I have the link for the fact sheet and brochure below. Please check it out and give constructive feedback.
www.mercer.edu/enp/mph720/Fact_Sheet_Shannon_Cooper.pdf
www.mercer.edu/enp/mph720/Brochure_Shannon _Cooper.pdf

Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink!

         Water is essential nutrient for all life. After all, our planet is is covered by 70 % water while our oceans hold 96.5% of all the Earth's water (United Stated Geological Survey, 2012). An even smaller percentage (1%) of water is drinkable which comes from groundwater (i.e. wells and aquifers) and surface water (lakes, streams,  brooks). With an ever growing human population, preserving the precious natural resource is essential for the  health of the public, and existence of all life. In many parts of the world, safe drinking water and clean water for agriculture are running dry or highly polluted. In communities where local people depend on such a vital source, and the aquatic ecosystems provide a food source and recreational haven, the need to preserve and protect is pertinent. To date, 26 countries are water-stressed, which means that these countries do not have enough water to sustain economic development and agriculture (Cable News Network, 2012). the number of water-stressed countries are expected to rise and the number of persons living in water-stressed countries are expected to increase 6.5 times (CNN, 2012). In developed countries, approximately one quarter of the population does not have a access to clean water, and more than twice the population does not have adequate sanitation, which are major public health and environmental health issues.

        The fight for access to clean water is not only taking place in developing countries, but right here with in my own community in the state of Georgia. The water source debate over the man-made water reservoir Lake Lanier between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama has been ongoing for a number of years. Specifically, the tri-state battle has been taking place since 1990 over the who has the rights over the water source. On June 28, the federal government awarded those rights to Georgia (Atlanta Journal Constitution, 2012). I believe that it is important to protect our water source and create ways to conserve water for a sustainable future. But, I also can't help think what kind of drawbacks holding up our water source in a reservoir or building a dams will do to surrounding communities and ecosystem that are also depend the water that trickles down to them. This just further exemplifies that "NO MAN IS AN ISLAND". It is sad to think that  the scarcity of water has in the past, can, and will trigger more water wars in the future in domestic as well as international communities.

         More steps need to be taken to protect the water that nourishes and brings life to our Earth. Perhaps  the adoption of new policies (or stricter policies), building of more water treatment facilities, increase public awareness, and hosting education forums may help to shed some light in resolving this issue along with community involvement and participation. 

     In my last post, I introduced Rachel Carson, a significant woman who worked all her life to bring a awareness to the public regarding DDT exposure and other toxins and the impact on the environment. Continuing with this theme of environmental awareness, I would like to help bring attention to another prolific problem we and the environment are facing. In actuality, it is a problem that has been growing since the increase in the release of fossil fuel byproducts. The problem that I speak of is acid rain.

      Acid rain is made up of what the name implies, sulfuric acid and nitric acid mixed with rain or atmospheric water. The formation of acid rain originates with the release of the air pollutants sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from man-made sources and natural sources. Chiefly, man-made sources like power plants, and auto mobiles that release combustibles are the culprit. These gases reek havoc by both landing on surrounding environment and are carried by the wind thus affecting a wider range. Acid rain affect the environment in numerous ways. It changes the pH of aquatic environments thereby creating a uninhabitable environment for sensitive aquatic animals. For non-aquatic animal who depend on those aquatic animals for a food source, they are also impacted. Acid rain leaches the soil of essential plant nutrients, causes physical damage to leaves, and reduces plant fertility. In addition, the gases that creates acid rain harms the health of the public by increasing the incidence heart and long conditions like asthma and brochiolitis/bronchtis.  Physical damage to the environment that occurs as a result of acid rain exposure is corrosion of metals, paint damage to buildings and cars, bridges, and decay of cultural monuments. The above picture is actually an informational poster that I noticed while getting my car washed this weekend. It states the effects of acid rain on cars with out protective paint and illustrates how to protect your vehicle from damage.

     In preventing further damage due to acid rain exposure, the EPA has implemented program like the Acid Rain Program and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards to ensure safer environments for both the public and the environment. Safer emission sanctions have also helped to reduce the emissions of air pollutants from vehicles and power plants. Some individualized efforts in which one can do to help reduce emission of air pollutants include carpooling, using alternative and "green" modes of transportation, and maintaining your vehicle.

    I have created a brochure and fact sheet summarizing information on acid rain to inform the public on this current environmental issue. Coming soon.......!

After reading Rachel Carson's Silent Spring,  I truly learned  and appreciate Rachel Carson's love and tenacity for biology and the fight to protect the ecosystem from man-made chemical exposure. She was a woman of passion committed throughout her short life to increase awareness of the chemical pollutants that could ultimately change our environment. In the beginning of the book, Carson illustrates a captivating scene where she describes a town experiencing once teeming with life (i.e. birds singing, fish-filled streams, prosperous farms, and other wildlife) only to be silence due to the effects of environmental pollutants. It is a situation that could happen and has happened to some degree in other communities. Carson is considered a heightening figure in raising awareness in environment health  because she challenged the government through her writing to 1) take responsibility for or acknowledge evidence of damage  from releasing toxic pesticide chemicals (for example, DDT or the "elixir of death"), 2) offer more protection for the citizens that they endanger, and 3) protection of the environment. I too believe as she once believed that human health would ultimately reflect the environment's ills (Carson, 1962). The truth, as it was found most evident in this book, is that the human and natural world are inseparable and should be treated with care to ensure longevity.