MLS Environmental Engineering, Class Notes

 By Nate Feldman

*If you have exposure to chemical gases, it can be harmful to your health.

Exposure = you encounter or experience something

*Here at ELS, I have a lot of exposure to other cultures.

*If you have too much exposure to the sun, it can damage your skin, but you need some exposure because it gives you Vitamin D. 

Disperse = to move away or leave something

*After class ends at 3:45, the students disperse and leave the building. 

Suspended in something = hanging or floating

Ailment = illness or sickness

*Some students had to miss class because they had an ailment. 

Second-hand smoke: exposure to someone else smoking

Contaminant: something that makes something else dirty

*Don’t drink the water.  It has contaminants.  It is contaminated.

Monitor: to watch carefully

*During the exam, the teacher monitors us to make sure we don’t cheat and do the exam correctly

Pesticide: chemical used to kill insects, especially on plants or food

Air pollutants: things that make the air dirty

 

Air Pollution is just as big a deal indoors as it is outdoors because rather than get dispersed over a wider area

 

Discussion Question:

*How do you feel about indoor air pollution?  Do you see it as a concern, or is it something you haven’t really thought about?

*In the buildings you live/work in, what kind of pollutants might you be exposed to? 

 

Summary: The students discussed the harmful effects of indoor air pollution and some of the pollutants that cause it.  The girl mentioned that we often focus on air pollution outdoors, but we often overlook indoor air pollution even when it is harmful.  She even said she wanted to open the window after reading this information, and the class thought that was funny.  The boy discussed specific pollutants, such as second-hand smoke, radon, and the effects of household items, such as floor cleaners, detergents, and pesticides.

 

Even though reports have shown a decrease in gun violence in Philadelphia, the issue is still a major concern for the city.  In the early 2020s, over 2000 people were shot a year in Philly.  That number decreased by 37% in 2024, but there were still over 1,000 people shot.  So, based on this research, it’s still a big issue here.