5 Questions
What is the main focus of the given text?
The moral implications of involuntary exposure to environmental hazards
Which of the following statements is true?
Some environmental hazards are difficult to avoid without societal action
Which of the following examples is given in the text as an environmental hazard that outrages people?
Being forced to passively breathe in tobacco smoke in restaurants
What is considered more morally egregious in many countries?
Environmental hazards that require societal action to mitigate
What is the primary factor mentioned in the text for how change (risk reduction) happens regarding environmental hazards?
The moral implications of involuntary exposure
Study Notes
Environmental Hazards
- Environmental hazards encompass biological, physical, chemical, and human behavioral factors that promote or allow exposure.
- Some environmental contaminants are difficult to avoid, such as:
- Breathing polluted air
- Drinking chemically contaminated public drinking water
- Noise in open public spaces
- Exposure to these hazards is often involuntary.
Societal Action and Moral Responsibility
- Reduction or elimination of environmental hazards may require societal action, including:
- Public awareness
- Public health measures
- In many countries, unavoidable environmental hazards are considered more morally egregious than those that can be avoided.
- Examples of unjust environmental hazards include:
- Being forced to drink water contaminated with high levels of arsenic
- Passively breathing in tobacco smoke in restaurants
Risk Reduction and Change
- The distinction between avoidable and unavoidable environmental hazards is important when considering how change (risk reduction) occurs.
Test your knowledge on environmental hazards, contaminants, and human behaviors that contribute to exposure. Explore the involuntary exposure to pollutants like air pollution, chemically contaminated water, and noise in public spaces. Learn about societal actions needed to reduce these risks through public health measures and awareness.
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