Environment refers to the surroundings around us which include other species, the atmosphere, the air we breathe and the water we drink. The degradation of the environment has been a major concern lately. Not only because it directly affects the human species and their well being but also because it is destroying the world around us. The rate at which development is occurring has led to immense loss of trees, water bodies and natural creatures.
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health. Environmental health is defined by the World Health Organization as: Those aspects of the human body (human health and disease) that are determined by factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing and controlling factors in the environment that can potentially affect health.
Environmental health is concerned with air quality, climate change, hazardous substances, toxic materials, improper waste management, radiological wastes, hospital wastes etc. these things directly affect our live by causing various dangerous diseases like cancers, asthma, diarrhea among many others. The need of the hour thus becomes effective implementation of environment health services. They are those services which implement environmental health policies through monitoring and control activities. Sanitary and public health, emergency preparedness measure, removal of poverty, inculcation of education among people and creating awareness is all covered under this. As we develop we need to become more conscious about harming the environment and seek to control it. Eco friendly products and services which help keep the environment clean and green are to be used. The repercussions of human actions is devastating for everything and everyone on this planet.
With these concerns in our mind we have to find efficient ways to tackle these environmental health issues. They are very basic things which are to a large extent in our control. If we wish to live a healthy and safe life we need to take the requisite measures like maintaining cleanliness and hygiene within and around us, proper disposal of wastes. As responsible individuals we need to do our best to save the health of our environment and ours, because if wealth is lost something is lost, but if health is lost everything is lost.