Concern for the environment and human health are very current topics in our daily lives, and they are often interconnected.
Human health depends on environmental balance and its conservation, sometimes we end up consuming products and foods that are good for our health, but are harmful to the environment.
See some examples:
Contraceptive pill – one of the greatest medical revolutions of the 20th century, the pill helped control the growth of the world population in recent decades and facilitated family planning.
A study carried out in 2016 by Swedish researchers demonstrated that the hormone ethinyl estradiol (EE2), a synthetic version of estrogen found in contraceptives, was causing adverse effects on the fish population, mainly genetic changes in some species of economic importance, such as salmon and trout.
The research concluded that exposure to the hormone causes difficulties for species reproduction and that they run the risk of disappearing fish populations and causing greater damage to the ecosystem.
Avocado – although it is a great source of monounsaturated fat and vitamins E, A, B1, B2, the cultivation of the fruit puts great pressure on the demand for water resources. The organization Water Footprint Network estimates that to produce just one avocado, more than 270 liters of water are needed.
Pineapple – an equally tasty fruit and much appreciated in countries with a tropical climate, the fruit is produced by a species of bromeliad.
Pineapple production occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, coincidentally these are the regions with the presence of forests on our planet and its cultivation is generally associated with the destruction of forested areas.
In Costa Rica, one of the largest producers of the fruit, the Costa Rican Conservation Federation associates pineapple cultivation with the clearing of extensive areas of native vegetation, with a major impact on the environment.
Shampoo – shampoo itself is not harmful to the environment or human health, but one of its components, palm oil, is. In shampoo it is used as a conditioner. It is one of the most used vegetable oils today, being applicable in the production of cleaning products, chocolate, ice cream, bread and biscuits.
In 2018, the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), a nature conservation organization, warned the world about the destruction of tropical forests and peatlands for the production of palm oil. This form of cultivation releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
Air purifiers – the use of air purifiers is not harmful to human health in itself, but one of its components. In general, air fresheners contain a chemical called limonene, which gives cleaning products a citrus smell.
When in contact with air, limonello can react with ozone and produce formaldehyde, a substance that is harmful to human health. Prolonged exposure to formaldehyde can cause respiratory illnesses, such as asthma. Since 2011, the substance has been recognized as a carcinogen.
In general, the products and foods we consume do not cause direct harm to the environment, but their form of production may be associated with deforestation, the use of pesticides, climate change or the disposal of waste and effluents.
