Philippines: Still the Pearl of the Orient Seas?

By: Group 3

Lesson Target:

A.Explain the concept of Environmental Health.

B.Describe the Environmental Problems in the Philippines

C.Analyze the impact of Environmental problems on people's health.

Environmental Health• Is everything in the natural and man-made environment that might affect our health.

2 Kinds of EnvironmentA.Natural Environment

B.Man-made Environment

Natural Environment

•It includes the lands and water forms.

Man-made Environment• It includes houses,

buildings, bridges, neighborhoods, cities and provinces and the like.

The most pressing environmental problems in the Philippines:1.Uncontrolled deforestation,

especially in watershed areas.2.Soil Erosion3.Air and Water Pollution in

Major Urban Centers4.Coral Reef Degradation5.Increasing pollution of coastal

mangrove swamps that are important breeding grounds of fish.

Deforestation

Deforestation-Is the destruction of big areas of our forests.

-clearance or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use.

DeforestationOne hundred years ago, the Philippines had about 22,000,000 hectares of forest. In 2000 our forest hadbeen trimmed down to 600,000 hectares (Imagine Echo Project, 2008). WHERE DID ALMOST 97% OF OUR FORESTS GO?

MAjor reasons why we are losing our forest:

•Agriculture•Urbanization•Illegal Logging•Mining•Forest Fires

Effects of Deforestation to our health

The International Rice Research Institiute (IRRI) in Los Banos, Laguna estimates that it takes more than 4,000 liters of water to produce one kilo of rice. Most of our freshwater comes from watersheds in our forest. Deforestation has resulted in the decrease of freshwater for our farms. So loss of forest means loss of food. It means also loss of other health products that come from forests- clothings and medicines.

Soil Erosion

Soil ErosionHappens when soil and rock are moved from one place to another by wind, water and gravity. It is brought by natural and human activities. Strong winds and heavy rains cause soil erosion.

Human activities that cause Soil Erosion:

•Deforestation•Building of roads•Agriculture•Urbanization-- creation of towns and cities•Mining

Effects of Soil Erosion to our health

Because most of our foods come from our farmlands are, like our forests, fast disappearing at the rate of more than 10,000,000 a year becAuse of soil erosion, while more than 3.7 million people are malnourished. Soil also loses its fertility when the forest or farm is burned.

Air Pollution

Air PollutionThe Philippines is spending billions of pesos in income and time loss and health care expenses because of Air Pollution,1.5 millions of Filipinos are suffering from Respiratory Illness.

2 Kinds of Air Pollution1.Outdoor AIr Pollution (OAP)2.Indoor Air Pollution(IAP)

Outdoor AIr PollutionCaused mostly by exhaust from vehicles, especially jeepneys and tricycles, and factories.

SmogSmog (smoke + fog) caused by chemical reactions of pollutants, mainly exhaust from vehicles exhaust and factories. It is a large scale outdoor pollution.

Outdoor AIr Pollution

PArticulates/Particulate Matter (PM)

Composed of tiny particles that pollute the air, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.

Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)Common among poor families because they use firewood, dried animal manure and coal in cooking and their kitchen is poorly ventilated.

Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)

Effects of Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)

Deaths due to indoor air pollution are usually due to chRonic obstructive pulmonary diseases or COPD, pneumonia and lung cancer.

Water PollutionSo many people are using water for so many purposes--household and industrial, such that much of the waste water is no longer treated or disposed properly. They become pollutants in process.

Water Pollution

Different water pollutants:•Sewage•Detergents•Fertilizers•Heavy Metals•Chemical Products•Oils•Water near abAndoned mining areas

Thank You for Listening :D