My first thoughts upon receiving my lab results regarding
the levels of chemicals in my body would be what does this mean? I would be
terrified after learning of the potential health effects related to each
chemical and how nearly every part of my body and how it functions would be
altered by the presence of these chemicals. I would also wonder how these
chemicals affect my body when they combine in my bloodstream. I would want to
know how I can begin to limit my exposure to these chemicals and how I was even
exposed to them in the first place. Though these are hypothetical test results,
I am certain that I currently do have chemicals in my body that have dangerous
potential health effects. I never thought of this before taking this class, and
now I hope to become more aware of chemicals and how I can protect myself from
exposure. I know that I cannot avoid all chemicals or reverse much of the
damage that has already been done but what I can do, what WE can do, is fight
for more regulations on chemicals that are being used and recognize that we
need to do this to protect future generations. It is awful that small children
have rates of chemicals in their bodies that are 2-7 times more than their
parents. This epidemic has gradually gotten worse and I fear for what our future
will look like if we do not mandate regulations and policies that require
further testing and banning of the most dangerous chemicals.
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When I asked my boss for our Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), I was handed a very large binder, which included several ... -
I truly learned so much in this class and feel like I am already a much more conscious consumer and also freaked out and ...
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It is frightening to think of all the many chemical, biological, and radioactive agents we are exposed to everyday while at home, work, and ...
Hi Marisa,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts. I would be scared too if I got results like that. All of those chemicals that we are exposed to and all of the negative health effects is alarming! I agree, this class has really opened my eyes to the different types of exposures we can and are exposed to on a daily basis. However, being more aware and advocating for more regulation and responsibility to be taken by these companies and the regulatory agencies that are supposed to be protecting us is key in helping reduce these exposures!
Great post!
Kera
Hi Marisa,
ReplyDeleteYou brought a new perspective I had forgotten about - "what does this mean?" As individuals learning what these harmful chemicals are doing to our body now, we know what the next steps should be. However, I can only imagine how many people would question or even understand the results/consequences from these tests who have no background or education about these harmful exposures. I think responsibilities fall on many stakeholders - and as consumers we need to push for this change along with the government's support.
Hi Marisa,
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely terrifying to think that in reality, some people may test positive for this very same list of toxic chemicals, and possibly even more. Fear of illness and death is probably our first thought, but it is also important to think about what we can do so that someone else will have to endure these same results. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Carmen