Human Health
The way people use the land is the way they build an environment around them. From cutting down trees that cleanse the air to constructing buildings, each of these decisions has an impact on human health.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 40 million tons of hazardous waste are generated in the United States every year. It comes from factories, chemical manufacturers, petroleum refineries, and even smaller businesses like gas stations and hospitals. How much is that every day? How can people reduce that amount?
Superfund Ain't So Super
The absolutely grossest, stinkiest, yuckiest, most toxic places in the country are known as Superfund sites, and there are more than 1,300 of them across the nation. They are typically left over from factories and army bases where tons of toxic muck has been unloaded into the soil and water. Some have been cleaned up and are considered land that is safe and usable. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are working together to help protect everyone from these hazards. Still, there are many sites that can cause health problems, from asthma to cancer. There are two very important things you can do right away to terminate toxic waste:
Visit www.kidsforsavingearth.org to learn easy pollution solutions through the “What Is a Toxic Waste Site?” program (choose the link from the drop-down list at “Air”). Encourage students to tell their parents not to buy toxic chemicals like pesticides and heavy-duty cleaners.
Visit www.scorecard.org and enter your Zip Code. You'll get a list of your community's worst polluters and the name and address of the head of the company. Have the kids write them a letter asking them to clean up their act.
Your voice matters and your actions add up. You are the leaders of the future and the future starts now!
Healthy Home Survey
Create a survey to send home to parents. Engage your students to help you decide on questions. Do you use pesticides on your lawn? What do you do with your toxic waste? If you are gardening, do you use pesticides? Do you recycle? After the parents have completed the survey, create a chart to demonstrate the results. Calculate the percentages, and as a group, write a letter that you can distribute to the parents. In the letter, also include suggestions about how to take healthier Earth-saving actions.
