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Running head: SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH EVENT

Project #2: Significant Public Health Event

AHLT 4808- Environmental Health Concerns

Kyle Ritenour

Youngstown State University

February 9, 2020
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SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH EVENT

There are many threats to public health that take place throughout the United States and

all around the world every single day. Some threats are more acute while others occur over long

periods of time. It is imperative that public health professionals work to alleviate the major

public health concerns that we face today and prevent any further epidemics and disasters from

occurring as much as possible.

The single event that I believe to have the most significant impact on public heath as we

see it today is the extraction and use of coal, oil, and natural gas. The burning of fossil fuels is a

major public health issue that has been creating a devasting impact on the environment for many

years. Fossil fuels have a negative impact on the environment due to the emissions of carbon

dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases. The reason that these greenhouse gases are so

harmful to the environment is that they trap heat in the atmosphere, raising the planet’s

temperature and creating climate change (Fossil energy)

The burning of fossil fuels really became a threat the environment during the Industrial

Revolution, when humans discovered how to use coal, oil, and natural gas to generate

electricity . Since 1973, the total global fossil fuel consumption has more than doubled (Fuels).

According to an article by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), fossil fuels made up

81.5% of the United States entire energy consumption in 2015. The percentage of energy

consumption from fossil fuels is expected to lower to at least 76.6% by 2040 (Fossil fuels).

Climate scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special

reporting giving a 12-year deadline to limit global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above

preindustrial temperatures or face climate change catastrophe; this means that fossil fuel

consumption would have to be nearly cut in half by 2030 (Opinion, 2019).

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Fossil fuel consumption and global warming are topics that have increasingly become a

concern throughout recent years. Every year, the Earth continues to warm leading to 2019 being

the second hottest year to ever be recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) (National). Climate experts predict that the planet will become eight

degrees warmer before the end of the century. Such a small change in temperature may not seem

like a big deal, but a few degrees difference in the temperature of the earth can cause dramatic

changes to the planet.

In addition to greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere, pollutants from coal

combustion including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury lead to acid rain. Acid rain

refers to form of precipitation, wet or dry, such as rain, snow, hail, or dust which contains acidic

component (What, 2019). Acid rain can cause harm to people, the environment, and even

damage physical objects. The chemicals and particles that are contained in acid rain can enter

people’s lungs and cause respiratory diseases. Acid rain is also bad for the environment because

it can seep through the ground and dissolve nutrients like magnesium which are essential for

plants and trees health. Furthermore, acid rain runoff can enter bodies of water which can raise

the acidity level of the water and harm the plants, wildlife, and microscopic organisms living in it

(Acid).

Another reason that I believe the burning of fossil fuels is a threat to public health is

because it leads to the destruction of forests and crops which are vital to wildlife and human

health. Not only can vegetation be damaged by acid rain, they can also be damaged during

mining processes (Piccirilli). Vegetation and forests can also be destroyed in fires due to

extremely hot, dry conditions that may have been contributed to by greenhouse gases and global

warming. It is imperative that as a society, we do our best to conserve national forests. Forests
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are central to all living creatures on the planet because they work to eliminate the ample amount

of greenhouse gases by taking in CO2 from the atmosphere and converting it into oxygen which

living creatures need to breathe.

A large issue that experts are facing is how limit the amount of CO2 in the air and reduce

our carbon footprint. Rather than focusing on ways to continue the extraction of fossil fuels

while also limiting the amount CO2 levels in the atmosphere, we should focus more on how to

completely eliminate or drastically lower the amount of fossil fuels used for energy consumption.

Even oil corporations like Shell and EXONN make investments towards renewable energy and

research. However, critics question their morality because of the amount of spending they make

towards oil projects which contribute to the issue compared to the amount they spend on green

energy (Oil, 2019). Likewise, everyone can contribute to the movement toward green energy and

reducing our carbon footprint as it has drastic impacts on public health. Efforts to carpool, walk,

bicycle, use solar panels, use electric-powered vehicles, plant trees, etc. will all benefit public

health as well as the environment.

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References

Acid Rain Students Site: Why is acid rain harmful? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/whyharmful.html

Are the Effects of Global Warming Really that Bad? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/are-effects-global-warming-really-bad

Fossil energy study guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/Elem_Coal_Studyguide.pdf

Fossil fuels still dominate U.S. energy consumption despite recent market share decline - Today

in Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?

id=26912

Fossil Fuels. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). 2019 was 2nd hottest year on record

for earth say NOAA, NASA. Retrieved from https://www.noaa.gov/news/2019-was-

2nd-hottest-year-on-record-for-earth-say-noaa-nasa

Oil Companies Ponder Climate Change, but Profits Still Rule. (2019, October 7). Retrieved

from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/business/energy-environment/oil-companies-

climate-change-profits.html

Opinion | Do We Really Have Only 12 Years to Avoid Climate Disaster? (2019, September 19).

Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/opinion/climate-change-12-

years.html?auth=login-google

Piccirilli Dorsey, Inc. (n.d.). Fossil Fuels. Retrieved from https://www.eesi.org/topics/fossil-

fuels/description
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What is Acid Rain? (2019, December 20). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-

acid-rain