Different Media Strategies in Portfolio - Essay Example

Dissemination Portfolio Introduction Memo Public Health Staff Hazardous Waste or Materials It is my hope that the information shared through the different media strategies in this portfolio will impact on the society’s awareness about hazardous wastes and its implications on public health. The aim of this dissemination portfolio is to ensure that the society is aware of the health risk posed by the various hazardous wastes and materials in the environment and the need for proper handling and disposal of such waste. The dissemination portfolio also seeks to remind the community that, it has a legal obligation to ensure proper disposal of waste materials generated from their households. The portfolio reaches to all members of the society including elementary children and their parents. The dissemination portfolio comprises of; A flyer targeted to the elementary children An handout for parents and families A press release A research brief I look forward to a more informed society concerning the environment and public health. A Flyer for Elementary Students A Handout Intended for Parents or Families FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Contact Person: Organizations Name: Phone Number: Email Address: The Right to Know About the Hazardous Chemicals Exposed to You The American government has recognized the right of every American citizen to know the potential exposures to hazardous material including toxic chemicals through the establishment of United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, the greatest question that remains unanswered is whether the Americans know the existence of such a right and whether they seek environmental information from the agency. It should be noted that EPA provides crucial information on air pollution, water quality, hazardous waste, community environmental issues, toxic substance releases and lead program information. However, very little has been covered in the media to inform the people about the availability of such information. Indeed, people need to be aware about their surroundings in order to take necessary measures towards the improvement of their health and the well-being of the environment. Communities and agencies concerned with the environmental conservation issues need to gain access to such information to safeguard public health, ensure chemical safety and protection of the environment. With growing concerns in public health safety associated with toxins, people need to access information about the toxic chemical releases from the industrial sector directed to the surrounding atmosphere, land and water. This will enable communities to take necessary precautions and implement strategies capable of protecting their health and the surroundings. Although this information is gathered and stored by EPA, there is need for the community to be educated on the importance and ways of accessing such crucial information. For more information visit http://www.epa.gov/epahome/r2k.htm A Research Brief Coronado, G., Thompson, B., Strong, L., Griffith, W & Islas, I. (2004). Agricultural task and exposure to organophosphate pesticides among farm-workers. Environmental Health Perspectives. 112 (2), 142-147. People working in the field are likely to be exposed to great health risks associated with hazardous and toxic substances. Coronado et al. (2004) demonstrates this through a research into pesticide exposure among farm-workers and addition to specific exposures associated with certain field tasks. The background information in this research purports that farm-workers in different U.S. agricultural sectors perform their daily tasks under circumstances that expose them to toxic pesticides. Some of the identified field activities that have high risk to harmful pesticide exposures include application of pesticide formulations, mixing and loading tasks. Methodology Applied in the Research The study was conducted in the Yakima Valley of Washington States where numerous agricultural activities take place with majority of the region’s community members taking part in the farming activities (Coronado,Thompson, Strong, Griffith & Islas, 2004). Farming activities in this area require great pesticide protection efforts hence an anticipated high exposure of the communities to toxic pesticides. The study involved a total of 571 households with target age being 2-6 years old members of the communities. In-person questionnaires were used in the data collection with adults being allowed to respond to questions on behavior of the selected children. The chi-square tests were used in the data analysis alongside other statistical methods. Study Results The study found out that workers involved in tasks such as thinning did not have high levels of azinphos-metthyl in their house dust as well as least urinary pesticide metabolite concentrations (Coronado,Thompson, Strong, Griffith & Islas, 2004). However, contrary to the anticipated results workers involved in the mixing, loading and formulation tasks indicated lower pesticide residues in their house dust compared to workers who performed other farm duties. Research Critique The research finding go against the obvious expectations about the pesticide levels in some tasks, an occurrence that could be attributed to the choice of participants and the manner in which the study was conducted. Contrary to the expectation that workers working in the farms need to be investigated, the research focused on young children who do not directly interact with pesticides. The study also focused on pesticides levels in house dusts and metabolites in the children’s urine rather than measuring the levels in the workers who directly farm the high risk tasks highlighted in the background information (Coronado, Thompson, Strong, Griffith & Islas, 2004). In order to establish the real situation about pesticide exposures to farmworkers, future studies need to involve the workers in the study rather than people indirectly affected by the exposures. Tweets on Hazardous Waste Your Right To Environmental Information 1. @all Americans, You have the right to know the chemical toxins you are exposed to you http://www.epa.gov/epahome/r2k.htm 2. @all American parents, You have a legal obligation to ensure safe disposal of hazardous materials http://www.safetysign.com/Safety+Signs/Hazardous+Waste+Signs.html Read More