Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health

Overview

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The second course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will explore a number of different environmental hazards. These are: air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, and two physical hazards (radon and noise). These hazards each have the potential to harm human health, and we will explore how you may come into contact with these hazards and how they may harm you, as well as what we can do to minimize these exposures and health impacts. We will also explore two additional key topics: urban and global health, and the influence of the built environment on human health.

Syllabus

Week 1: Air & Water Pollution

Welcome to Week 1! We start this week with an orientation to the course and our learning community. Then, we start our course by covering two important topics that touch our lives in an immense way: water and air pollution. Let’s find out about water and air, and more, in the Week 1 module.

Week 2: Physical Hazards (Noise and Radon) and Solid Waste

We are all exposed to physical hazards that can affect our quality of life to different degrees. The question, therefore, is how to manage our exposures to these hazards such as noise, radon, and solid and hazardous waste. Let’s find out about these types of physical hazards, and more, in the Week 2 module.

Week 3: Urbanization and Global Health

Urbanization is a global phenomenon that affects our environment, and therefore our lives in a significant way. As such, urbanization is tied to global health. Let’s find out about urbanization, and more, in the Week 3 module.

Week 4: Built Environment

Most of our living environment is designed and built for specific purposes. The question is how to design a built environment while protecting it at the same time? Let’s find out how, and more, in Week 4, our last module.