"The impact of the environment on human health"
“Health from above is given to us,
Learn, man, to take care of him!”
Any human activity becomes the main source of environmental pollution. Due to environmental pollution,decrease in soil fertility, land degradation and desertification, death of flora and fauna, quality degradation atmospheric air , surface and groundwater . Taken together, this leads to extinction whole from the face of the earthecosystems and species, deteriorating public health And reduction in human life expectancy.
The environmental situation affects human health. Violation ecological balance or the so-called ecological scissors - are dangerous by disrupting the mechanism of human adaptation. The organism responds with various disorders to the harmful effects of physical radiation; occupational diseases for unpreparedness for new professions; neuro-psychic instability on information overload and overcrowding, excessive noise in cities;allergic reactionsto change chemical composition environment.
Approximately 85% of all diseases modern man associated with adverse environmental conditions arising through his own fault. Not only is the health of people catastrophically falling: previously unknown diseases have appeared, their causes can be very difficult to establish. Many diseases have become more difficult to cure than before. Therefore, the problem of “Human health and the environment” is now very acute.
AIR
Negative impacts on human health and the environmentindustrial enterpriseslocated in the city near residential areas. These are enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, coal and ore mining and processing industries. All these objects National economy arepowerful sources of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere. About 1.5 million tons of hazardous industrial waste is emitted into the atmosphere of the region every year. A high level of air pollution is observed in many densely populated cities. As a result of human activities in the atmosphere, the presence of various solid and gaseous substances. Oxides of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, hydrocarbons, lead compounds, dust, etc. entering the atmosphere. render different toxic effect on the human body.
Harmful substances contained in the atmosphere affect the human body upon contact withsurface of the skin or mucous membrane. Along with the respiratory organs, pollutants affect the organs of vision and smell. Polluted air is annoying for the most part respiratory tract, causing bronchitis, asthma, the general state of a person’s health worsens: headaches, nausea, a feeling of weakness appear, the ability to work decreases or is lost. It has been established that such production wastes as chromium, nickel, beryllium, asbestos, many pesticides cause cancer.
WATER
It has a negative impact on human health drinking water . Diseases transmitted through contaminated water cause deterioration of health and death of a huge number of people. Open water sources are especially polluted: rivers, lakes, ponds. There are many cases when polluted water sources have caused epidemics of cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, which are transmitted to humans as a result of contamination of water basins with pathogenic microorganisms and viruses. The quality of water in most rivers does not meet regulatory requirements. Studies have shown that the use of water as drinking water coming through water pipes leads the population to cardiovascular and renal pathologies, diseases of the liver, biliary tract and gastrointestinal tract.
THE SOIL
Sources of pollution soil serve agricultural and industrial enterprises, as well as residential buildings. At the same time, from industrial and agricultural facilities, chemical (including very harmful to health: lead, mercury, arsenic and their compounds), as well asorganic compounds. From the soil, harmful substances and pathogenic bacteria can penetrate into groundwater, which can be absorbed from the soil by plants, and then enter the human body through milk and meat. Diseases such as anthrax and tetanus are transmitted through the soil. Every year, the city accumulates in the surrounding areas about 3.5 million tons of solid and concentrated waste of approximately the following composition: ash and slag, solid residues from the general sewage system, wood waste, municipal solid waste, construction waste, tires, paper, textiles, forming urban landfills. For decades, they have been accumulating waste, constantly burning, poisoning the air.
The level of industrial noise is very high, which in noisy industries reaches 90-110 decibels or more. Constant exposure to loud noise can lead to a decrease in hearing sensitivity, and cause other harmful effects - ringing in the ears, dizziness, headache, increased fatigue, reduced immunity, promotes the development of hypertension, coronary disease heart and other diseases. Disturbances in the human body due to noise become noticeable only over time. Noise interferes with normal rest and recuperation, disrupts sleep. Systematic lack of sleep and insomnia lead to severe nervous disorders. Therefore, great attention should be paid to protecting sleep from noise stimuli.
SOCIETY
For a person the environment is not only nature, but also society. Therefore, social conditions also affect the state of the body and its health. The family affects the formation of character, the spiritual health of its members. In general, in the city, family members do not communicate much with each other, they often gather only for dinner, but even during these short hours, the contacts of family members are suppressed by watching television programs. The daily routine of family members is one of the indicators of lifestyle. Violation of the regime of rest, sleep, nutrition in the family leads to the development of a number of diseases in most family members: cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, metabolic disorders.
All these factors have significant influence family stability, and, consequently, adversely affect the health of the population as a whole.
In cities, a person invents thousands of tricks for the convenience of his life. Scientific and technological progress has significantly changed and improved human life, made it more comfortable. However, the implementation of some achievements of scientific and technological progress not only gave positive results, but at the same time brought a whole range of unfavorable factors: elevated level radiation, toxic substances, combustible fire hazardous materials, noise. For example, saturating the human environment and production with high-speed and high-speed machines increases stress, requires additional efforts from a person, which leads to overwork.
Given the ability of green spaces to favorably influence the state of the environment, they must be as close as possible to the place of life, work, study and recreation of people. That's why total area green spaces in cities should occupy more than half of its territory.
NATURE HUMAN HEALTH
Pollution of the human environment primarily affects their health, physical endurance, performance, as well as their fertility and mortality. The impact of the natural environment on a person is through the dependence of a person on natural means of subsistence, on the abundance or lack of food, that is, game, fish, and plant resources.
A person realizes himself not only as a subject, but also as an object of living nature. And this, according to ecologists, is a necessary prerequisite for the prosperity of mankind. First of all, because in the conditions of ever-increasing manifestation of the undesirable - "reverse" side of human activity in the biosphere, the question of satisfying the actual ecological needs of man becomes especially acute.
Environmental pollution in a number of countries and regions of the world has now created global problem further economic and social development humanity, the health of present and future generations of people. The overcrowding of the population in the conditions of urban agglomerations only increases its severity.
The ability to adapt to negative influences is different in people with different levels health, physical fitness. The adaptive features of a person depend on the type of his nervous system. Weak type(melancholic) is more difficult to adjust and is often prone to serious breakdowns. A strong, mobile type (sanguine) adapts psychologically more easily to new conditions.
At the same time, as shown special studies, in people with a higher level of physical fitness, the resistance of the body is significantly higher than in people with a low general physical fitness. That's whyneed to play sports and leadhealthy lifestyle
Conclusion
Philosophy investigates, as is well known, the most general laws of the development of nature, society, and thought. Obviously, the analysis of the relationship between man and the biosphere, society and nature is nothing more than constituent part philosophical and ecological aspect, which in modern conditions acquires significant significance, requiring an appropriate theoretical understanding. The scientific understanding of the relationship "man - nature" involves understanding, on the one hand, the unity of the constituent components of this relationship, and on the other hand, their differences, due to the social, different from the natural, essence of man.
Health is capital given to man nature from the very beginning, once lost, it is difficult to get it back.
The environment is everything that surrounds us: air, water, earth, solar radiation and all man-made emissions that people use and produce.
How does the environment affect the human body?
Consider several factors that affect the human body
Factor 1. Air
One of the main factors influencing the human body is air, without air a person cannot breathe, cannot live and exist on earth.
With the help of air, a person can breathe, air is necessary for a person every second, and human health depends on the inhaled air.
Scientists around the world are constantly monitoring the change in air, they found that carbon dioxide is constantly decreasing year by year.
For the normal functioning of human cells, 2% oxygen and 7% carbon dioxide, and in fact in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide only 0.03%.
From this it turns out that carbon dioxide is 250 times less than what a person needs, and oxygen is 10 times more, which means that a person does not have enough carbon dioxide in the blood. Over the past forty years, the depth of human breathing has increased by 30%, which means that there is very little carbon dioxide in the blood.
The breath-holding pause has significantly decreased, hence many new diseases appear in humans.
Factor 2. Nutrition
From proper nutrition and the food that enters our body, depends on the health of our body and longevity.
Every day a person should receive the required amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements. cardiovascular system and so on.
If you start to abuse foods that contain a lot of fats and carbohydrates, then over time you can get vascular diseases, heart muscle diseases, diabetes, obesity.
If you are eating modified products, then over time you will feel unwell, weak, worse general condition organism.
Everything you consume comes from the environment, don't buy cheap and poor quality products, think about your health today.
Factor 3. Climate
The weather conditions in which we have to live have a very strong influence on working capacity and well-being.
Absolutely everything can affect a person: strong wind, snow, rain, air humidity, electromagnetic fields, various cyclones, atmospheric pressure change and so on.
All these phenomena act differently on each person; from the influence of climatic factors, there may be a difference blood pressure, headaches and dizziness, joints can hurt.
The change in weather and different climatic factors are especially strongly felt by people whose body is weakened, and people who are constantly ill.
So that climatic factors do not greatly affect you, try to observe correct mode day, eat the right balanced diet, visit more often fresh air, regularly ventilate the room in which you are.
Factor 4. Chemical and biological
A huge amount of various emissions enter our air space, into the soil, into the water space, then we breathe it, drink polluted water, eat food that has grown in polluted land, in general, we use it in various ways.
The poisons that are around us poison our life and our body.
Toxic substances can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, coughing, malaise, drowsiness or insomnia, impaired attention, slow reactions, and so on.
If you have these symptoms, be sure to consult a doctor and go medical examination. Appreciate and take care of your health.
To protect yourself, remember simple rules personal hygiene, wash your hands more often, be sure to boil drinking water, if you have wounds or cuts, be sure to treat them with special solutions.
Courses for the development of intelligence
In addition to games, we have interesting courses that will perfectly pump your brain and improve intelligence, memory, thinking, concentration:
Development of memory and attention in a child 5-10 years old
The course includes 30 lessons with useful tips and exercises for the development of children. In every lesson useful advice, some interesting exercises, task for the lesson and extra bonus at the end: an educational mini-game from our partner. Course duration: 30 days. The course is useful not only for children, but also for their parents.
The secrets of brain fitness, we train memory, attention, thinking, counting
If you want to overclock your brain, improve its performance, pump up memory, attention, concentration, develop more creativity, perform exciting exercises, train in game form and solve interesting puzzles, then sign up! 30 days of powerful brain fitness are guaranteed to you :)
Super memory in 30 days
As soon as you sign up for this course, a powerful 30-day training for the development of super-memory and brain pumping will begin for you.
Within 30 days after subscribing, you will receive interesting exercises and educational games in your mail, which you can apply in your life.
We will learn to memorize everything that may be required in work or personal life: learn to memorize texts, sequences of words, numbers, images, events that occurred during the day, week, month, and even road maps.
Money and the mindset of a millionaire
Why are there money problems? In this course, we will answer this question in detail, look deep into the problem, consider our relationship with money from a psychological, economic and emotional point of view. From the course, you will learn what you need to do to solve all your financial problems, start saving money and invest it in the future.
Speed reading in 30 days
Would you like to read interesting books, articles, mailing lists and so on very quickly.? If your answer is "yes", then our course will help you develop speed reading and synchronize both hemispheres of the brain.
With synchronized, joint work of both hemispheres, the brain starts to work many times faster, which opens up many more possibilities. Attention, concentration, perception speed amplify many times over! Using the speed reading techniques from our course, you can kill two birds with one stone:
- Learn to read very fast
- Improve focus and concentration speed reading they are extremely important
- Read a book a day and finish work faster
We speed up mental counting, NOT mental arithmetic
Secret and popular tricks and life hacks, suitable even for a child. From the course, you will not only learn dozens of tricks for simplified and fast multiplication, addition, multiplication, division, calculating percentages, but also work them out in special tasks and educational games! Mental counting also requires a lot of attention and concentration, which are actively trained in solving interesting problems.
Conclusion
Take care of your health and the health of your loved ones, eat the right and balanced food, observe the daily routine, spend more time in the fresh air and better outside the city. We wish you good luck.
The activity and recreation of a person takes place in continuous interaction with his environment in the system "man - habitat". He chooses his place of residence, type of activity, recreation conditions and thus determines the specific habitat. We can say that there are three habitats: industrial, domestic and natural.
For a rural dweller, the habitat is a zone of production activity with tools, housing and the natural environment. For the city, the sequence of stay in the household (50-60%), urban (10-15%) and industrial (25-30%) environment is typical.
Each habitat is characterized by a certain set of chemical, physical and biological factors impact on a person (temperature and humidity, illumination, composition of atmospheric air, the level of electromagnetic and radiation exposure, the level of noise and vibration). Together or individually, they have a beneficial or negative impact on human performance and health. Negatively affect - noise and gas pollution, high level of electromagnetic impact of antennas, repeaters and power lines, various bacteria and viruses, polluted water, the presence of pesticides in the air, odors, allergens and much more.
Being at home, a person, as a rule, feels comfortable if the air temperature is 22-24 ° C, humidity is 40-60%, the room is well lit, there are no smells, noises, vibrations in it Any deviations from comfortable conditions are accompanied by a violation of the psychophysical state and human performance, and with prolonged exposure to adverse factors, human health disorders may occur.
In the conditions of a city, especially a large one, the cause of discomfort and disease is gas pollution and dustiness of the atmospheric air, high levels of noise and vibration, household and industrial waste, pollution of the earth's surface and water bodies. The urban environment is dangerous. Of particular concern is the high rate of injuries and deaths in road traffic accidents.
Complex negative factors The production environment is characterized by diversity and a high level of impact on the working person.
The most common factors include: gas contamination and dustiness of the air in the working area, unfavorable temperature conditions, increased noise, insufficient lighting, heavy physical work, increase vibration.
If safety requirements are not observed in the production environment, occupational diseases, injuries, poisoning and death of people are inevitable.
Since ancient times, man has been considering the natural environment mainly as a source of resources to meet his needs. At the same time, most of the resources taken from nature are returned to it in the form of waste, which endangered the existence of both the biosphere and man.
Man in his activities creates a huge amount of waste. A socially useful product makes up no more than 2% of the natural resources used, and the remaining 98% is waste.
Currently, according to the data given in the comments to the Law of the Russian Federation "On the Protection of the Environment", more than 700 million people breathe air that is five times or more higher than the maximum permissible pollution standards. Approximately 4 million have been introduced into the human environment chemical compounds, of which few have been studied for toxicity.
The main sources of air pollution include enterprises of the fuel and energy complex, transport, and industrial enterprises.
Of particular danger is the pollution of the natural environment with heavy metals. Lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, nickel, zinc, bromine are practically constant components of air in industrial centers. Over 250,000 tons of lead are emitted into the air every year in car exhaust, which is approximately 98% of the lead in the atmosphere.
The main soil pollutants are metals and their compounds, radioactive elements, as well as fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture (pesticides are chemical and biological agents used to control pests and plant diseases, weeds). They usually have toxic properties, many of them can accumulate in the soil and enter the human body through the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, skin and mucous membranes.
Soil pollution with zinc occurs due to industrial dust, especially from mines, as a result of the use of superphosphate fertilizers, which include zinc.
Radioactive elements can enter the soil and accumulate in it as a result of precipitation from atomic explosions, the removal of liquid and solid radioactive waste from industrial enterprises or research institutions associated with the study and use of atomic energy. Radioactive isotopes from soils enter plants and animals and humans, accumulate in them in certain tissues and organs: strontium - 90 - in bones and teeth, cesium - 137 - in muscles, iodine - 131 - in the thyroid gland.
The main pollutant of the water surface is oil and oil products, which come as a result of natural oil seeps in areas of occurrence, oil production, transportation, transportation and use as fuel and industrial raw materials.
Among the products industrial production a special place in their negative impact on the aquatic environment is occupied by detergents - synthetic detergents, which are increasingly used in industry, transport, and household services.
Pollution aquatic environment It also occurs as a result of the entry into water bodies of water flowing from the surface of cultivated agricultural and forest lands, and when waste from manufacturing enterprises is discharged into water bodies, as a result of losses during the transportation and storage of pesticides.
Along with pesticides, agricultural runoff contains significant amount nutrients applied to the fields with fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).
Water is also subject to thermal pollution. When power plants consume water to condense the exhaust steam, they return it to the reservoir at 10-30 ° C heated, reduce the content of oxygen dissolved in it, and increase the toxicity of pollutants.
An increase in the thermal load on water bodies, an increase in the content of biogenic elements and organic matter, as a rule, is accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the sanitary and hygienic indicators of water quality.
On the territory of Russia there are more than 24 thousand enterprises that emit harmful substances into the atmosphere and water bodies. Of the bottom, 33% of emissions come from metallurgy enterprises, 29% from energy facilities, 7
Chemical industry, 8 - coal. More than half of air emissions come from transport. The situation is especially difficult in cities with a high concentration of population. Every year, only 76% of the total amount of harmful substances is captured and neutralized in Russia, and 82% of the discharged waters are not treated, so the quality of the waters of the main rivers in Russia is assessed as unsatisfactory.
Environmental degradation affects, first of all, human health and the genetic fund of people.
According to UNESCO studies, the coefficient of vitality, no country in the world has 5 points, Sweden, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, 4 points, "troika"
USA, Japan, Germany and other industrial the developed countries. Russia's viability factor was estimated at 1.4 points. A score from 1 to 1.4 is considered by experts, in essence, as the death sentence of the nation. This range means that the population is doomed either to gradual extinction or degradation - "reproducible" generations will be distinguished by physiological and intellectual inferiority, existing only by satisfying natural instincts. These generations will not be able to think analytically, because they will not have the ability to think independently.
It also means that the population of the country is increasingly susceptible to infections and diseases and is characterized by increasing levels of disability. And the personal and creative individuality of such a population is constantly declining - the WHO and UNESCO call this process "depersonalization". Below Russia - Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan have a score of 1.1-1.3. According to the UNESCO-WHO criteria and clarifications, a score below 1.4 indicates that “the physiological and intellectual agony of the population can continue forever, the nation no longer has internal sources progressive development and immunity. Its destiny is slow degradation... ""
To assess the impact of environmental pollution on human health, it is necessary to consider in detail the main aspects of this problem.
Even ancient scientists and thinkers, such as Hippocrates and Avicenna, emphasized the influence of the environment on the development of diseases. They argued that the state of the human body is affected by food, air, water, emotional state. According to studies, more than 80% of diseases are caused by these causes. Unfortunately, this knowledge has not led to a careful attitude to the environment.
Too late, we realized that environmental pollution and human health are interrelated. Now we have begun to take environmental problems seriously when they have become rampant and the impact of the environment has become negative.
Man confidently transforms the environment, creating for himself comfortable conditions. Transport, industry, and agriculture are developing. In the process of economic activity, tons of waste are thrown into the airspace and into the water. They pollute the human environment, creating discomfort and a threat to the health of humans and other organisms.
Thus, a paradox arises. Human actions aimed at improving the conditions of existence worsen them along the way. We pollute the air, water and soil, transforming the environment. And the influence of the environment becomes more threatening every year, negatively affecting the human body. This phenomenon is called the "ecological boomerang".
Consider how environmental pollution affects human health, how it affects the biochemical processes of our body.
Quick article navigation
Major air pollutants
The person cannot stop breathing. He does it continuously. The influence of the environment and its components on a person is manifested every minute when he passes the surrounding air through the lungs. When we are born, we take our first breath, and before we die, we take our last breath. When breathing stops, life stops. We breathe in the air that surrounds us, assimilating the oxygen and some other substances in it.
The composition of this air is very different from that which existed 100 years ago. This is due to the rapid development of plants and factories. Tons of substances are thrown into the air, which are either alien to the atmosphere or violate percentage air mass components.
2/3 of pollution comes from vehicle emissions. Leaded gasoline combustion products, which include lead and other heavy metals.
According to statistics, on average, one passenger car emits about one kilogram of various toxic and carcinogenic substances into the atmosphere per day.
The danger is posed by emissions from thermal power plants, metallurgical and chemical enterprises.
The effects of pollution on the human body are hard to miss. Diseases caused by environmental pollution are a serious problem and must be urgently addressed.
They cause growth oncological diseases lead to allergic reactions. Suffering a lot the immune system. It has been noted that in cities with a polluted atmosphere during influenza epidemics, a threefold increase in the incidence occurs. At the same time, in more environmentally friendly areas during an epidemic, people get sick with influenza only 20% more often.
Sensitivity to air pollution depends on the age of the person. The "risk group" includes children from 3 to 6 years old and the elderly over 60 years old. The polluted atmosphere influences them more strongly than other age categories.
Harmful emissions enter the environment daily and almost constantly from various enterprises
To stop these pollution, it is necessary to take drastic measures. Consideration should be given to alternative clean sources energy. There is a need to make more active use of solar energy, as well as wind, tidal and tidal energy. With the strictest observance of safety measures, the use of atomic energy has a positive effect.
It is also necessary to strictly monitor the amount of emissions from the operation of vehicles. Or change to bicycles. After all, this simulator is excellent, and it does not emit emissions.
In the automotive industry, electric vehicles should be developed. In metallurgy, emphasis should also be placed on the use of electric furnaces.
Impact of water pollution
If we consider what substances are contained in human body, then more than half of it consists of water, which affects the biochemical processes of the body. We get water from the environment and actively use it: we drink, cook food on it, wash ourselves. We not only use water in its pure form, but also get it with food, we inhale water vapor along with air.
But, unfortunately, the quality of consumed water is getting worse every year. 80-90 percent tap water does not meet sanitary standards. Even if we take water from a well, it is not always clean. Although the quality of groundwater is higher than the content of open reservoirs. This water passes through sand, clay, stones, as if through a filter system. But such cleaning is not able to remove all harmful substances.
Wastewater from industrial enterprises enters the ground, water bodies. Oil leaks occur periodically in the oceans, polluting the water. Precipitation in the form of rain and snow falls with atmospheric pollution and end up in soil and groundwater.
Human and industrial waste is thrown into the environment dangerous substances leading to a global shortage of clean drinking water
Studies have found that tons of harmful substances enter the water. There are oil products, heavy metals, nitrates, sulfates, nitrites and other impurities associated with environmental pollution.
The impact of environmental pollution on humans is more significant than it might seem at first glance. Even a small concentration of harmful substances in water can lead to catastrophic consequences. Harmful substances, the percentage of which in the water is small, enter the body of the inhabitants of water bodies, for example, plankton. There they gradually accumulate. Their concentration in plankton significantly exceeds the content of impurities in water. Plankton feeds on fish, and fish are caught and eaten by a person who is at the top of the food chain. And the percentage of this substance that got into his tissues is several thousand times higher than it was originally in the water.
A boy swims in the polluted waters of Manila Bay
We see that in the biological food chain, those at the top of the food chain are most at risk of contamination. And the main "super predator" of our planet, more than other organisms suffering from polluted water, is man. The impact of environmental pollution on humans is stronger than on other living beings. Over the years of life, a huge amount of harmful elements accumulate in his body. Their concentration over time reaches proportions that pose a serious danger to his health and life.
The concentration of isotopes contained in sea water, 20-40 thousand times lower than in the human body. Although they get there from sea water.
Soil pollution
Soil pollution also has a negative impact on humans.
Wastewater entering the soil, fast-growing municipal waste dumps are all sources of soil pollution.
Do not forget also about agricultural activities. All kinds of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides that enter the soil contain chemical substances providing harmful effect per person. And they enter our body with grown vegetables, cereals and fruits. We also consume these substances in the meat of herbivores that have eaten poisoned plants.
All this affects us and our children. They With early age begin to suffer from diseases that in the past were inherent in the elderly.
Environmental pollution and human health
Back in the 80s of the last century, studies were carried out that took into account the dependence of the state of human health on various factors. They found that the well-being of the population depends on the state of medical care by 10%, on genetic predisposition by 20%, and 50% of our health is determined by lifestyle. The impact of the environment on human health was estimated at 20%.
Repeated studies have shown that these indicators tend to change significantly. The importance of medicine is reduced to 5%, lifestyle - to 25%. At the same time, the environmental factor rises to 40 percent. Thus, environmental pollution and human health are much more strongly linked today than they were three decades ago. And the question arises, what future awaits us? And do we have a future?
think about tomorrow today
Environmental issues are on the rise. If man's influence on nature has led to an ecological catastrophe, then he must find the strength to stop the uncontrolled pollution of the environment. Otherwise, humanity is threatened with degradation and extinction.
It is necessary to take urgent measures to improve the environment. Only in this way can we save our Earth from the gradual extinction of living organisms, turning it into a desert. After all, man is the crown of nature. And only he is able to correct the situation by turning the planet into a cozy and flourishing oasis.
Introduction
My work is called "Ecology of my home". First of all, I want to define what "ecology" is. The term "ecology" is derived from two Greek words ("oikos" - house, dwelling; "logos" - science), meaning literally "the science of the house." In a more general sense, ecology is a science that studies the relationship of organisms and communities with their environment. There is also another equally important concept of "ecology" - ecology means the sum of knowledge about the economy of nature, ecology studies the relationship of living organisms with the components of the organic and inorganic world that surrounds them, with which they directly or indirectly come into contact.
I believe that my topic is relevant today, because our environment is very heavily polluted. We breathe polluted air, drink water containing many chemical elements and other harmful impurities. The task of my work is to consider all these adverse factors and analyze how the lack of certain natural resources affects human health. Also in my work I want to describe the village in which I live, what environmental problems exist in my area, to analyze what sources of pollution prevail, how to deal with it. I would like to consider what kind of water supply we have, how is the water purified? Raise the issue of waste disposal, how far from home is Railway, highway - what are the consequences of this, how does it all affect human health ?! You also need to make a project of your environmentally friendly house, what it will be built from, what will be in it. What area will the house be in? In conclusion, summarize and offer your own ways to solve the problems raised.
The impact of the environment on human health
Reason singled out man from the animal world and gave him great power. Man has for centuries tried not to adapt to natural environment but to make it comfortable for its existence. Now we have realized that any human activity has an impact on the environment, and the deterioration of the biosphere is dangerous for all living beings, including humans. A comprehensive study of a person, his relationship with the outside world led to the understanding that health is not only the absence of disease, but also the physical, mental and social well-being of a person. Health is a capital given to us not only by nature from birth, but also by the conditions in which we live. Currently, human economic activity is increasingly becoming the main source of pollution of the biosphere.
Gaseous, liquid and solid industrial wastes enter the natural environment in increasing quantities. Various chemicals that are in the waste, getting into the soil, air or water, pass through the ecological links from one chain to another, eventually getting into the human body. On the the globe it is almost impossible to find a place where pollutants are present in varying concentrations. Even in the ice of Antarctica, where there are no industrial facilities, and people live only on small scientific stations, scientists have discovered various toxic (poisonous) substances modern productions. They are brought here by atmospheric flows from other continents. Substances polluting the natural environment are very diverse.
Depending on their nature, concentration, time of action on the human body, they can cause various adverse effects. Short-term exposure to small concentrations of such substances can cause dizziness, nausea, sore throat, cough. The ingestion of large concentrations of toxic substances into the human body can lead to loss of consciousness, acute poisoning and even death. An example of such an action can be smog formed in large cities in calm weather, or accidental releases of toxic substances. industrial enterprises into the atmosphere The body's response to pollution depends on individual characteristics: age, gender, health status. As a rule, children, the elderly and sick people are more vulnerable. With a systematic or periodic intake of relatively small amounts of toxic substances into the body, chronic poisoning occurs.
In chronic poisoning, the same substances in different people can cause various damage to the kidneys, hematopoietic organs, nervous system, liver. Similar signs are observed in radioactive contamination of the environment. Thus, in areas that have been exposed to radioactive contamination as a result of Chernobyl disaster, the incidence among the population, especially children, has increased many times over. Doctors have established a direct link between the increase in the number of people with allergies, bronchial asthma, cancer, and deterioration environmental situation in this region. It has been reliably established that such production wastes as chromium, nickel, beryllium, asbestos, and many pesticides are carcinogens, that is, they cause cancer. Huge harm smoking affects human health. A smoker not only inhales harmful substances himself, but also pollutes the atmosphere and endangers other people. It has been established that people who are in the same room with a smoker inhale even more harmful substances than he himself. In addition to chemical pollutants, biological pollutants are also found in the natural environment, causing various diseases in humans. These are pathogens, viruses, helminths, protozoa. They can be in the atmosphere, water, soil, in the body of other living organisms, including in the person himself. The most dangerous pathogens of infectious diseases. They have different stability in the environment. Some are able to live outside the human body for only a few hours; being in the air, in the water, on different subjects they quickly die. Others may live in the environment from a few days to several years. For others, the environment is a natural habitat. For the fourth, other organisms, such as wild animals, are a place of conservation and reproduction. Often, the source of infection is the soil in which pathogens of tetanus, botulism, gas gangrene, and some fungal diseases constantly live. They can enter the human body when damaged. skin, with unwashed food, in violation of hygiene rules. Pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate the groundwater and cause human infectious diseases. Therefore, water from artesian wells, wells, springs must be boiled before drinking. Open water sources are especially polluted: rivers, lakes, ponds.
Numerous cases are known when contaminated water sources caused epidemics of cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery. With an airborne infection, infection occurs through the respiratory tract when air containing pathogens is inhaled. Such diseases include influenza, whooping cough, mumps, diphtheria, measles and others. The causative agents of these diseases get into the air when coughing, sneezing, and even when sick people talk. Man has always lived in a world of sounds and noise. Such mechanical vibrations are called sound. external environment, which are perceived by the human hearing aid (from 16 to 20,000 vibrations per second). Vibrations of a higher frequency are called ultrasound, a smaller one is called infrasound. Noise - loud sounds that have merged into a discordant sound. For all living organisms, including humans, sound is one of the environmental influences. In nature, loud sounds are rare, the noise is relatively weak and short. The combination of sound stimuli gives animals and humans time to assess their nature and form a response. Sounds and noises of high power affect the hearing aid, nerve centers, can cause pain and shock. This is how noise pollution works. The quiet rustle of leaves, the murmur of a stream, bird voices, a light splash of water and the sound of the surf are always pleasant to a person. They calm him, relieve stress. But the natural sounds of the voices of Nature are becoming more and more rare, they disappear completely or are drowned out by industrial traffic and other noises. Prolonged noise adversely affects the organ of hearing, reducing the sensitivity to sound.
The noise level is measured in units expressing the degree of sound pressure - decibels. This pressure is not perceived indefinitely. The noise level of 20-30 decibels (dB) is practically harmless to humans, this is a natural background noise. As for loud sounds, here the permissible limit is approximately 80 decibels. A sound of 130 decibels already causes a person pain sensation, and 150 becomes unbearable for him. Not without reason in the Middle Ages there was an execution “under the bell”. The hum of the bell ringing tormented and slowly killed the convict. The level of industrial noise is also very high. In many jobs and noisy industries, it reaches 90-110 decibels or more. Not much quieter in our house, where more and more new sources of noise appear - the so-called Appliances. Currently, scientists in many countries of the world are conducting various studies to determine the impact of noise on human health. Their studies have shown that noise causes significant harm to human health, but absolute silence frightens and depresses him. Conversely, scientists have found that sounds of a certain intensity stimulate the process of thinking, especially the process of counting. Each person perceives noise differently. Much depends on age, temperament, state of health, environmental conditions. Constant exposure to loud noise can not only adversely affect hearing, but also cause other harmful effects - ringing in the ears, dizziness, headache, increased fatigue. Very noisy modern music also dulls the hearing, causes nervous diseases. Noise is insidious, its harmful effect on the body is invisibly, imperceptibly. Violations in the human body against noise are practically defenseless. Currently, doctors are talking about noise disease, which develops as a result of exposure to noise with a primary lesion of hearing and the nervous system.
A few decades ago, it never occurred to anyone to connect their performance, their emotional state and well-being with the activity of the Sun, with the phases of the Moon, with magnetic storms and others cosmic phenomena. In any natural phenomenon that surrounds us, there is a strict repetition of processes: day and night, high and low tide, winter and summer. Rhythm is observed not only in the motion of the Earth, Sun, Moon and stars, but is also an integral and universal property of living matter, a property penetrating into all life phenomena - from the molecular level to the level of the whole organism. During historical development a person has adapted to a certain rhythm of life, due to rhythmic changes in the natural environment and the energy dynamics of metabolic processes. Currently, there are many rhythmic processes in the body, called biorhythms. These include the rhythms of the heart, breathing, bioelectrical activity of the brain. Our whole life is a constant change of rest and activity, sleep and wakefulness, fatigue from hard work and rest. In the body of every person, like the tides of the sea, a great rhythm eternally reigns, arising from the connection of life phenomena with the rhythm of the Universe and symbolizing the unity of the world. The central place among all rhythmic processes is occupied by circadian rhythms, which have highest value for the body. The reaction of the body to any impact depends on the phase of the circadian rhythm (there is the time of day) ... The climate also has a serious impact on the well-being of a person, affecting him through weather factors. Weather include complex physical conditions: Atmosphere pressure, humidity, air movement, oxygen concentration, degree of disturbance magnetic field Earth, the level of atmospheric pollution. With a sharp change in the weather, physical and mental performance decreases, diseases become aggravated, the number of errors, accidents and even deaths increases. Majority physical factors environment, in interaction with which the human body has evolved, have an electromagnetic nature.
It's well known that near quickly flowing water the air is refreshing and invigorating. It contains many negative ions. For the same reason, we imagine clean and refreshing air after a thunderstorm. Weather changes do not equally affect the well-being of different people. At healthy person when the weather changes, the physiological processes in the body are timely adjusted to the changed environmental conditions. As a result, it intensifies defensive reaction, and healthy people practically do not feel negative influence weather.
A person always strives to the forest, to the mountains, to the seashore, river or lake. Here he feels a surge of strength, vivacity. No wonder they say that it is best to relax in the bosom of nature. Sanatoriums and rest houses are built in the most beautiful corners. This is not an accident. It turns out that the surrounding landscape can have different effects on the psycho-emotional state. Contemplation of the beauties of nature stimulates vitality and calms the nervous system. Plant biocenoses, especially forests, have a strong health effect. The craving for natural landscapes is especially strong among the inhabitants of the city. Even in the Middle Ages, it was noticed that the life expectancy of city dwellers is less than that of rural dwellers. The lack of greenery, narrow streets, small courtyards-wells, where sunlight practically did not penetrate, created unfavorable conditions for human life. With the development of industrial production in the city and its environs, a huge amount of waste polluting the environment has appeared. A variety of factors associated with the growth of cities, in one way or another, affect the formation of a person, his health.
This makes scientists increasingly seriously study the impact of the environment on urban residents. It turns out that the conditions in which a person lives, what the height of the ceilings in his apartment and how sound-permeable its walls are, how a person gets to his place of work, whom he treats on a daily basis, how people around him treat each other, depends on the mood of a person, his ability to work , activity - his whole life. The saturation of the environment and production with high-speed and high-speed machines increases stress, requires additional efforts from a person, which leads to overwork. Polluted air in the city, poisoning the blood with carbon monoxide, causes the same harm to a non-smoker as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day by a smoker. Serious negative factor in modern cities is the so-called noise pollution. Given the ability of green spaces to favorably influence the state of the environment, they must be as close as possible to the place of life, work, study and recreation of people.
The urban landscape should not be a monotonous stone desert. In the architecture of the city, one should strive for a harmonious combination of social and biological aspects. The modern city should be considered as an ecosystem in which the most favorable conditions for human life are created. Consequently, these are not only comfortable dwellings, transport, and a diverse service sector. This is a habitat favorable for life and health; clean air and green urban landscape. Not coincidentally, environmentalists believe that in modern city a person should not be torn off from nature, but, as it were, dissolved in it. Therefore, the total area of green spaces in cities should occupy more than half of its territory.
Man, like other types of living organisms, is able to adapt, that is, adapt to environmental conditions. Human adaptation to new natural and production conditions can be characterized as a set of socio-biological properties and characteristics necessary for the sustainable existence of an organism in a particular ecological environment. The life of each person can be seen as a constant adaptation, but our ability to do this has certain limits. Also, the ability to restore their physical and mental strength for a person is not infinite. At present, a significant part of human diseases are associated with the deterioration of the ecological situation in our environment: pollution of the atmosphere, water and soil, poor-quality food, and increased noise.
Adapting to adverse environmental conditions, the human body experiences a state of tension, fatigue. Tension is the mobilization of all mechanisms that ensure certain activities of the human body. When a healthy person is tired, a redistribution of possible reserve functions of the body can occur, and after rest, strength will reappear. Among people, two extreme adaptive types of a person can be distinguished. The first of them is the sprinter, which is characterized by high resistance to short-term extreme factors and poor tolerance to long-term loads. Reverse type - stayer. The study of human adaptive capabilities and the development of appropriate recommendations is currently of great practical importance.
