less calorie intake and unnecessary damage of our assets. Individual behavior can redesign food waste at home and lead to bigger changes in the ecosystem. The problem is Americans throw out more food than glass, paper, and plastic. Also about 25% of food grown, processed, and transported in the US will never be consumed. When food is disposed in a landfill it rots and becomes a significant source of methane— a potent greenhouse gas with 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

Have you ever stopped to question what happens after food waste ends up as landfill? The food waste breaks down into methane and carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases) which poses risks to our health if greater amounts are released. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated the carbon footprint of wasted food to be equivalent to 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Further, the storing of food waste occupies a lot of land - agricultural land. Food waste fills the MSG six times! Not only is land utilized for the production of crops now unavailable, the habitats of animals are also taken up, leading to a loss of biodiversity. Because of our careless and wasteful behavior, animals are dying. It is a

The weight in America is ballooning out of control and the American public needs help. There are a number of contributing factors that tie into the growing waistline of America such as a sedimentary lifestyle, over consumption of food which leads to a higher caloric intake, and the marketing of unhealthy choices by food companies through television ads and radio station commercials. In regards to the over consumption of food, the only person that is truly affected by this is the individual themselves. After all, they are the ones that will suffer from the chronic health conditions such as respiratory related issues due to shortness of breath, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. All of our lives we have been told we are what we eat. If you consume food with little or nutritional value it will definitely show in your body and if you consume foods that contribute substantial vitamins, mineral, and proteins to the body that to, will also show. Food companies do have a right to market what is most profitable, it just so happen that what is profitable is inexpensive to make and detrimental to one’s health if consumed on a daily basis. However, millions of Americans have tried to get there weight under control on their own and many have been successful at it. According to numerous new reports, the Diet industry gross approximately 60 billion dollars a year but only a few million have shown long lasting results.

All over America, there is a growing problem, and that problem is the growing piles of food that end up in our nation 's landfills. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that in 2010 alone, there was an average of “133 billion pounds of food worth an estimated $161.6 billion” wasted in the United States (St. Clair). Unfortunately, all of this food does not just break down. Because of how tightly packed the garbage in landfills is there is almost no oxygen reaching the food while it breaks down (Kulpinski 1), so while the food will slowly decompose it will produce large amounts of methane. Jonathan Bloom, a published food waste expert, warns that 23% of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas which has a global warming

Americans over the years have adopted a fast food, sedentary lifestyle, which consequently has led to a decline in overall health. Studies show the American overweight and obese community has increased greatly over the past 30 years.1 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a federal department responsible for the legislating of government policy on all aspects of agriculture, including farming and food. Public health professionals debate the root of unhealthy lifestyles and work together to combat nutrition choices and nutrition related illnesses. The USDA has worked with scientists, public figures and the community to increase and support healthy choices. Community and national program initiatives have impacted the

People around the globe struggle with excess weight, but Americans exceed the rates of obesity in other first world countries by thirteen percent (Overweight). According to Overweight and Obesity Statistics, 68.8 percent of the population is overweight or obese in America. Although the number of overweight and obese people is higher than ever before, many are not willing to work to lose weight. Americans want to sit back, relax, and lose weight. Fad diets have become very popular for this reason. Fad diets allow people to simply sit back and take a pill to provide quick weight loss but this weight loss only lasts temporarily. (Fad Diets). On the other hand, few people choose healthy dieting methods, which take longer to see results and

In recent studies, cases observe that “...seven nutrients showed no significant changes, protein declined by six percent; phosphorus, iron, and calcium declined between nine percent and 16 percent; ascorbic acid (a precursor of vitamin C) declined 15 percent, and riboflavin declined 38 percent” (Rich). Now, this is a problem. People are getting less out of their food which is making the body think it is still hungry because it is not getting as many nutrients as it normally would with organically grown crops. This has been caused by changes in farming methods. After World War II, the methods of how people grow crops were changing and trending in a cheaper and resourceful direction, “…agrichemicals allowed farmers to bypass the methods of maintaining soil fertility by replenishing soil organic matter with cover crops, manure, and compost, and of controlling pests with crop rotation and intercropping” (Rich). Meaning, that instead of letting the crops grow organically, some farmers are covering the crop with cow shit. In return, it causes the crop to dry out too rapidly meaning that the food does not have enough time to properly develop the right amount of nutrients. Not getting a healthy serving of nutrition out of the food people eat is like eating nothing at all. The nutrients in the produce people consume are what tell the body a person has eaten an adequate volume in that sitting. “…less-nutrient-dense foods may be partly why we're eating more and more. Phytochemicals contribute to the satisfaction…help trigger satiety. It could even be that the second helping is an instinctive attempt to secure sufficient micronutrients” (Rich). Basically, Americans are obese because people are literally eating food with empty calories that do nothing but make the body feel hungry and less

The next component of the General Plan is the plan for public health and safety which addresses issues of: Geology and Seismicity, Flooding and Drainage, Noise, Air Installation Land Use Compatibility, Hazardous Materials, Crime Prevention and Protection Services, Fire Prevention and Suppression Services, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Medical Facilities. The issue of geology and seismicity is important to the Lancaster area at large due to its location being less than ten miles south of the San Andreas Fault. Major earthquakes in the area present a problem for citizen’s safety and possible property damage. A similar issue is that of flooding and drainage. Because Lancaster exists within a valley and is relatively flat, the area is prone to flooding. One of the current propositions is to include flood water basins. The water basins to mitigate for the 100 year flood are essentially large ditches on the corner of neighborhood streets. When a water basin sits in the middle of a neighborhood it is not a functional part of the surrounding environment and can become an eyesore in a community. This probably causes the NIMBY-ism around water basins, no matter how beneficial they may be. Noise is a very prevalent issue in Lancaster, due to the amount of aeronautical activity conducted on EAFB. The City has rezoned the flight area in order to decrease the amount of overhead flights in the urbanized areas. This plan is mimicked in the Air Installation Land Use Compatibility portion.

When we think of food waste we tend to assume that because food can decompose we are not harming the environment. This is absolutely incorrect; there are different resources that are utilized to make the food taste up to par and stay fresh up until being displayed on the shelves and beyond. All the food we do not consume they have to be dumped somewhere and that will be in the landfills we create. When there is food decomposed in landfills “[it] hastens the building of new ones, with their environmental concerns. In short, we're burying more pockets of potential pollution, with storm overflow and leachate leakage major concerns” (Bloom, p. 10). We are polluting our air with the amount of food we throw away causing the landfills to no longer be an open space but a concealed zip log bag that contains the food we no longer wanted. The amount of food waste that can be recycled is the bare minimum to none. Have you ever drove on through an area and began to smell rotten eggs? Well, that is all because of these landfills we enjoy creating to hold our unwanted food. We can prevent the amount of food we waste and landfills created if the awareness of food waste stays relevant.

This essay is about how health and safety is applied in health and social care in order to protect everyone in health and social care environment, and it will also examine the importance of health and safety policy and risk assessment in workplace. Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974 is concern with maintaining and improving the physical and mental well-being of employees at work and protecting anyone else who may be adversely affected. Care homes are therefore subject to the provision of health and safety policy, employers and employees have