Eye see Public Health!

813 Chillin'

At first I had trouble thinking of a location to do take This is Public Health photo, but then I went to the first place I saw. Anyway, the Florida Eye Center on 46th street is, alone, a great example of a few of staples in the public health field. The exams and screenings that take place help discover and diagnose any number of vision problems a patient may be having. This a type of secondary prevention. If a person ends up getting prescribed a pair of glasses, the eye doctor is helping them see better which in turn will hopefully lead to less accidents and/or injuries to happen in the future. This is a type of primary prevention as a result of the glasses. In a worst case scenario a person may need to get surgery, Florida Eye Care does this as well. This is an example of tertiary care, and the rehab process can be considered tertiary prevention. When paying for your bill after seeing an eye doctor a person will have to show proof of health insurance. Regardless of the cost, a trip to the eye doctor is always worth it, even if you have perfect vision. Vision tests and eye examinations can often allow doctors to catch a ailment early and act quickly before you even have a visible problem. Without this and other eye care centers our society would not be as healthy or as safe. So remember to go visit your eye doctor at least once a year!

Wal-Mart Recycling Center

I think that it is very good idea to show people where they can go to drop off their recyclable goods. It is important to educate people on the benefits of reducing items such as plastic that get thrown into landfills across the country. I believe that most people who are already recycling know that they are playing a major role into keeping this planet clean, not only for themselves but also for future generations, that why are more likely to continue to recycle and possible try do other things that may effect the planet in a positive way. I think it is important to show that one person can make a difference and also maybe getting one person recycle will get them to influence others to follow their path.

Recycling Centers, Available near You!

 

 

We decided to put our “This is Public Health” sticker on a bottle return center at the local Wal-Mart. The sticker is located right where a person would insert the bottle to be recycled and reused. The placement of the sticker will allow people who are currently involved in recycling to know they are effecting public health in a positive way, and making this public health issue known to those who walk by. Wal-Mart is one of the largest retailers in the United States, so many customers frequent Wal-Mart on a daily basis. This serves as a prime location to advertise for public health and reach a wide range of demographics.

A failure to recycle amongst the majority of the population is an issue. When plastics are incinerated or buried in a landfill, they release harmful chemicals into our air and water.  Over time, if the majority of people in our society refuse to recycle, our environment is harmed.  As trash is burned, which is the norm, burned plastics release a dangerous toxin, which subsequently destroys the ozone layer.  If our ozone layer disintegrates, our environment would not be protected by UV rays from the Sun, which could increase instances of skin cancer amongst the population.  The increase of trash disposal from not recycling also possibly increases respiratory problems in the population.  Recycling plastic helps to reduce waste by reducing the amount of processing and manufacturing of new resources, and also reduces the need to extract resources from the earth.  Recycling one ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space; which has an impact on public health that can only grow with the knowledge that recycling and reusing plastic is good for the population.

MetroRapid

 

MetroRapid

 

     The new Metro Rapid bus stations run North and South along Nebraska Avenue and East along Fletcher Avenue in Tampa, Fl.
     We placed the Public Health sticker on a Metro Rapid bus stop on Fletcher Ave.  We chose this location because it’s a popular well known area, especially to USF students. Many students and other individuals that live and work in the area use public transportation and will most likely use the Metro Rapid. The Metro Rapid represents public health by looking after the environment. The hybrid buses use 87% fewer total hydrocarbons that diesel and get 18% more miles per gallon, and lower emissions compared to the traditional gasoline buses. The Metro Rapid buses create less pollution by using compressed natural gases, resulting in cleaner more efficient fuel. The Metro Rapid, being public transportation, also cuts down on the amount of accidents because there are fewer vehicles on the road with the use of buses. The issue of public transportation is important because not only can it promote people to walk, by having people walk to the bus stops instead of to their garages, but it also promotes a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone in the community. By using the Metro Rapid we can not only save our wonderful green earth, but we can also keep our lungs free of harmful exhaust fumes. Also having public transportation can decrease the number of motor vehicle accidents and make it safer for people to get from point A to point B.

 

Eat! Play! Lettuce Park!

Check This Out>>>It's Public Health! 

If you haven't been to Lettuce Park, then you NEED to take a trip there this SUMMER !

Our group decided to place the "This is Public Health Sticker" in Lettuce Lake Park upon a yellow sign warning parents that their child needs to be wearing a helmet if riding a bicycle. 

The location that we chose to place our public health sticker was Lettuce Lake Park on Fletcher towards I-75. Instead of picking one aspect, we chose the entirety of the park to represent public health. We chose this location because there are many aspects of the park that contribute to public health. Parks are very green: many parks have an abundance of trees and are home to a variety of wildlife. There are also trails for people to exercise on and walk their pets and playgrounds for kids. Lettuce Lake Park also has many water fountains to promote the drinking of water. Lettuce Lake Park, like all other parks, in general, provides a relaxing atmosphere for both kids and adults and is available to everyone of any socioeconomic status. 

For our public health blog we decided to go to Lettuce Park, we put our public health sticker next to a sign that said “Florida State law requires all children less than 16 years of age wear bicycle helmets.  Our sticker that was put on the sign represents a public health issue which is children safety and the issue of getting more children to be active. This sign, promotes outdoor activities for younger children and promotes safety. Looking into promoting more outdoor activities this sign represent children being more active and if children are more active than it can result in a better health outcome and a reduction of certain diseases.

This is an important issue because parks offer physical activities opportunities that promote exercise. This will help in reducing obesity. Also, parks provide people with a sense of nature.

You don't know what you're missing, until you've been to Lettuce Park!

It own by Hillsborough County and it $2.00 admission!

BY: Reanna Brown, Thelisha Aluc, Nisha Patel, Hanh Van Tran, and Schellsie Beaubrun

What’s More Urgent Than Urgent Care?

After contemplating where an ideal place would be to represent what we thought was public health, we decided to make a quick visit to the MedExpress Urgent care center. Not only is this establishment in an area where there are tons of families, it is close to the USF Tampa campus which would give college students an opportunity to take preventative measures as well.  As we know, it is important in public health to be preventative, and being able to visit a place like this is a perfect place to allow individuals to be just that. If you choose to visit a MedExpress you will come to find out that they have many different procedures that they can perform. They are available for something as simple as a sports physical to being able to take x-rays if it may be necessary. An annual sports physical allows the athletes to not only participate in their sport of choice but it also allows them to know if everything in their body is functioning the way it should be. This could also be considered preventative, considering the physician is making sure that your body is up to par. They also distribute vaccinations, including the vaccine to prevent chicken pox and the flu shot; these vaccinations allow individuals to attempt to prevent disease as their life progresses. MedExpress Urgent care center is an excellent source for patient treatment and preventive care, as well as an alternative to an emergency room or hospital setting in non-life-threatening situations.

By: Kayleigh Devereux and Amanda Lawrence

Promotion of Public Health: Medicare Benefits & Staying Healthy!

Promotion, one of the four P's of public health, is an important step to informing the public to living healthier lives. As apart of the new health care reform law, Medicare Part B and Part D is an expansion of the current program, and benefits many needing prescription drugs. Here at a local Walgreens, they have displayed important information regarding these benefits, including the ad that Medicare Part D members can save up to 75%! Public health is promoting the changes that many Medicare patients should be aware of, and people using Medicare are able to save more on prescription drugs at their local pharmacies. Inside the clinic they offer many helpful ways to stay healthy and informed. All of the brochures are free to the public, and informed pharmacists are available for additional information. There are also different brochures set out about HIV/AIDS and other transmitted diseases. The brochures go over about how to get tested and some therapy you can receive for having both condition and ways of preventing the spread of diseases. Also, public health is making it known to society that there are ways to save on prescription drugs for those who have a hard time affording them, and to be more aware of the STI’s affecting many people. There is also a promotion for a “walk with Walgreens.” Walgreens is spreading awareness for the products they are offering, as well as the help they are giving to the community.  Promotion and prevention are seen thoroughly in the displays to educate the public of all the ways to stay healthy and safe.

By: Shanalee, Kelsey, Jennifer, Elena, Cristina

Donating Blood Saves Lives Too

The location we chose that we believed constitutes public health was the Florida Blood Services. In our photo, you see two members of the group donating blood. We placed the sticker on the table/cabinet that is in between the two chairs where the procedure takes place. I bet you’re wondering how giving blood is related to Public Health. Well, the way that Florida Blood Services contributes to public health is it acts as a secondary prevention and tertiary prevention. Donating blood is a secondary prevention because it’s a way of screening for various STI’s, diseases, etc. They take samples of your blood to test your blood type, hemoglobin, iron level, blood pressure, HIV, syphilis, cholesterol, and gonorrhea. It also acts as a tertiary prevention because the blood that the volunteer donates is packaged and can be used as a treatment for cancer patients, blood transfusions, newborn infants with low iron levels, and also for people who are in any trauma, like scenes of car accidents. What people don’t know is a simple visit to donate your blood can results in saving your life and someone else. You can get information on your health whether it is a STI or high cholesterol levels; this could have been something you would have never known without a visit to the Florida Blood Services.  And your blood could be the reason for helping a patient stay alive. Have you ever heard of people losing too much blood during surgery or at a scene of an accident? Or people who can find someone with the same blood type for a blood transfusion?  Getting people to donate blood will lessen these incidents, that’s why the Florida Blood Services is important and can make changes in public health.

By: Quianna Chavis, Sam Crabtree, and Natalia Meza

Keep Tampa Clean

As our group was thinking about where we can place our sticker, we had the idea to roam around the downtown Tampa are, being that the downtown area is heavy populated area with pedestrian traffic it would make a great place for our “this is public health” tag. Since so many people walk around the area every day, placing our sticker there would mean that it would be seen by thousands of people every day. Meanwhile, it would be a great way to make Public Health awareness. Our group chose to place our “This is public health” sticker on a “Keep Tampa Clean” solar-powered trash compactor, located on Twiggs and Tampa Street. Solar-powered trash compactors are one of the new technologies than compact the trash that goes in it into small cubes meaning that it can intake a lot more trash than the usual trashcans, there are no messes, and it takes let time to clean up. Not only that but it being solar powered it also helps the environment in our community by not using unnecessary energy. This represents a public health issue in the matter of promoting good health for the general population. Without trash cans alone, in the main streets of our cities, trash would collect creating an unhealthy environment. Being that this trash can in particular is a solar powered one means that it is doing its job to keep our city clean whilst helping the environment in the process. This issue is important because trash cans can be considered a luxury to some societies; in our society we take advantage of the fact that there is a collection agency for our trash around almost every corner. This issue is in the hands of public health, cleaning up the streets was one of the first steps public health took to keep everyone healthier and happier. 

By: Digna Baster, Mallory Danley, Stephen Nieves

Pool Rules

We chose to take our "This is Public Health" picture at The Fall's apartment pool area. We thought that a pool rules sign would be a good explanation of the types of regulations and warnings that public health enforces, plus swimming is a great way to exercise. We want everyone to realize that the rules set in place are not just for insurance purposes. There is a lot of potential danger that can happen at a pool. The common no running rule protects against possible slip and falls. If one were to slip and hit their head becoming unconscious they could fall into the water and drown. The other most common rule no diving warns people that diving into shallow water can potentially break your neck or knock you unconscious, which could lead to drowning. Children are also supposed to be accompanied by an adult to lesson their chance of an accident. No glass by the pool prevents broken bottles and cuts. This is an issue in public health because it reminds the general public to be safe while they are relaxing by the pool. Small children are a big problem around pools and need to be paid attention to very closely. Public health sees pools as a great place to have fun exercising. Swimming is great cardio and when most people swim they do not even realize that they are exercising as hard as they are. With that being said we felt that these rules and regulations are just one other way that public health tries to keep the general public safe.

By: Juan Bobe, Jeevan Joseph, Niles Malec, and Scott Speizer

Fitness Center at Avalon Heights

 

 We chose to take our “this is public health” picture at a fitness center at Avalon Heights apartment complex because it prevents obesity and is convenient for students. Access to the fitness center is included with rent which eliminates membership fees, and being on the property makes working out easier for residents. Having a fitness center near your residence also eliminates excuses related to driving like not wanting to drive far, to use gas, or to spend time in traffic. In addition, if the gym is located in your apartment complex you can just walk there, which contributes more to your health. The gym is open 24 hours a day, making it more accessible even with conflicting school and work schedules. Working out at fitness centers help to prevent the steadily increasing public health issue of obesity and promotes physical activity. Since today obesity has become a growing problem in America, it is important for students to start developing healthy lifestyle habits, like regularly going to the gym. Even though genetic factors contribute to whether or not someone may be obese, working out on a regular basis can help an individual still be healthy, and that’s what fitness centers like this one can do. By having 24 hour access to a gym located right in their apartment complex, students will have a greater chance of developing these healthy habits. More apartment complexes are starting to have gyms on their property which could prevent a sedentary lifestyle. Small public health measures like these are making huge impacts and attributing to longer, healthier lives for American citizens.
By: Valerie, Bettyna, Patricia, and Chelsie

Blood Pressure Tests at Walgreens

We placed our “This is Public Health” sticker on a Blood Pressure Test sign. This sign at Walgreens gives people the opportunity to get a free consultation for their blood pressure and to better educate themselves in knowing what numbers your blood pressure should/should not be. Since public health's main focus is primary prevention and promotion we felt it was best to address the issue of high blood pressure. Suffering from high blood pressure can cause a domino effect and it's best to control the problem before it arises. We choose this location because I shop at Walgreens and visit the pharmacy often and it’s a popular location. I never take the time to look at the signs, but now that we put this sticker on one of them, we hope to have people who regularly visit for medications, consultations, health issues, and more, see it and consider getting a check of their health status. Despite progress in prevention, detection, treatment, and control of high blood pressure, hypertension remains an important public health problem. People can lower their blood pressure by changing some things in their current lifestyle. Exercise, healthy eating habits, reduced sodium intake, and limiting alcohol consumption are just a few. High blood pressure is a public health issue because if people are not informed and advised to regularly have their blood pressure checked, it could potentially lead to damage before symptoms develop. Left uncontrolled, you may wind up with a disability, a poor quality of life, or even a fatal heart attack. Fortunately, with treatment and lifestyle changes, you can control your high blood pressure to reduce risk of life-threatening complications.

Group 4: Kayla, Tina, Zoila, and Alyssa

Get Your Flu Shot

Our group chose to put our "This is Public Health" Sticker on CVS's Flu Shot poster advertisement! With flu-season in full effect, it is important that pharmacies, like CVS advertise the flu shot, so that the general public can stop inside to get the vaccine, to prevent them getting the flu and spreading it to others. We think it is great that pharmacists are able to administer the flu-vaccine. It's important to note, that most pharmacists weren't able to do so until very recently in Fall 2009 when several states issued a special waiver to allow a pharmacist- rather than a doctor or other healthcare professional to administer seasonal and H1N1 vaccines amid fears of a pandemic. The expanded role of the pharmacist definitely could help save lives, and save the community money by offering these flu shots.  The vaccinations offered at drugstore pharmacies like CVS, are more efficient and less costly than a trip to the doctor's office, which can typically cost a health plan or employer up to $100, depending on the insurance. With flu-shots as a preventative care measure, neighborhood drugstores and pharmacies are doing their part to ensure they are servicing the community in a positive and healthy way, by administering these vaccinations and assuming added responsibility to make the community they live and work in a healthier one! This represents a public health issue because it is important to prevent the spread of the flu in our communities. Without the flu shot there would a much larger amount of people getting sick, missing school, missing work, visiting doctors, being hospitalized, and dying from the flu. It is important to protect ourselves and to protect those around us and we can do that by getting the flu shot vaccination and encouraging others to get it too!

By: Group 18 Deviney, Melissa, Rosie, and Michael

You Are What You Eat!!!

“You Are What You Eat”

By

Cyrus Tamboli, Jair Jimenez, Bjorn Nabergall, Jason Collazo, and Berdine Orelien

As public health students we have learn that fruits and vegetables are important part of a person’s diet. For this reason, we decided to take our public health blog picture by a stand of fruits and vegetables at Sweet Bay, a local grocery store. We Americans are becoming more and more obese because of our bad eating habits. Our diets compose of foods that contain more starch in them like potatoes, rather than vitamins and nutrients in fruits and vegetables. The recent trends seen in this nations diet is leading to a lack of vitamins and minerals that are required in every person's diet. This could be solved through taking daily multi-vitamins, but a majority of Americans do not engage in this practice. Many areas throughout America have little or no access to fruits and vegetables, creating a “food desert”, degrading the health of all who live in the area.

Obesity has stricken the United States and is now the most serious health threats that the United States has seen. With the fast pace of America, fast food has been the easiest way to acquire food at a reasonable price. Obesity is responsible for declining health outcomes and rapidly rising health care cost (http://publichealthlawcenter.org/topics/healthy-eating). From the transformation of the food guide pyramid in to MyPlate in June 2011, at least half of the consumed food should consist of fruits and vegetables, with vegetables having a larger section than fruits. Public Health is raising awareness also on fast food chains and vending machines to show the number of calories of each item they sell. Our recommendation is that, as we visit our local grocery stores we pay a little more attention to the fruits and vegetables as they help keep us healthy and functional.

Flatwoods Site is Public Health

Flatwoods Site is Public Health

    The Flatwoods Site off of Morris Bridge Road is a good example of Public Health. This park creates an opportunity for people to get physically active. It provides a safe, clean, and easy to access area for people to enjoy the outdoors and to stay physically fit and active. There are paved walking paths for those who wish to walk or run, as well as bike trails that go for miles. People can get plenty of exercise in a safe, clean, and positive environment. It is a fun way of getting the proper exercise, which is an important part of public health, because it promotes health and prevents diseases. Obesity, heart disease, and stroke, are a few things that we can prevent just by doing activities, such as walking along a trail each day. With a rising obesity rate in the United States, communities all across the country could use more outdoor areas like this to help keep all age groups active and healthy. Also, some people may not be physically active because they don't like the gym, or they live in an unsafe neighborhood. The Flatwoods is in a safe area, is well maintained, and caters to all types of people, from beginners to the high intensity, physically fit. Flatwoods is the perfect place for anyone to get outside and be physically active. 




By: Samantha Nader, Jessica Potts, Erica Heule, and Gabrielle Gray

Feeding America in Tampa Bay

Even though are too many people living poverty right now is a worldwide issue in today’s world but we need to also to view the fact that poverty also strikes us in our own home nation. Hunger and poverty are key links to many health conditions including malnourishment. That is why I chose to place my sticker at the warehouse of Feeding America in Tampa, FL. Feeding America has a mission to feed America hungry through nationwide network of food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. I have volunteered at this warehouse for almost 2 years now and they have been real selective with the food that they have received. Certain places like Wal-Mart, Publix, Aldi’s, Winn-Dixie, Sweetbay, and so on. They’ll pretty accept anything that comes through their warehouse but a good chunk of those items that come through isn’t always up code. Feeding America takes this very seriously because you do not want to send off a contaminated product or some product that has been damaged and allowed bacteria to produce which can cause illness such as salmonella, food poisoning, or botulism.

This represents a public health issue because hunger and poverty still exist in the world today especially in our own country and yet we have managed to downgrade it so much that not many people pay no mind to it at all. Feeding America is just one of the many organizations that adhere to this issue but it cannot stop there because hunger will still exist unless we as the people, especially in our own nation, need to do something about it.

Wal-Mart: "Wipe away the germs" - Group 9

Wal-Mart on Bearrs Avenue, Tampa, Florida

As a group, we decided to place our Public Health sticker at the local Wal-Mart of the USF Tampa campus. This is a very popular and busy arena, so we thought it was important that we support Wal-Mart’s public health efforts as well as raise awareness to the fact that there is actually a sanitation stand in Wal-Mart. We believe that this constituted public health as it is promoting good hygiene. Thousands of people venture through Wal-Mart on a daily basis. Thus, it is important that a measure is there to try and minimize the spread of bacteria or viruses - also known as germs- as much as possible. This sanitation stand provides customers the access to wipe down their carts before they begin shopping and their hands. Whilst we stood there for a minute before taking our picture, we saw multiple customers use these wipes either to cleanse their hands or their shopping cart. 

This was an important place for us to put this sticker as it so often goes unnoticed yet is very useful. Sometimes we do not see the measures that public health puts in place to protect our health. Wiping down a cart before shopping is very important. Numerous hands touch the carts every day which may contain all types of bacteria’s and viruses. This is an easy way to catch something, by touching a non-sanitized cart and then transferring that to your own body. Also, it is important to wipe down your hands before and after shopping. By wiping your hands before shopping, you are preventing the germs on your hands to transfer to products in the store. This is a good measure to minimize spreading germs from person to person. Once you have been through the grocery store, it is a good idea to wipe down your hands again just as a safety precaution for anything that you may have picked up whilst shopping.

Group 9 Members:

Diandra Latibeaudiere

Karolina Velez

Allen Benzenhafer

Theodore Martin

Healthy Choices

Tropical Smoothie is Public Health

 

[Group members from left to right: Kameal, Victor, Lizbeth, Amber, Victor]

The overall health of an individual is strongly influenced by lifestyle decisions where one of the key factors is diet. At Tropical Smoothie, people are able to consume nutritional meals such as real fruit smoothies and salads. The restaurant is placed within a convenience store/ gas station on the busy street corner of Fowler and Bruce B. Downs, meaning it is at a highly convenient location for people to access during their commute as well as daily interactions. As a group, we chose Tropical Smoothie because we felt that nutritional value is a key portion to maintaining health in our community especially to that of college students who constantly make poor eating decisions. By stressing nutritional health via this blog, we hope to inform our peers in class as well as the community who see our sticker that this is a viable source of nutrition for daily habits.

With the new food pyramid, we can see the value in moderation and the spacing of the aspects of nutrition. In popular culture, we have seen advocates of proper food consumption pointed towards the youth of our nation such as First Lady Michelle Obama and the Disney Channel. These advocates stress the importance of nutrition, in relation to preventing diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They even pose the idea that we can live longer, healthier lives if we change our diets and include exercise. Public health stresses the importance of preventing illnesses and through health education informs our community of healthy eating habits. Healthy eating habits lead to healthy people and overall a healthy community.

Sanitation Stations at Walmart!

This is Public Health: Sanitizing Station

[Group members from left to right: Charlotte Holden, Britney Henderson, 

Allison Santaferra, and Nathalie Espinosa]

Due to our incompatible schedules, our group needed to meet somewhere near campus. Since, Charlotte works at a grocery store, she was aware that shopping centers often have sanitizing wipes near the shopping carts so customers can clean the handles before using them. Britney suggested that we head over to the Walmart on Fletcher Ave because of its convenient location.

Upon our arrival, we saw that Walmart does, indeed, provide sanitizing wipes to their customers. By providing customers with these wipes, Walmart helps prevent germs from spreading. The spread of germs, as well as the diseases they carry, is a strong public health concern.

Public Health educates people on the importance of proper hand washing.  People often underestimate the implications of this and habitually neglect to wash their hands. Each time a customer uses a shopping cart without washing their hands, they spread harmful germs. Customers never know whether the person, who used a particular cart before them, had a serious disease such as  influenza.

According to NBC News,  a study was conducted that swabbed 36 shopping carts and discovered 50% of the carts tested  positive for E coli and other fecal bacteria. This is a huge concern for the population as children and belongings are placed into shopping carts during each shopping trip.  Providing customers with these wipes allows them to come shopping without fear of catching virulent diseases, from bacteria such as E coli.

In addition, these sanitation wipes help employees stay healthy. Employees are sent out to collect shopping carts. Collectively, they touch hundreds of carts each day. By being able to sanitize their hands after collecting carts, they will also be able to avoid contracting diseases. In conclusion, sanitation wipes work well as a first line of defense against an immeasurable number of diseases.

By Charlotte Holden, Britney Henderson, Allison Santaferra, and Nathalie Espinosa

Jump on the Hartline to save your lungs!

Have you ever used the Hartline Bus system before?

Let me inform you that this is Public Health!

By riding the Hartline buses you are reducing pollution in the air and decreasing respiratory diseases. The largest source of human-created air pollution is transportation ("Health impacts of,”).

The use of too many cars poses a threat to our health especially our lungs.

Pollution caused by traffic is hazardous to our health and life. Air pollution leads to pulmonary problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other diseases.

One way to reduce air pollution in our community is by taking advantage of The Hartline Bus system or car pooling. Car pooling is much promoted; helps eliminate air pollution which not only affects humans but the whole environment. Some scientists link air pollution to a major cause of global warming. Global warming leads to other health hazards. The Hartline Bus System offers many different routes to get you to the location that you need. Besides getting to the location that you need, it is economical and convenient. We chose to place the sticker at the Hartline Bus Station off of Bruce B Downs Avenue to encourage Public Transportation to the Public. By placing the sticker there, we hope to encourage others to partake in public transportation in hopes of seeing one less car in the Tampa community and a more educated community.

 

One Less Car + More Public Transportation = Less Pollution

 

References:

Health impacts of air pollution. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/air/health.htm

By:
Gloria Sustache
Rosa Vigil
Rebekah Vucelich
Kristi Pascarella

Catalytic Converters

 

^ Judith Chiang, Jennifer Diaz, Kaylin Mere, Dominique Rushing, Evens Thimotee ^

Public Rangers decided to go to AutoZone and place our public health sticker on a Catalytic Converter. We chose this because it is a unique part of a car that does more for the environment than people may know or realize. This device is not anything new and thanks to the Clean Air Act in 1970 that mandated 90% reduction in automobile exhaust. The act helped fuel this part into production in order to better reduce smog and chemicals in the air and also made it illegal to remove it from a vehicle. This converter is installed into cars in order to filter and produce clean emissions from the engine. In states such as California, one can’t actually have their vehicle registered until it passes an emissions test and this part helps do just that. Air is a common that we all share and this converter is a key component in reducing toxic pollutants that are released into the environment. Without this part of a vehicle more carbon monoxide would be released into the air, this pollutant is the main by-product of the car engine. Through filtration combustion occurs and oxidization then turns CO into carbon dioxide and water vapor which are less harmful to the air. The catalytic converter has contributed to a more clean and breathable atmosphere and thankfully has helped keep carbon monoxide levels down. As one can see public health is literally all around us and what we use every day can have an impact on everyone’s overall health.

Oh, look at that body...I WORK OUT! With Public Health!

We started our day by taking Sheba (the dog) to Lettuce Lake Park. Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa, Florida is just mere minutes away from the USF campus and is open to all who wish to enjoy the park benches, park trails surrounded by lush greenery, and domestic tranquility of the Hillsborough River. The park itself is made for the public's health and enjoyment. But many don't consider the fitness equipment provided at parks when choosing where to do their minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intense physical activity for the week.

Here Group 11 has found an excellent example of Public Health in the community. Instead of having to pay to go to a gym to exercise there is a lovely location close to home where everyone can participate. The park itself has trails where people can walk, jog, bike, and use the equipment provided to get a well-rounded workout. Here our group has placed a “This is Public Health” sticker on the public pull-up bars that preform the same purpose as those at the gym and are free. Even Sheba is welcome to participate.

We chose this example of Public Health to show people where they can go to start better lifestyle choices. Regular exercise leads to better health outcomes not only for a person’s physical well-being but also mental as it releases endorphins making people happier and less stressed. But without knowledge of the availability of parks with exercise equipment that are pet friendly and safe to walk through people will not go. Awareness and availability are key to helping individuals who want to have an active lifestyle accomplish their goal.

-A. Robb

-D. Vermilyea

-H. Barlow

Egg Carton Recycling

Erin McNerney, Oscar Merino & Jessica Nguyen

Recycling has become an important activity in fighting pollution. However, it is essential to understand the differences in the recycling system. Egg cartons are an illustrative example. A survey by Earth911.com (a website devoted to recycling) found that most recycling centers (75%) accept number 1 and 2 labeled products. However, only 25% accept 3 through 7. Egg Cartons can be confusing for recycling purposes because they are classified as number 6. Some are made of polystyrene (PS), which is also part of hot beverage cups, plates, protective packaging for furniture and electronics, etc. Others are made of 100% recycled paper.

Polystyrene is an artificial product more commonly known as styrofoam, and was invented by a chemical engineer working for Dow Chemical Co. in the 1940’s.  When recycled through the available programs polystyrene egg cartons might be reused again to hold eggs or be made into insulation, light switch plates, take-out boxes, or explosives. More importantly, if not recycled styrofoam will take hundreds of years to biodegrade on its own even when exposed to sunlight and should it be immersed in water, known carcinogens and suspected carcinogens leach out. Furthermore, it is a choking hazard to wild animals and is linked to skin irritation and nervous system disorders in humans.

Egg cartons can be difficult to recycle, especially since most recycling centers do not accept them because of how inefficient they are to recycle. Since egg cartons are not biodegradable in landfills (they require adequate amounts of oxygen and microorganisms), they will quickly build up. Thus, it is important to recycle egg cartons. Publix Supermarkets have egg carton recycling bins by entrances where consumers can drop off used egg cartons. If everyone in the community does this simple action, the number of egg cartons entering landfills can be greatly reduced.

Material Safety Data Sheet

(@ Panera Bread With the Material Safety Data Sheet)

Our group decided to post our "This is Public Health" sticker on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) at Panera Bread on Bruce B. Downs. We all agreed that Panera Bread was a good place to find a public health topic because USF students, faculty, and staff often go there. Chemicals are everywhere since they make up our world. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require every establishment with hazardous chemical on its premises is to have a MSDS binder. The MSDS binders are a matter of public records and can be found everywhere, so they are easily accessible to everyone. Employers are mandated to train new employees about potential chemical hazards they may have around the work place. Employees can easy refer to the MSDS binder in the event of a chemical emergency. If anyone ever has any type of reaction, the MSDS binder can be located to quick identify what may have caused the potential reaction. The MSDS binder represents public health because it contains required procedures which protect the overall population in public places and establishments where people often gather. It is an important issue because it prevents people from being exposed to things that may cause allergies or may possibly be toxic. The yellow cone is a sign that is put out in a public area to warn people to walk with caution, because the floor might be wet and slippery. Aside from the MSDS we included the Yellow Safety cone because it's a sign we all often see out in public.

By: Ashkaar Qazi, Bridget Petrich, Amy Newton, Suesan Cheung, & Sabrina Alahmad

“Cleanliness = Good Health”

We chose to place the public health sticker in a public restroom in Longhorns. The sticker was posted above the ‘Employee Must Wash Hands’ sign in the bathroom. The sign was posted on the wall above the sink. We chose this location because it is a restaurant and people usually think of it being a clean environment. The sign plays a major part in people’s health because we all would expect cleanliness when handling food. A lot of people eat at restaurants; with student living and work most people do not have time to cook. People put trust in servers, cooks, and bartenders in restaurants to provide them with safe food outside of their homes.

This sign represents a public health issue because cleanliness equals good health. Getting sick is a risk to the public. In restaurants employees handle, prepare, and serve food and by not washing their hands causes a domino effect. Customers can become sick which can spread to friends and people around them, which results in infecting the public. The ‘Employee Must Wash Hands’ sign is important because it can change ones behavior. By having this sign posted in restrooms it can help people with their daily routines with bathroom usage. This sign is also important to reduce infections. Controlling infections in the public is imperative. Cleanliness is needed in restaurants because there are some people who wash their hands before using the bathroom and not after. Having the sign present in the bathroom makes people abide by the rules before leaving.