M3.5 Transportation

My personal experience regarding transportation is the fact that I have to go through heavy traffic every morning to get to work and every afternoon when it’s time to go home. Also, since starting my graduate program at USF, I have a pretty long drive to and back from the Presidio campus at least once a week and sometimes twice a week. And if you add to that the heavy traffic in San Francisco, it is not a pleasant weekly experience whenever I have to go to class right after a long day at work from San Jose. I think everyone can relate to this and the fact that this can lead to fatigue and weariness as an implication to my health. Sometime, I would feel really sleepy while driving but had to keep myself awake and alert by all mean necessary in order to keep others and myself safe. However, when looking at heavy traffic in terms of how it can affect my community and the air quality, I instantly think of the how the heavy traffic we face every day is increasing our exposure to traffic-related air pollution that can cause respiratory conditions and cardiovascular disease. This reminds me of a charter elementary school that I’ve recently been to for work. The school is located right next to the busy highway and in the middle of a very crowded neighborhood. The fact that these young kids are being exposed to high level of air pollution due to heavy traffic every day for 8 hours long is devastating. Who knows that kinds of adverse health effects these kids would get after just a couple of years attending the school by breathing in so much carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and volatile organic compounds? 

Comments

  1. Environmentally Healthy MayraSeptember 25, 2017 at 11:29 AM

    Hi Nha,
    I definitely emphatize with you on the long commute I experience the same thing you do you daily except coming from Fairfield. Driving definitely has implications to our health because it further promotes sedentary lifestyle risks. When we think about it? We are spending so much of our time either sitting down at work or in class with the addition of sitting in traffic. I am sorry to hear about the air quality surrounding the school you work with. Our most vulnerable population's health should be prioritized better when creating this roadways or when deciding where to place the school.

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  2. Krissy PamatmatSeptember 26, 2017 at 7:25 PM

    Hi Nha,

    I'm so sorry to hear about your long and tiring commute. I think driving and taking the public transportation both have negative health effects. Furthermore, I agree that the location of the school near a busy highway is not healthy for children. The children might develop asthma because of air pollution. The government need to address these environmental health problems in the community to improve people's health especially the health of the children.

    - Krissy

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  3. Environmental Health MusingsSeptember 30, 2017 at 10:41 PM

    Hi Nha,

    I can definitely relate to you on a long and tiring commute, I commute from Union City to SF. Driving does have negative health effects on the driver and on the community as whole. As you mentioned, there are schools nearby the charter school you used to work for, meaning these kids are being exposed to fumes from traffic. Is that charter school located in a neighborhood with low socioeconomic status? Just wondering since many studies show schools near freeways tend to be in areas of low SES and often end up being minority communities.

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