Second Nature--Outreach to the high risk population for environmental equity

Outreach to the high risk population for environmental equity

Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Please note that the copyright for this profile is retained by the institution.

Assisted by his students and local public school students and their families, Dr. Norman Munroe, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Florida International University, undertook a study, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Environmental Equity Grants Program, of the local population to determine their exposure to lead and other pollutants. The project involved the distribution of an "Enviro-Link" survey to elementary and middle schools and low income communities in the northern Dade County area. Students attending the selected schools were given the questionnaires to take home and fill out with the help of their family. In addition to completing the questionnaire, students were instructed to obtain samples from one of various locations around their residences and from various distances from the entrance and exit of the building.

Recognizing that human health, equity and environmental issues intersect, often to the detriment of marginalized populations, Dr. Munroe "anticipated that teachers, students, and parents would become more aware of environmental issues that actually effect their lives." Furthermore, he "envisaged that this project would be instrumental in increasing the number of minorities participating in all phases of environmental education and management." The issue of lead poisoning demonstrated clearly the interrelationships between health, equity and environment. Dr. Munroe reveals the importance of exploring such relationships when he asks us to consider that, "[p]oor, minority children in the inner cities, who are often already at a disadvantage by inadequate nutrition and other factors, are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning."

The final report, "Outreach to the High Risk Population for Environmental Equity," was presented at workshops held at Florida International University to inform participants about the environmental issues surrounding lead-based paint, asbestos, and radon. In attendance at these workshops were teachers, college students and members of the FIU Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. The participatory process and the results of the study have been useful in educating teachers, parents and students (grades 4-9) on issues regarding indoor pollutants such as lead-based paint, radon and asbestos. Dr. Munroe notes that, "The results of the survey obtained to date will be further supplemented by a subsequent projects on environmental justice, in which a larger number of surveys [will be] utilized and a larger number of samples [will be] taken. The results obtained from both surveys, as well as an evaluation of the presence of lead in household paint, debris and in soil would be helpful in identifying the population at risk." Dr. Munroe concluded that the "EPA should increase the priority it gives to issues on environmental justice. This would encourage and instigate the establishment of educational programs to identify and address inequities in health risks."

This project served as a model for communication with low income communities on the environmentally based health risks that exist in their communities. In addition, the information demonstrated the inequitable distribution of these risks in their neighborhoods and, therefore, serves as a tool to empower these communities to demand greater equity from their government representatives. Dr. Munroe's hope is that, "In the long-term, young people may prepare for careers that can effect change in environmental public policy, resulting in action to address these issues."

For additional information:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Florida International University

This document was last modified on 01/18/2002 02:04:24 PM

This resource was acquired by CEEM (Consortium for Environmental Education in Medicine), a program of Second Nature, under the auspices of a NIEHS grant to gather and disseminate environmental health educational resources over the internet in order to help medical and allied health sciences faculty identify, locate and use resources for incorporating environment and health perspectives into their curricula. CEEM has authorized the use of these materials on this website for archival purposes. Please note that the copyright for this material is retained by the instructor and/or contributing institution.