Last class, representatives from the US, Canada, Norway, Ecuador, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, and Belize came together to discuss the implementation of various ecohealth approaches to address different issues. Here, we can continue to share ideas and ask questions as our proposals take shape!
Keep the framework below in mind as you continue to design your transdisciplinary, participatory, equitable, and sustainable approaches!
The Conventional Trap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEmBLKyDMeo
Drinking Water that causes Cancer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIm4mlTZ0Vg
In the beginning of the term, we had a discussion about “sustainable practices” not truly being sustainable. Are the benefits of sustainable agriculture worthwhile if it increases the burden and threat of toxicity to humans?
As mentioned in the presentation, harmful chemicals are used for malaria in nations like India; how can ecohealth address this complicated human health issue?
1)Should/can further ecohealth initiatives or projects be put in place
to help mitigate this problem? What would they look like?
2)Do you think it would be feasible to change agricultural practices
in the area to decrease land clearing or to teach better management
practices on existing cleared land? Would agroforestry be widely
accepted?
http://www.springerlink.com/content/5dyv2agubpd5xaqm/fulltext.pdf
Here is a link to the video we watched: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/ghana804/video/video_index.html
In class, we brought up different issues such as having better laws and policies and enforcing them more stringently. We also touched on community-level economic interventions that could potentially help lower the number of people working in this dangerous business.
Let’s continue the conversation! Share your thoughts on the situation: What can be done? Who are the main actors? Who should take responsibility? How can the adverse health effects be mitigated?
1) What are the moral ethics of business practice in the asbestos industry?
2) Considering how durable, useful, and inexpensive asbestos is, would it be well worth the risk of researching into processing commercial asbestos into a harmless compound for use (with the same desirable characteristics)? Is it the actual material of asbestos or the misuse of asbestos that we are against in protests against asbestos?
Visit the following websites: https://blogs.ubc.ca/ethicsofisl/
Post some reflections: http://ethicsofisl.ubc.ca/
Please review a case from the case studies section and come prepared to discuss.
Post your reflections on the readings here!
Improving Environmental Sanitation, Health, and Well-Being: A Conceptual Framework for Integral Interventions (10pg)
http://www.springerlink.com/content/x675t79t22677kv6/
Evaluate the CCP approach; discuss your thoughts as to how this framework could be an effective solution for some regions or not a sustainable one for others.
1. What is a Watershed?
2. How can Watershed management be linked to Ecohealth?
3. What are some examples of poor watershed management? What are some examples of effective watershed management? (Feel free to support your statements with reference to other readings or media)
4. What are the social, health and ecosystem implications of poor watershed management versus good watershed management?
Here’s the video that was mentioned in class:
Feel free to discuss!
Dr. Brauer’s presentation has also been uploaded. Please share any thoughts and questions that came up for you!
Dr. Michael Brauer is coming in next week to speak to the global perspective of air quality and health, as well as indoor air quality in developing countries. Check out the following readings (a look at the introduction/ conclusion should suffice) for a general background:
Chen and Kan – Air pollution and population health – a global challenge
Perez-Padilla – Respiratory health effects of indoor air pollution – IJTLD
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/index.html
http://www.who.int/indoorair/en/
1. How do air quality risks related to health change with level of development? ( You can think about a country at different stages of its development over time or compare two different countries at different levels of development.)
2. An article on measuring public health impacts of air quality:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/757405n1k1756080/fulltext.pdf
How does the EPTH ressemble/differ from an EcoHealth approach?