Environmental Studies P-100
Professor David Terrell
Warner Pacific College
July 28th. 2010
This refers on what and why people eat (including drinks) some specific food or beverage, where on in which store they get those products to consume. Sometimes we should think on what are the circumstances that make us to take the decision to eat or drink. It could be depending on the situation, culture, society, food conservation, hygiene including recycling systems, food prices, etc. Because all humans eats to survive, in some situations there are families that even don’t have nothing to eat, so it is when the person who have something to eat, start appreciating the importance to have at least something to take to the mouth and feel satisfaction by he/her self to not be hungry. On the next paragraphs I am going to discuss some factors that contribute and affect the environment in different aspects by the eating habits.
Culture: Cultural eating habits might refer if there is the situation when in some cultures, traditions or religion it could be acceptable or unacceptable the food. For example in Mexico in some regions, there is the belief that if the person who is taking medicine or antibiotics, he/she is not suppose to eat pork meat because his/her skin gets damage or with white spots on some areas in the body. Some religions does not permit people eat red meats (pork, beef), just because their beliefs doesn’t allow them to eat these meats.
Society: In many places there are applicable some rules concerning on what or where it is appropriate to eat or drink, for example if we are in a medical facility, there is a sign telling that we are no suppose to eat or drink anything inside during our visit, and they have an specific area to eat or drink.
Some people don’t care on what they are eating, if it is junk food, not nutritious food, not eating on regular basis times, not eating the appropriate amount or nothing because they are in “diet”; not physical activities, etc.. So when it is continuous for long periods of time, the consequences are that they are not in a good emotionally conditions, they are stressed out, they get sick, etc. so then, they are no able to behave properly in the society.
Food Conservation: Sometimes people use to buy in the market too much food that should be in the freezer, but unfortunately they don’t have too much space on the freezer to store
the food or meats obtained and they place these on the fridge without taking in consideration that the food (specifically meats) gets damage very soon, and it is when the bacterial contamination start spreading all around other produces inside of the fridge. It is the same when people don’t care when is cooking and mix vegetables with uncooked meats, the vegetables gets contaminate and consequently people who eat that food get sick.
Hygiene: is another factor that contributes to the contamination or health problems like when people don’t wash their hands before or after they eat; don’t wash the fruits or vegetables before these are eaten; drinking water that is not suppose to be consume by humans. When we are not using waste garbage disposals (Oregon Recycling Systems): We are not taking care about where we have supposedly to throw away the garbage after we eat or drink, and what are the consequences of this inappropriate behavior, and how the environment gets contaminated.
Food Prices or Not enough food: Rising or increasing food prices is also likely to impact essential care and support vulnerable children. Low income families who are struggling
to work to raise income to buy food, affects their household, working in agriculture sometimes they don’t have a full time job; they don’t have permanent place or housing to live, etc. It makes parents offer to their children any food they have available to eat, sometimes it is not nutritious food such as (chips, sodas, etc) and the consequences are the malnutrition.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (Strategic Environmental Assessment) published in 2005, states: “Meeting the food needs of the world’s growing population while reducing poverty and protecting the environment is a major global challenge. Private- and public-sector organizations must decide how to spend limited agricultural research funds in order to achieve maximum impact with regard to finding sustainable solutions to ending hunger and poverty”. Potentially, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) could be used to ensure that environmental considerations are evaluated in the research and priority-setting process”.
Conclusion
Environmental Studies make us to be awareness in how important it is for everybody to persevere the environment from different angles. We as a good citizen can be able to manage different situation such as: culture, society, hygiene, food conservation, etc. and avoid to affect the environment and our health with inappropriate eating habits by eating properly; respect restricted areas that prohibit to eat or drink in there; manage an appropriate hygiene; ensure what products we are eating or consuming; appreciate and value what God provides us to survive; and lastly, awareness of the use of the recycling systems the State of Oregon have established for different programs to use, and learn how to sort and place the recycle stuff in the appropriate
way. So part of our responsibilities are also to educate and encourage others, including our family members to participate on this recycling program by telling them what is the Oregon Recycling Program purpose and what the benefits are for humans, wildlife and for the entire planet to try to avoid the contamination caused by eating habits.
References
International Food Policy Research Institute (SEA), published in 2005, Washington, DC www.ifpri.org
No comments:
Post a Comment