Entry #5
Dearry, Allen. “Editorial: Impacts of Our Built Environment on Public Health.” Environmental Health Perspectives 112.11 (2004): A600–A601. Print. Web. 22 Feb. 2016 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1247487/
In his editorial, Allen Dearry points out that we spend 90% of our lives indoors, yet we do not know much about our own built environments. This is partially due to the fact that modern architecture and building techniques change more often than nature does. And with the changes we make to the way we structure our environment we in turn damage the Earth. Habitat loss and declining water resources are just some of the self-inflicted environmental problems we face today. He also explains that we are building more roads to account for more drivers which also equates to more car accidents. Not to mention the greenhouse gases we emit from our vehicles that in turn hurt the planet and ourselves. And finally he addresses the most deadly of all the health risks we face due to the higher levels of industry we subject ourselves to: obesity. The more urban our communities get, the less we walk and ride bikes. The more we sit in cars, offices, and movie theaters, the less we are exercising. These are all dangers that stem from a less-natural environment. Dearry’s writing is very relevant to our current realm of study and very useful as he offers a new, more pessimistic viewpoint on the topic. Due to the unique angle this editorial takes, I will utilize it in my work to better shed light on all areas of the issue. By acknowledging several different stances on this topic, I can form a more credible and stable argument.