Community and Environmental Health

• A community is a group of individuals living within a specified geographical location who share common interests, beliefs, culture, values, and norms.
• Environment on the other hand refers to all things, conditions, and influences that affect the growth, health, and progress of living and non-living things.
• Community health is the health status of a group of people situated in the same geographical area. It includes actions and conditions which promote, protect, and preserve health.
• Environmental health consists of the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability associated with interactions between people and their environment.
• Improper Waste Disposal. This issue threatens nature by contaminating soil, air, and water bringing risk to animal and marine life.
• Pollution. It is an adverse effect on the environment brought by pollutants. Pollution in the Philippines is one of the worst in the world.
• Illegal Mining. Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth. Toxic wastes from illegal or mining accidents are poisonous to land and water.
• Cyanide Fishing. Uses cyanogen compound, most commonly known as sodium cyanide in coral reefs to stun and catch fishes. This illegal practice in the country was first documented in the 1960s.
• Pesticide Drift. It is the movement of chemical pesticides from the intended place to another, caused by wind and other factors.
• Deforestation. It is the result of widespread illegal logging, agricultural expansion, and land conversion for residential and commercial purposes
• Flash flood. It is a sudden flood of great volume usually caused by heavy rain.
• Oil Spill- It is pollution where oil or liquid is released to the environment, soil, or body of water.
• Coral reef degradation. It is damaging or ruining the underwater ecosystem.
• Climate Change. Changes in the global climate cause a variety of health risks, ranging from altering patterns of infectious diseases to deaths at extreme temperatures.
• Solid waste includes biodegradables, recyclables, non-recyclables, and noncompostable, and special waste like household hazardous waste.
• R.A 9003 “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000” An act providing for an ecological Solid Waste Management Program, creating the necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives, declaring certain acts prohibited and providing penalties, and appropriating funds therefore, and for other purposes.
• Zero Waste Management Zero waste management is an efficient way of making the most recycling, reducing waste, and ensuring products are reused, repaired, or recycled back into the environment and market.
• Community Recycling Community recycling is a program supported by citizens interested in a clean environment to contribute to the improvement of the community. It encourages and motivates people to participate in recycling and making it a habit.