Google Earth Questions, Questionnaire Example

Question 1: Explain what the Pacific Trash Gyre is and how it formed. The Pacific Trash Gyre is a mass amount of marine trash located in the Northern Pacific Ocean. It is formed by a combination of the water circulation around the globe and the rotation of the earth and wind that form whirlpools which then move it away via currents deeper into the ocean (Capestrain).

Question 2: What are some of the environmental concerns relating to the debris washing up on the West coast of the U.S.? The biggest concern biologists have with the debris is that is can contain organisms and bacteria that are not domestic. This could cause a large problem because we are not ready for this. If a new kind of organism comes ashore and mates with one of our domestic organism, thus producing a mutant organism, there could be a potential problem if it is something that makes people sick and has no known vaccine, treatment, or cure.

Question 3: One of the health issues relating to plastics is bisphenol A (BPA) since it is considered an endocrine disruptor.  Follow the link to the HHS webpage on BPA.  What is the HHS position on BPA and what do they suggest parents do to avoid exposure? The researchers found that the embryo chances of implantation decreased the more women were exposed to BPA and suggested that these women avoid the compound as much as possible although they realize it is a compound found throughout the environment (Quiros-Alcala and Hessler).

Question 4: What was something interesting or surprising that you learned about brownfields? Cleaning up the brownfields will actually help the community economically because it increases jobs and provides a better overall look and feel for everyone involved. It also has the potential to decrease crime and increase the overall health of the residents.

Question 5: What are the environmental health risks of ship breaking? The asbestos and other toxins of the job actually dwarf the men and lead to serious problems with their lungs and other conditions. Also, there are significant problems in the atmosphere because of all of the toxins released as parts of the ship are melted down to form other objects that may be reused (Schorn).

Question 6:  What is Superfund?  Select a proposed or final site from the Google earth map and explain why the site is included on the National Priorities List. Superfund is a government project that evaluated and cleaned up hazardous waste sites in America. It is on the National Priorities List because many of the sites are in Native American territories and these are hazardous to their health. The government is making an attempt to right a wrong and help increase the livelihood of a culture by decreasing the hazards of the environment (What is Superfund).

Question 7:  Explain the environmental health risks of CAFOs. Some of the health risks of CAFOs are the fact these animals produce so much urine and feces there is really no place for it to go and there are many gases emitted into the air which can be toxic. This breeds flies and other insects and rodents which can make the livestock sick. The livestock can also die and infect other livestock, causing a potentially devastating result if not managed properly.

Question 8: What is your position on whether the EPA should use aerial surveys to monitor CAFOs? The EPA should use aerial surveys to monitor CAFOs at random because this way the farmers would make sure they are doing their job with compliance of all rules and regulations. They would be keeping the rest of the population safe and helping the environment at the same time. If the EPA did nothing, it would give the farmers an opportunity to become lazy about the rules and this could result in a bad outbreak of disease that could be avoided.

Question 9: After perusing this list what are some of the health risks associated with meat processing?  What are the causes? There is a risk of bacterial infections from meat and vegetables that are processed in plants. There is also a risk of nuts or rodent dropping getting mixed in with other sources of food and the workers not being aware. Potential causes can range from employee negligence, poor quality control, improper cleaning of equipment, and improper transport of foods. These are simply a few things.

Question 10: According to the Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255) is eating organic better for you?  What do you think? According to the article, organic foods are better for your health. I agree because these foods are treated much like produce was a long time ago. They are grown and fertilized with natural methods instead of pesticides and chemicals that could be harmful to our bodies. They might be more expensive, but they are indeed worth the extra expense as long as what you are buying is the real thing and not simply something posing as an organic food when it is not.

Works Cited

Capestrain, Mallory. Pacific Trash Gyre. 2011. Web. 15 August 2012.

Quiros-Alcala, Lesliam and Wendy Hessler. “BPA diminishes in vitro success.” 16 May 2012. Environmental Health News. Web. 15 August 2012.

Schorn, Dan. The Shipbreakers of Bangladesh. 29 August 2007. Web. 15 August 2012. What is Superfund. 2010. Web. 15 August 2012.