Essay Sample on Solutions to Environmental Issues in Memphis, Tennessee

Introduction

Various factors combine to impact health. Some of the factors include technology, culture, economy, and demographic factors. According to McCammack (2018), environmental composition plays a vital role in influencing the health status of individuals or community at large. Ecological factors may contain abiotic or biotic factors. As the environment is changing, it poses, it as well poses a significant impact on the disease trend and patterns. The objective of this paper is to discuss the environmental factors posing health impacts among populations in Memphis Tenessee and possible solutions to these issues.

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Three Issues Affecting the Health of Individuals in the Community

Pollution is the leading environmental factor that is affecting the population of Memphis Tenessee. Despite efforts being put in place to solve this, pollution is still rampant in the area (Stanley et al., 2015). Water is increasingly being polluted by nonpoint sources such as pesticides and fertilizers from residential and agricultural sectors. Toxic chemicals such as lead and mercury released from a depot contaminate the soil, air, and water. Exposure to toxic substances in the water, air, and soil has exposed the members of the community to health problems. Rates of respiratory conditions, cancer, and even reproductive disorders are reportedly high.

Memphis, Tennessee, is the capital city of Mississippi. Being a town setting, its infrastructure greatly influences the health of the individuals. There are limited community resources that support physical activities amongst people (Hanson, & Gluckman, 2015). All the land available has been utilized mainly for residential and business purposes. The available resources such as swimming pools and free grounds for sporting are owned by private agencies and used for financial gains. Inadequate resources limit the accessibility of these facilities to the few who can afford. Sedentary lifestyle poses a health risk to a more significant portion of the population who are forced to lead a sedentary lifestyle - hence predisposing them to be overweight, obese and related conditions such as cardiovascular and renal conditions.

In terms of the social environment, unhealthy lifestyle amongst the individuals in Memphis has contributed to increased cases of chronic illnesses in the community (Hanson, & Gluckman, 2015). Fast food vendors are distributed all over the city. Apart from being easily accessible, fast foods are cheap hence affordable. Easy accessibility and affordability of fast foods have increased consumption of fast high calorie-containing foods such as fries amongst all populations. Use of high caloric foods together with inadequate participation in physical activities has contributed to increased incidences of chronic illness such as obesity, especially amongst children.

Steps to Corporately Adopted to Reduce Environmental Problem

Most of the environmental issues facing Memphis Tenessee can be solved through the legislative process. New policies regulation pollution of the environment ought to be formulated while the already existing laws are amended and reinforced (McCammack, 2018). This will ensure effective disposal of chemicals from farms, firms, and depots hence reduce water, soil, and even air pollution.

The federal and private organization can be involved in finding community facilities and resources that support physical activities amongst community members. Through finding a free community ground, reinforcing physical curriculum in training institutions and making bicycle riding lanes along the streets, physical activities can be enhanced in the community. This will reduce the sedentary lifestyle among people hence reduce incidences of chronic illnesses associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Provision of health education through public campaigns can help individuals in understanding healthy lifestyle (Stanley et al., 2015). This will greatly aid individuals to reduce consumptions of unhealthy foods that have high caloric content and others that are highly processed. Instead, individuals will adopt the habit of feeding on high fiber-containing foods such as vegetables and whole grains hence enabling them to avoid gastrointestinal and other chronic disorders associated with unhealthy feeding.

Conclusion

Various aspects of the environment impact the health of individuals in the community. Some of the aspects of the environment that can influence health if individuals include physical, social, and even economic perspective. In Memphis, Tennessee, environmental factors such as pollution, lack of community resources supporting physical activities, and individuals leading sedentary lifestyle have contributed to health issues among the population in that community. This issues can be solved through the legislative process, and provision of health education through public campaigns and reinforcing physical curriculum in training institutions.

References

Hanson, M. A., & Gluckman, P. D. (2015). Developmental Origins of Health and Disease-Global Public Health Implications. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 29(1), 24-31. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1521693414001540

McCammack, B. J. (2018). The American City and Environmental Pollution. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History. Retrieved from: https://oxfordre.com

Stanley, M. C., Beggs, J. R., Bassett, I. E., Burns, B. R., Dirks, K. N., Jones, D. N., ... & Trowsdale, S. A. (2015). Emerging Threats in Urban Ecosystems: A Horizon Scanning Exercise. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 13(10), 553-560. Retrieved from: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/150229