Everything around you affects the way that your body works and grows. This includes the sun, water, air, chemicals, and even noise! There are many things in the environment that are good for you, such as clean water and air, vitamin D that comes from the sun, and healthy foods. But there are also some hazards in the environment that can hurt you. These include dirty air or water, too much sun, really loud noises, and chemicals. By learning about hazards in your environment, you can take charge of your health and help clean up the earth at the same time!

Remember: it’s up to each of us to do our part to keep the earth — and ourselves — healthy. You can start making a difference today by learning about environmental health and helping us get the word out to others!

What do these words mean?

When talking about the environment, we sometimes have to use words that can be long or hard to understand. Here is a little bit more about some hard words in this section:

Chemicals. (Say: KEM-ih-calls). Chemicals can be natural (like iron, silver, or mercury) or can be made by people (like cleaning supplies or bug spray).

Environment. (Say: en-VYE-URN-ment). The environment is everything around you. The air you breathe, water you drink, the ground you walk on, and food you eat are all part of your environment. It’s important that you know what things in the environment can affect your health and what you can do to help protect yourself and your family.

Hazard. (Say: HA-zurd). A hazard is a kind of danger that could hurt you.

Pesticides. (Say: PESS-tih-sides). Pesticides are chemicals used to kill pests such as insects, rodents, weeds, mold, and bacteria. Yet, these chemicals can also cause health problems in people.

Pollution. (Say: puh-LOO-shun). Pollution is putting something into the environment that makes it dirty.

While we don’t often think about the air we breathe, we should. Clean air is important to all of us. It is important for your health. Thankfully, there are things you can do to protect yourself from dirty air.

Indoor air pollution and outdoor air pollution

Air can be polluted indoors and it can be polluted outdoors, but it’s not the same things that are making the air dirty in both places. Check out this chart to see what things cause indoor air pollution and what things cause outdoor air pollution!

*All of these things make up “particle pollution.” They mostly come from cars, trucks, buses, and power plants.

Good ozone versus bad ozone

If you have already read the Sun section of this module, you are probably thinking, Wait a second.Isn’t ozone good for us? Isn’t it what protects us from UV radiation? You’re right! The ozone that is in our upper atmosphere is good ozone that protects us from the sun. Ground-level ozone is different, though, even though it sounds the same. Ground-level ozone is a summertime air problem that comes from a chemical reaction between certain chemicals and heat and sunlight. Ground-level ozone is bad for our health, and can make it hard to breathe. People who are active outdoors on hot summer days may be affected by high levels of ozone.

Air Quality Index (AQI)

How do you know if the air you are breathing is clean? You can check on the Internet for your local Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI is a guide for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how polluted or clean your air is, and if you need to do anything to protect your health. If the AQI is poor, you may need to stay indoors that day. You can also walk, ride your bike, get a ride from a friend, or take the bus to reduce air pollution from cars on days when the AQI is bad.

Carbon monoxide

Did you know that one of the biggest dangers that may be in your house is invisible and has no smell? It’s called carbon monoxide (CO). CO is a gas that is formed when a fuel like gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. Things that you have in your house — like a clothes dryer, stove, or hot water heater — may use these fuels. If the appliance fumes can get out of the house through a vent, then the amount of CO in your house is probably not dangerous. But if the appliances are not vented the right way, CO can become very dangerous! CO poisoning can cause serious injury and even death. Here are a few things you can do to prevent CO poisoning:

• Make sure that if you use a gas or kerosene space heater, that the room is well vented. This means that the windows must be opened. Never use these things in a closed off room.
• Ask your parents to have your appliances checked once a year by a professional.
• Have an adult in your house place CO detectors (they look like smoke detectors) in the rooms where you and your family sleep. CO detectors should be placed near the floor.
• Never barbeque inside the house or garage.
• Let the drivers in your house know that running a car or lawnmower in a closed garage is dangerous.
• Make sure that car and truck tail pipes are not clogged with snow or other things.

Radon

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. It is natural and comes from the earth. You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home. Radon levels may be highest in the lowest parts of your home, like the basement.

Radon is thought to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon for many years, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building — homes, offices, and schools — and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.

Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. Testing is cheap and easy. Some tests can be done in a few minutes or it can take a couple of days. Radon can be reduced in your home if you find out there are high levels. Talk to your parents or guardian and ask if they have ever tested for radon.

Secondhand smoke

Most smokers know that smoking is bad for them. But smoke can also hurt the people around the person smoking. This smoke is called “secondhand smoke.” It’s a mix of the smoke exhaled by smokers and smoke from cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Babies and young children, especially those with asthma, are most at risk from secondhand smoke. If someone in your house smokes, talk to them about quitting.

Breathing air that is not clean can hurt your health. Sometimes you have control over how clean the air around you is (for example, by choosing not to smoke). Other times, you have to deal with the air around you without having any control (for example, if your parents smoke). In either case, it is important to know about the health effects that air pollution can have on you and others. Once you know the health effects of air pollution, you can start to protect yourself from dirty air!

Dirty air can cause the following health effects:

• Asthma. Have you ever run until you were completely out of breath and you had to gasp for air? That is what an asthma (say: AZ-muh) attack feels like. Asthma is a common sickness that causes people to have trouble breathing. Pollution — both indoor and outdoor — can make asthma much worse. Some things that cause asthma are indoors, like animal dander (skin and fur), cockroaches, mice, mold, secondhand smoke, and dust mites. Other things are outdoors, like ground-level ozone. Luckily, there are some things you can do to reduce the triggers that cause asthma.
• Lung cancer. You don’t have to smoke to get lung cancer. Secondhand smoke or radon can cause lung cancer, too!
• Coughing, throat irritation, and chest pain.If you spend a lot of time exercising on a day with bad air quality, you may cough, your throat may feel scratchy, and you may have chest pain. This is because of the particles in the air.
• Ear infections. Kids who breathe secondhand smoke and other air pollution on most days get more ear infections.
• Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Carbon monoxide cannot be seen and it has no smell. However, it is very dangerous and can cause injury or death. Learn more about CO poisoning.

You may think that with so many cars and factories polluting the air, there is little you can do to protect yourself. But guess what? There are many ways you can help protect yourself — and others — from air pollution! You can take some control over the air you breathe.

Protecting yourself from indoor air pollutants

You can help protect the quality of the air inside your home or car. This is especially important if you have asthma – dust mites, mold, and the other “triggers” talked about here can cause an asthma attack. The following are ways you can protect yourself from indoor air pollutants.

1. Get rid of dust mites. Have you ever heard of dust mites? Dust mites are relatives of the spider. They are too small to see without a microscope. Dust mites eat skin cells shed by people, and they like warm, humid environments. They are pretty much everywhere. You can get rid of them by:
   • Washing sheets once a week in hot water
   • Keeping stuffed toys off of your bed
   • Washing your stuffed toys in hot water often
   • Vacuuming carpets and furniture regularly (if you have asthma, stay out of the room while it is being vacuumed)
   • Using a dust-proof mattress cover on your bed
2. Get rid of mold and mildew. Mold and mildew can also make asthma worse. You can get rid of mold and mildew by:
   • Washing mold and mildew off of hard surfaces and letting them dry all the way
   • Fixing leaky plumbing. Make sure that wet areas are dry within 24 – 48 hours to prevent mold growth. (You will need to talk to your mom or dad about this one.)
   • Using a fan or opening a window when showering, cooking, or using the dishwasher
3. Keep pets out of sleeping areas. If you have asthma or allergies, do not let your pets sleep where you sleep.
4. Keep bugs out of the kitchen. Cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks. You can keep them out of the kitchen by:
   • Putting all food in sealed containers
   • Washing dishes after every meal
   • Storing trash in sealed bags
   • Eating only in one room of the house (for example, the kitchen or the dining room)
5. Stay away from secondhand smoke. If you have problems breathing, tell friends and family that they cannot smoke around you.
6. Get a carbon monoxide (CO) detector and a radon detector for your home. CO and radon are colorless, odorless, and tasteless gases that can harm you. Talk to your parents about getting a CO detector and a radon detector for your home. You can buy one at your local hardware store. While you are at it, be sure you have working smoke detectors in your house, as well!
7. Never run a car or lawnmower in a closed garage. Also, make sure that car and truck tail pipes are not clogged with snow or leaves. This could cause a deadly build-up of carbon monoxide.
8. Never sleep in a closed room with a gas or kerosene space heater. This, too, could cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Protecting yourself from outdoor air pollutants

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from outdoor air pollution:

1. Pay attention to the Air Quality Index (AQI). Be careful on high-ozone days in the summer and stay indoors if directed. Ground-level ozone is nothing to joke about. It can cause coughing, throat irritation, and chest pain. It can also cause breathing problems and trigger asthma attacks. Kids who are active on hot summer days need to be aware of the air quality and how to protect themselves. If the air quality is poor, do less activity and try to stay indoors.
2. Take public transportation on high ozone days. On high-ozone days, it is important to lower the number of cars on the road. Fewer cars will mean less air pollution. If you hear that it is a high-ozone day, catch a ride with a friend or ride the bus. You’ll be helping the air and your lungs will thank you for it!
3. Fill up your car’s gas tank after dark on high ozone days. By filling up your car’s gas tank after dark, you can help keep the air cleaner.

Chemicals (say: KEM-ih-calls) are all around us. They can be solids, liquids, or gases. Water is a chemical. Bleach is also a chemical. Sometimes chemicals come from nature (like lead) and sometimes they are made in a factory (like bug spray).

A poison is anything that could make you sick if you eat, drink, smell, or touch it. Poisons come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Many things in your house can be poisonous. Poisons can also come from things that are common in the environment, like lead or mercury. Medicines, cosmetics, car products, cleaning supplies, arts and crafts materials, food that is improperly prepared or stored, and plants are just a few things in your home that can cause poisonings.

So what is the difference between a chemical and a poison? Well, not all chemicals are poisonous, and not all poisons are chemicals. For example, mushrooms can be poisonous, but they are not a chemical. Poisons can hurt you, and can cause health problems in a very short amount of time. This can be true of chemicals, too, but chemicals can also have effects that last a very long time (even decades). There are many things (like medicines or mouthwash) that are not poisonous when used the right way. But, when used the wrong way, these things can poison you.

If you think someone has been poisoned, call 1-800-222-1222 right away! Do not wait for the person to look or act sick. The Poison Center will tell you what to do.

What kinds of things can be poisons?

Some poisons come from chemicals that may be found in and around the home. Other poisons in the home may be pills or vitamins. They include:

• Medicines
• Cleaning products
• Laundry products
• Batteries
• Cigarettes
• Mouthwash
• Lighter fluid
• Iron pills and other vitamins
• Bug and weed killers

Some poisons may be found naturally in the environment:

• Lead
• Mercury
• Plants and mushrooms

All of these things can hurt you, especially in high doses.Learn more about the health effects of some chemicals.

Why do babysitters and teens need to know about poison?

Do you babysit? Or do you have younger brothers or sisters? Then you need to learn about poisons.

Poisoning is one of the most common childhood injuries. Most of the time poisoning happens right at home. Children who are between the ages of eight months and six years old are the most likely to be poisoned.

Poisons can look like things that are good to eat and drink. They can come in many colors and forms including solids, liquids, sprays, or gases. Young children are curious. They like to put things in their mouth, especially if they look colorful or smell nice. If you babysit or help with small children, remember to watch them very closely and to keep all poisons locked up and out of reach.

Did you know that even though kids weigh less than adults, they drink more water, eat more food, and breathe more air (per pound of body weight) than adults? Because kids don’t weigh as much, the things you take into your body affect you even more than they affect adults. That’s why poisons can have a greater effect on kids’ and teens’ health. (But don’t worry too much! There are some things you can do to protect yourself from the health effects of chemicals.)

Here are some chemicals that can affect your health and some information on what these chemicals might do to people:

Lead

Lead is a natural metal. It can be very harmful. Young children who swallow lead may hurt their nervous systems. They may also have learning and behavioral problems and lower IQs. Lead can affect how quickly children learn and advance in school. It’s important that you — and especially young children and pregnant women — stay away from lead.

How can you be exposed to lead? Well, until 1978, lead was a common ingredient in paint. If you live in a house that was built before 1978, it may contain lead paint and lead dust. Lead paint is a problem if it is peeling, chipping, or cracking. Lead dust is created when lead paint is sanded, scraped, or rubbed. Lead isn’t only found in paint, though. Lead can also be in soil near repair shops, your home, mines, factories, and highways. Even drinking water can contain lead. Lead paint and lead dust can get on your hands and then into your mouth.

Mercury

Mercury is a poisonous metal that can be found in many places. Sometimes it is found in fish. You and your family can be exposed to mercury by eating certain kinds of fish that has mercury in it. Mercury can also be found in some thermometers. This is a problem if the thermometer breaks.

Mercury may cause health problems for people. For example, children born to moms with high levels of mercury in their blood may have problems learning.

Does this mean you shouldn’t eat fish at all? No! Fish can be very healthy for you! You just need to learn about the best kinds of fish to eat. If you like to go fishing and eat your catch, contact your local health department to find out what kinds of fish are safe in your area. If you eat fish from the store or in a restaurant, try to eat fish and shellfish that are low in mercury.

Bisphenol-A (BPA)

Bisphenol-A (say: bye-SFEEN-all A), or BPA, is a chemical used in some plastic containers, water bottles, baby bottles, and cans that may have links to health problems. Some of these health problems might be reproductive problems and cancer. The chemical is in nearly every metal can in your supermarket and can get into the food kept in the can. It can also leak into the water you drink if you use a water bottle that has BPA in it. Researchers are trying to learn more about BPA and its health effects on people.

Bug spray and other pesticides

Pesticides (say: PESS-tih-sides) are chemicals used to kill bugs and other pests (like mice or mold). Many household products are pesticides. All of these common things are pesticides:

• Cockroach sprays and baits
• Bug spray used on your body (like for mosquitoes)
• Rat and other rodent poisons
• Flea and tick sprays, powders, and pet collars
• Kitchen, laundry, and bath disinfectants and sanitizers
• Products that kill mold and mildew
• Some lawn and garden products, such as weed killers
• Some swimming pool chemicals

It is very important to follow the exact directions on the label when using pesticides. All pesticides are harmful on some level. After all, they were made to kill the things that we don’t want around (for example, mosquitoes or fleas). At the same time, pesticides can have a benefit. Mosquitoes and ticks can cause other kinds of health problems for people (such as malaria or Lyme disease). By killing these bugs with a pesticide, we are saying that the risk of harm from the chemicals in the bug spray is less than the risk of harm from the disease the bug might cause.

The health effects of pesticides can include skin rashes, problems with the nervous system, cancer, or problems with hormones.

Since pesticides are all around us, the best thing to do is to be aware of them and have an adult supervise when you use them.

Medicines, vitamins, and “natural” supplements

Medicines and vitamins are okay when they are in the right amount for the right person. But they can poison you if you take too much, or if you take a medicine that did not come from your doctor. For example, adult-strength iron pills are very dangerous for children to swallow. Children can start throwing up blood or having bloody diarrhea in less than an hour.

Hair dye and make-up

Hair dye and make-up can have chemicals in them and should always be used as directed on the package. If they are used the wrong way, they can cause skin irritation or even burns.

It may seem kind of scary when you think about all the chemicals around us that could cause health problems. But there are many things you can do to stay safe! You can take charge of your own health.

Staying safe from lead

• If your house was built before 1978, ask an adult to have it tested for lead.
• Wash your hands often, and always before eating and sleeping.
• Use cold water for drinking and cooking.
• Make sure you eat foods that have lots of calcium, iron, and vitamin C.
• Eat less fatty foods because they can make you absorb more lead.

Staying safe from mercury

• Follow the recommendations of local, state, and federal warnings on fish that are safe to eat.
• Find out if the water where you like to fish is polluted. Find out if it is ok to eat the fish you catch.
• If you break a mercury thermometer, do not touch the mercury. Ask an adult for help. Never vacuum or sweep the spill. Never pour mercury down the drain. Never wash mercury-contaminated clothes in your washing machine.

Staying safe from Bisphenol-A (BPA)

• If you can, switch from a plastic water bottle to a stainless steel water bottle that does not contain BPA.
• Do not microwave food in plastic containers. Use glass or ceramic containers instead.
• Check your plastics. BPA is often found in food containers that are marked with “PC” or with the recycling number 7. Plastics with the recycling numbers 1, 2, and 4 do not contain BPA.
• When possible, use frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned. You can also buy soups and drinks in glass containers.

Staying safe from pesticides, poisons, and chemicals

• Prevent pesticide poisonings in your house. Have an adult help make sure chemicals and poisons are locked up and are out of reach of small children.
• If you must use pesticides, like bug spray, be sure to use them the right way. Read the label and have an adult supervise!
• Never play with poisons or poison containers.
• Never play on lawns that have been recently sprayed with pesticides. Keep your pets off of them, too!
• Try wearing long sleeves and long pants to keep the mosquitoes away, instead of spraying yourself with lots of bug spray.
• Always wash and scrub fruits and vegetables under running water. After washing, peel fruits and vegetables when you can. Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables. Talk to an adult in your house about buying organic fruits, vegetables, meats, and milk. These are grown without pesticides.
• If your dog or cat has been treated for fleas or ticks, don’t pet him for 24 hours after treatment. Also, don’t let your pet sleep in your bed after a flea and tick treatment. You don’t want the chemicals to get on your hands or bedding.

Staying safe when using medicines, vitamins, and “natural” supplements

• Read the label before taking or giving medicine.
• Use medicine only as directed by your doctor or the label.
• Do not order medicines, vitamins, “natural” supplements, or weight-loss pills on the Internet.

Staying safe when using make-up and hair dye

• Always read the package and directions when using make-up and hair dye. When using make-up and lotions, don’t use too much and try to use unscented products.

Noise is all around us, all of the time. You probably don’t even notice it. (In fact, you are probably more likely to notice when it gets very quiet and you can actually hear the birds singing!) Traffic roars past us, lawn mowers growl, and kids shout. Even though these are noises that we hear every day, if they are too loud or last too long they can hurt your ears and your hearing. (Luckily, there are things you can do to protect your hearing!)

Noise pollution is “unwanted or disturbing sound.” Noise pollution gets in the way of normal activities such as sleeping or talking. The fact that you can’t see, taste, or smell it may help explain why it has not received as much attention as other types of pollution, such as air pollution or water pollution.

Sounds at or above 85 decibels (dB) can hurt your ears. (A decibel measures the loudness of sound.) Sounds that humans can hear are measured on a scale from zero to 140. A normal conversation is about 60 dB. Chainsaws, hammer drills, and bulldozers ring in at over 100 dB. So if you are a construction worker, harmful sounds may be a regular part of your job. The same goes for people working around factory machinery every day. Airport workers and farmers are two more groups that are regularly exposed to loud noise. However, loud noise does not have to be an everyday happening to cause damage. One-time exposure to very loud noises, such as the sound of a gun firing at close range, can harm your ears permanently.

Other things that make enough noise to hurt your hearing include:

• MP3 players
• Motorcycles
• Trucks
• Lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, leaf blowers
• Snowmobiles, go karts, rifles
• Rock concerts

How many decibels are these noisy things?

Remember: sounds at or above 85 decibels can hurt your ears or cause hearing loss.

People of all ages, including children, teens, young adults, and older people, can lose hearing because of noises around them. The health effects of noise pollution include:

• Hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss usually happens slowly, with no pain. Right after exposure to noise, you may notice some “ringing” in your ears. You might have trouble hearing people talk. After several hours or even a few days, these symptoms may go away. However, when you are exposed to loud noise over and over, you could have hearing loss that lasts forever.
• Damage to your ears. Loud sounds can hurt or destroy the inner ear’s sensory hair cells. Once hurt, the hair cells do not grow back. Scientists once thought that loud noises damage the hair cells by the pure force of the loud sound vibrations. Recent studies, however, have found that loud noise causes molecules (called free radicals) to kill the hair cells. In either case, the verdict is in: turn down your music and protect your hearing!

You can stop hearing loss from noise pollution. It is 100 percent preventable. To protect your hearing:

• Know which noises can cause damage (those at or above 85 decibels)
• Turn your music down, especially when using headphones
• Wear earplugs or proper earmuffs when involved in a loud activity (special earplugs and earmuffs are available at hardware and sporting goods stores)
• Be alert to loud noise in your environment
• Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own
• Make your family and friends aware of the dangers of noise pollution
• If you think you have hearing loss, see your doctor or nurse. You should have a medical exam by an otolaryngologist (say: OH-toh-lar-in-goll-oh-jist) (a doctor who works on the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck) and a hearing test by an audiologist (say: AW-dee-oh-ol-og-jist) (someone who tests and helps people with hearing loss).

The sun is a star. It is the source of light and heat for all of the planets in our solar system. The sun releases energy that reaches all the way to earth.

It's fun to play in the sun, but did you know that too much sun can be bad for you? If you ever had sunburn, you have felt some of the bad effects of too much sun and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Have you ever wondered how this happens? Well, it has a lot to do with the ozone layer.

What is the ozone layer?

The ozone (say: OH-zone) layer is gas in the sky, very high up, that acts as a screen to absorb most harmful UV radiation. The thickness of the ozone layer depends on the time of year and changing weather patterns. The ozone layer is very thin in some places because of some man-made chemicals released into the sky. These chemicals eat away at the ozone layer and make it thinner. When the ozone layer is too thin, UV rays can get through all the way to the earth. Too many UV rays can cause health problems for people. Learn more about the health problems caused by UV ray.

UV levels

The levels of UV radiation here on earth depend on many things:

• How much ozone is in an area – If the ozone layer is thin, more UV rays can get through.
• Time of day – At noon, the sun is at its highest in our sky. The sun’s rays have a shorter distance to travel to the earth at this time. That is why you are more likely to get sunburned in the middle of the day. In the early morning and late evening, UV radiation is less strong because the rays have farther to travel to get to the earth.
• Time of year – The sun’s angle varies with the seasons, so the strength of UV rays change, too. UV rays are strongest in the summer months.
• Latitude – The sun’s rays are strongest at the equator where the sun is most directly overhead. This is why in southern states, like Florida or Texas, you may be more likely to get sunburned than in northern states like Maine. (But you still need to wear sunscreen in Maine!)
• Altitude – UV rays get stronger the closer you are to the sun. This is because there is less atmosphere to absorb the damaging rays. Be careful when you are in the mountains, or in a high-altitude city (like Denver, Colorado)! The UV rays are strong up there.
• Weather conditions – Cloud cover lowers UV levels, but not all the way. Depending on the thickness of the clouds, it is possible to get sunburned on a cloudy day. Even if it doesn’t feel warm or seem bright, you could still get a sunburn!

What is the UV Index?

The UV Index tells you how strong the sun’s rays will be each day. It is calculated by a computer based on different things like weather and time of year.

The UV Index predicts UV levels on a 1 to 11+ scale in the following way:

The higher the UV Index forecast, the stronger the sun will be. The stronger the sun is, the greater the need for you to protect yourself from it with sunscreen or shade.

Some medications cause serious sun sensitivity, like medicines used to treat acne. This means you can get a sunburn very easily if you are taking medicine like this. The UV Index is not intended for use by people with serious sun-sensitivity. Talk to your doctor about extra steps you can take to protect yourself if you take a medicine that makes you sensitive to the sun.

How did the ozone layer get too thin in places?

Until the late 1990s, chloroflurocarbons (say: KLOR-oh-FLOOR-oh-car-bons), or CFCs, and other chemicals were used all around the world. CFCs move up into the air after they are used and break apart the ozone layer. This thinning of the ozone layer is one of the issues that people are concerned about when they talk about global warming. Countries around the world, including the United States, have noticed the problms caused by the thinning of the ozone layer and have agreed to stop using substances that break down the ozone layer.

Most people know that too much sun has been linked to skin cancer. But did you know that there are other effects on your health from too much sun besides skin cancer? If you know about the risks, you will be better able to protect yourself and enjoy the sun safely. Learn more about how to protect yourself from the sun!

Too much UV radiation from the sun can cause all of these health issues:

• Melanoma
• Nonmelanoma skin cancers
• Actinic keratoses
• Early aging of the skin
• Cataracts and other eye damage
• Problems with the immune system

Melanoma

What about Vitamin D? Doesn't it come from the sun?

You may have heard that the sun helps people make vitamin D, and that many people may not get enough vitamin D. Ask your doctor if you need to get more vitamin D from your diet or in the form of a supplement. Some people may also benefit from brief exposure to the sun. Keep important sun safety tips in mind, though. Ask your doctor how best to protect your skin and get enough of this important vitamin.

Melanoma (say: mell-ah-NOH-ma) is the most serious form of skin cancer. Many scientists think there is a link between childhood sunburns and melanoma later in life. Melanoma starts when cells on the skin start growing uncontrollably. They can develop suddenly and without warning. They can develop from or near a mole on your skin. For this reason, it is important to know the appearance and location of the moles on your body so you see any change. Be aware of any unusual skin rashes, or of any change in the color or size of a mole, and talk to your doctor or nurse about it. Finding a melanoma early can save your life! Check your skin each month for new or changing moles.

Nonmelanoma skin cancers

Nonmelanoma (say: non-mell-ah-NOH-ma) skin cancers are not as serious as melanoma. However, they can still cause health problems and need to be treated by a doctor. There are two kinds:

• Basal cell carcinomas – these are small tumors on the skin that look like small fleshy bumps
• Squamous cell carcinomas – these are small tumors on the skin that might appear as red, scaly patches

Actinic keratoses

Actinic keratoses (say: ack-TIN-ick ker-ah-TOE-sees) are growths on the skin caused by the sun. They are usually found on the face, hands, forearms, and the “V” of the neck. They are usually rough and scaly. See a doctor right away if you notice these growths.

Early aging of the skin

We often get the message that tanned skin is youthful and healthy. Isn’t it funny, though, that tanning your skin is the fastest way to look old and wrinkled? Being in the sun — or sitting in a tanning bed — without proper protection causes the skin to become thick, wrinkled, and leathery. This occurs slowly, and doesn’t show up for many years. However, with proper protection from UV radiation, you can keep your young-looking skin for a long time. You can learn more about the effects of tanning in the Body section of girlshealth.gov.

Cataracts and other eye damage

Cataracts (say: CAT-ah-racts) are a kind of eye damage that cause cloudy vision. If they are not treated, a person could lose their sight. UV radiation can cause some kinds of cataracts.

Problems with the immune system

Your immune system protects your body from germs and bad bacteria. White blood cells are an important part of your immune system. Scientists have found that sunburn can harm white blood cells for up to 24 hours after being in the sun. Lots of time in UV radiation — from the sun or a tanning bed — might cause long-lasting damage to the body’s immune system. Mild sunburns can stop the immune system from working the right way in people of all skin types.

Who is at risk?

Too much UV radiation can cause serious health effects for everyone, but not everyone has the same amount of risk. For example, you may be at greater risk of skin cancer if your skin always burns, or burns easily, and if you have blond or red hair, or blue, green, or grey eyes. Other things that increase your risk for skin cancer include:

• A history of blistering sunburns in early childhood
• Many moles
• A family history of skin cancer
• Spending a lot of time outdoors without sun protection

However, even if you don’t have these increased risk factors, you can still get skin cancer. And everyone, no matter what their skin type, is at risk of eye damage from the sun.

Staying safe from the sun and UV radiation is easy if you follow the steps below every day!

• Avoid sunburns. Five or more sunburns double your risk of developing skin cancer.
• Avoid sun tanning and tanning beds. UV light from tanning beds and the sun cause skin cancer and make your skin look wrinkled. If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, think about using a self-tanning lotion. Remember that you still need to use sunscreen, even if you use a self-tanning lotion!
• Apply lots of sunscreen. Use sunscreen on all exposed skin. Your sunscreen should have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Your sunscreen should protect you from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating. Do not forget to apply sunscreen to your lips, ears, feet, hands, bald spots or a part in your hair, and the back of the neck. Also, apply it under bathing suit straps, necklaces, bracelets, and sunglasses. You should put on one ounce of sunscreen every two hours — one ounce is about the size of a ping pong ball. Use more if you are swimming or sweating. A small tube containing three to five ounces of sunscreen might only be enough for one person during a day at the beach.
• Wear protective clothing. Put on a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses when possible.
• Wear sunglasses. Wearing sunglasses protects your eyes from harmful UV rays when outdoors. Choose sunglasses with 99 to 100 percent UVA and UVB protection, to block both forms of ultraviolet rays.
• Sit in the shade. Remember that the sun’s UV rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Try to stay in the shade if you are outside during these times.
• Be careful near water, snow, and sand. Water, snow, and sand can reflect the damaging rays of the sun and increase your chance of sunburn.
• Watch the UV Index.The UV Index provides important information that can help you plan your outdoor activities to avoid getting too much of the sun’s rays. You can learn more about the UV Index in the Sun section of girlshealth.gov. Also, you can check the UV Index on most weather websites or at the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Get Vitamin D safely. Vitamin D is an important vitamin that our bodies make when we are out in the sun. But there are other ways to get vitamin D without being in the sun. You can get vitamin D through fortified milk and orange juice, cheese, butter, cereals, and fish. You can also get vitamin D through vitamin supplements. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have questions about vitamin D.
• Avoid tanning oils. They do not protect you from the sun, and may increase the chances that you will get a sunburn.
• Tanning does not ‘protect’ your skin from sunburn. You may have heard that building up a ‘base tan’ before going to the beach will protect you from sunburn. But this is not true! A tan is a sign of damaged skin. It does not protect you from getting a sunburn.

What is SPF?

So what is the sun protection factor (SPF), anyway? You probably hear about it all the time, but never gave much thought to what it means. The SPF tells the relative amount of sun protection that a sunscreen will give you when used the right way. Sunscreens protect your skin by absorbing and/or reflecting UVA and UVB rays.

All sunscreens in the United States must have an SPF label. Sunscreens with an SPF of at least 15 are recommended. You should know that an SPF of 30 is not two times more protective than an SPF of 15. Instead, when used the right way, an SPF of 15 protects the skin from 93 percent of UVB radiation and an SPF of 30 protects you from 97 percent of UVB rays.

Although the SPF rating on sunscreen is for UVB rays only, many kinds of sunscreens also include ingredients that protect from UVA rays as well. These are called “broad-spectrum” sunscreens and they are highly recommended! Check your sunscreen to see if it is broad-spectrum.

How can I get tan without the sun?

Sunless tanners and bronzers can give you a temporary tan without the sun. Sometimes different areas of the skin can color unevenly. Remember to always wash your hands after applying tanning lotion! The lotion can stain your hands.

You might not give much thought to water or how it gets to you. You just turn on the faucet and there it is.

Do you ever wonder how it flows from your faucet? And have you ever stopped to think about whether or not it is clean? For most people in the United States, this isn’t an issue. You can usually fill up a glass from the tap and drink it down without concern that it might make you sick.

Your water can come from a lake, a river, a reservoir, or a well. Wherever it comes from, it starts from a watershed. A watershed is the land area that drains into a single body of water (like a lake) or to groundwater (the fresh water found under the Earth’s surface that supplies wells and springs). Everything that happens in the watershed, and from the water source to your tap, affects the quality of your water. In order to have clean water to drink, we must keep the watershed clean.

The following things can make your water dirty and unsafe for drinking and/or swimming:

• Natural events. Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, or landslides can cause dirt to get into our drinking water.
• Pesticides and fertilizers. Americans use 67 million pounds of pesticides to keep our lawns free of weeds and bugs. These chemicals may be washed into our water supply.
• Lead pipes. Lead can cause health problems for people, especially babies, children, and pregnant women. Lead gets into drinking water from the pipes that carry the water in some cities and older homes.
• Animal or human waste. If animal or human feces (say: fee-sees) gets into the drinking water, you could get very sick.
• Littering. Some things, like batteries, should not be thrown into the trash. They should be recycled. Otherwise, the chemicals in the batteries can get into the watershed. Other things that should not be flushed down the toilet, dumped down the drain, or just put out with the regular trash are electronics, paints, cleaners, unused medicines, motor oil, and certain lightbulbs.
• Algae blooms. Too much harmful algae (say: AL-jay) in freshwater or seawater can make beaches unsafe for people. Algae are very small plants that are usually in the water, made up of one cell, and lack true stems, roots, and leaves.
• Spills and accidents. Industrial accidents like oil spills can pollute our water sources and harm fish and wildlife.

Drinking dirty water can hurt your health. Learn more about the health effects of polluted water. You can also learn more about how to protect yourself from water pollution!

Dirty water can make you sick. You probably already know that. But do you know the many different ways polluted water can make you ill? Drinking or swimming in unclean water can cause:

• Vomiting or diarrhea
• A sick stomach
• Skin rashes
• Cancer (Some kinds of cancer, like leukemia, can happen after drinking bad water for a long period of time)
• Reproductive problems (Some kinds of reproductive problems, like infertility, can happen after drinking polluted water for a long period of time)
• Developmental problems (Some kinds of learning disabilities can happen after drinking dirty water for a long period of time)

What do these words mean?

Aquifer (say: ACK-kwi-fur): An aquifer is the sand, soil, and gravel underground where groundwater stays.

Nitrates (say: nye-TRAYTS): Nitrates can be found in water. Too many nitrates can harm babies and make it hard for their bodies to carry oxygen.

What if I have special health needs?

Adults and kids who have HIV/AIDS, are getting chemotherapy, take steroids, or who have weak immune systems may be more likely to get sick from dirty drinking water. If you or someone you know is like this, talk to your doctor or nurse to find out if you need to do something special, like boiling your tap water or using a filter. Boiling water will kill bacteria in the water. A filter will take out chemicals that may be in the water.

Young children are especially likely to get sick from certain kinds of water pollution. Lead is a special concern for young children. If you have a young brother or sister, or if you babysit, there are some things you can do to protect very young children from lead poisoning.

If you are using tap water to make baby formula or for drinking and cooking, use the coldest water you can. Let it run for a minute or more if the water hasn’t been turned on within the last six hours. If you know that there is lead or nitrates in the tap water at your house or where you babysit, talk to a doctor or nurse about using a different water source (like bottled water) for drinking and cooking.

Should I be worried about my tap water?

For the most part, no! Your drinking water is probably very safe and clean to drink. Remember: the United States has one of the safest water supplies in the world. Although drinking water often picks up low levels of some pollution as it flows in rivers and collects in aquifers (say: AC-kwi-fers), these things are usually not harmful. And if water does get polluted, water suppliers must tell you right away.

Still, there are things you can do to help protect yourself against getting sick from water. It’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of our earth’s most important resource: water.

There are a lot of things you can do to help protect yourself and others from water pollution! Some of these things will help keep our water supply clean. Others will help you stay healthy. Read over these things with a parent, grandparent, or teacher and talk about what kinds of things you will do in your house and community.

1. Recycle your batteries and other harmful trash (like paint). Batteries may pollute lakes and streams. This pollution hurts the fish and wildlife that live in the lakes and streams. Instead of throwing your batteries out with your household trash, find out how your community recycles batteries and other harmful trash.
2. Don’t drink water directly from a pond, creek, stream, river, or lake. Imagine a nice summer day when you are walking in the woods with some friends. Maybe you are even going camping. You come upon a river and you are very, very thirsty. It’s a hot day. Should you take a drink from the river water? No! Never! Even though you are in the woods, and the water looks clean, it’s very likely that bacteria live in the water. The bacteria can make you very sick. Be sure to only drink water from a clean source, like your faucet at home or bottled water. A camping filter or iodine tablets can be used to make outdoor water clean enough to drink if you don’t have clean water with you.
3. Get your water tested. If your home uses a well for drinking water, ask an adult to have it tested every year by a laboratory. The lab can check to make sure there is no pollution in your well. If you don’t have a well, ask an adult to have the water supplier test the water. You can also buy kits to test your water at a local hardware store.
4. Be alert for local beach closings. Sometimes beaches need to be closed because of water pollution. If your local beach is closed, don’t sneak in and go swimming anyway. You could get very sick.
5. Take used motor oil to a recycling center. Are you old enough to drive? Or do you ever help your mom or dad change the oil on their car? If you do, remember that you can’t just throw the dirty oil away. Never wash it down a sink, and never dump it in a storm drain. Used motor oil must be recycled.
6. Find out what your community is doing to protect your water source and get involved. Perhaps your community cleans up a local stream a few times a year. You could help! Check with local leaders to see what you can do to make a difference for our earth.
7. Filter and/or boil your water if needed. If you know that there are dangerous things in your water like bacteria, lead, or chlorine, you should filter and/or boil your water. A filter will take out some chemicals to make the water cleaner. Read the filter package carefully to see what chemicals it will remove. An adult can help you with this. You should boil your drinking water if you know that it has bacteria in it. Boiling water will kill the bacteria. Boiling water will not remove things like lead and nitrates, though.
8. Use cold water for drinking and cooking. Always run your tap on the coldest setting when cooking. Cold water is less likely to have lead in it.
9. Don’t litter and don’t flush things down the toilet that don’t belong there. Litter and medicines can end up in your drinking water if they are flushed down the toilet.

Green living is living in a way that helps take care of the earth. It also means using only what you really need of the earth’s resources. For example, do you like to take long showers? Or do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth? Both long showers and leaving the faucet running waste our earth’s water.

Sometimes, depending on where you live, it may seem like there is an endless supply of water and so it doesn’t really matter how much you use. But this isn’t true. The water supply isn’t endless because not all water is clean water. You can practice green living by taking shorter showers (set a timer for 5 minutes) and by turning off the tap when you brush your teeth.

Here are some easy ways you can reduce pollution and protect the environment.

• Reuse shopping bags. Carry your own bag and use it over and over again. Many stores sell cute bags that you can use for shopping so you don’t have to take a plastic bag from the store. If you have plastic bags at home, don’t throw them away. Some stores will collect these bags for recycling.
• Buy products with less packaging. When you buy things that have less packaging, you are keeping garbage out of the landfills. For example, instead of buying a box of crackers that holds eight little bags of crackers inside, buy a box that doesn’t split the crackers up into little bags. Take the time to make your own portions in a reusable bowl at home, and save the extra garbage from polluting the earth!
• Use less water. Do you need to get your car washed? Many car washes actually recycle wash water, and so use less water to wash your car than if you washed it with your hose at home. Ask your car wash if they do this. Did you just blow your nose? Don’t flush the tissue down the toilet! Just put it in the trash. No need to waste several gallons of water just to throw away a used tissue.
• Turn off electricity and unplug computers when you are not using them. Many appliances — like DVD players, coffee makers, and TVs — still use a small amount of power even when they are switched off. In the average home, 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics and appliances is used while the products are turned off!
• Buy recycled products. When you use a piece of paper, you are using a natural resource from the earth. If you use a recycled piece of paper, you are protecting our trees and water.
• Plant a tree. Planting a tree can have many benefits! It can provide shade. It can stop erosion (say: ee-ROH-shun). (Erosion is when soil washes away.) Trees help keep the air clean and they make oxygen that we can breathe.
• Tell your community leaders how you feel about the environment. Make your voice heard! You can start with leaders at your school.
• Start a compost pile. Compost is made from things like grass, clean paper, and vegetables (among other things). As it breaks down, it turns into a dark-brown material called humus (say: HEW-muss) that is good for growing plants. There are many things that are thrown into the trash that could be composted, instead. Talk with your science teacher about how to make a compost pile — it could be a fun project that helps the earth!

Getting your parents involved

You probably don’t get to make all the decisions in your house. Most girls still count on their parents, grandparents, or guardians to do the shopping and keep the house running. In order to practice green living, you will need to talk to your parents about some of the ideas up above.

Remember: your mom or dad have been doing things one way for a much longer time than you have been! When they were growing up, shoppers took a bag from each store they visited. Each purchase meant a new bag. Convincing your mom or dad to keep reusable bags in the car for shopping trips may take a little bit of effort on your part. But talking to adults about the environment, and helping them to make changes that will better the earth, is all part of green living. There are lots of things that adults can learn from teens! And your parents will like the ideas about using less water and unplugging electric appliances because it could save them money.