Environmental Health Quiz
Environmental Health Quiz
Question 1: Which of the following is found to have the least amount of pesticide?
A: Strawberries
B: Broccoli
C: Apples
D: Potatoes
Answer
Question 2: True or False? Canned chunk light tuna has three times more mercury than the more expensive canned "white" albacore tuna.
Answer
Question 3: Which term means chicken has not been fed antibiotics?
A: Natural
B: Organic
C: Free-range
D: None of the above
Answer
Question 4: True or False? Cheap sunglasses protect your eyes as well as expensive sunglasses.
Answer
Question 5: True or False? Antibacterial soap cleans your skin better than other soaps.
Answer
Question 6: True or False? A healthy way to get your Omega-3 fatty acids (which are known to help prevent heart disease, among other health benefits) is to eat a lot of Atlantic farmed salmon.
Answer
Question 7: True or False? The hard plastic "camping" bottles, also know as polycarbonate, are safer to re-use than the softer plastic pre-filled water bottles.
Answer
Bonus: You are at the grocery store and are asked "Paper or plastic?" What should your reply be?
Answer
Additional Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/ (Question 5)
National Resource Defense Council http://www.nrdc.org/ (Questions 2 and 6)
Child Proofing Our Communities http://www.childproofing.org/
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment http://healthandenvironment.org/
American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics http://www.safecosmetics.org (Question 5)
Guide to Sunglasses http://www.glaucoma.org/ (Question 4)
Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is found to have the least amount of pesticide?
Answer: B - Broccoli
You may have guessed potatoes because they grow underground. However, a lot of pesticides are used on the plant, and soak into the ground and potatoes. They then distribute into our water. Some fruits and vegetables are more naturally resistant to pests, such as broccoli. Produce highest in pesticides include: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, and strawberries (which absorb the pesticide.) Whenever possible, try to buy organic. Produce lowest in pesticides include: asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn (sweet), kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples and peas (sweet).
Question 2: True or False? Canned chunk light tuna has three times more mercury than the more expensive canned "white" albacore tuna.
Answer: False.
The more expensive "white" albacore tuna has three times more mercury than chunk light. Too much mercury can cause irreversible neurologic effects and even kidney damage. A baby should have no more than one can of chunk light tuna every three weeks, a 60 lb child not more than once per week, and a 150 lb adult not more than every three days.
Question 3: Which term means chicken has not been fed antibiotics?
Answer: D - None of the above.
The word "natural" on any label means nothing! Organic means the chickens have been fed pesticide-free food. Free range means the chicken is allowed to be out of a cage for part of its life. The label must clearly state that there are no antibiotics used in raising the chickens. Antibiotics used in livestock causes resistance to the drugs we need to treat infections, and can have adverse effects on the people consuming animal products.
Question 4: True or False? Cheap sunglasses protect your eyes as well as expensive sunglasses.
Answer: True
The cost, color or polarization of sunglasses has nothing to do with UV protection. Always choose sunglasses that are labeled as blocking 99-100% of UV rays. Sunglasses that are ANSI approved meet high standards for lens quality and safety. Wraparounds offer added protection. UV rays contribute to the formation of cataracts, macular degeneration, and eyelid cancers.
Question 5: True or False? Antibacterial soap cleans your skin better than other soaps.
Answer: False
Antibacterial soap does not clean your skin better than other soaps, nor does it prevent the spread of infection any better, proven by a study done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.) When the chemical Triclosan, found in antibacterial soap and cleaners, mixes with tap water it produces Chloroform, which has been shown to cause cancer in humans. The CDC and AMA recommend not using "anti-bacterial" soaps, and will be outlawing them in the next two years. Also be aware there are potentially harmful chemical ingredients in many cosmetics.
Question 6: True or False? True or False? A healthy way to get your Omega-3 fatty acids (which are known to help prevent heart disease, among other health benefits) is to eat a lot of Atlantic farmed salmon.
Answer: False
Atlantic farmed salmon may contain PCBs, chemicals with serious long-term health effects. One such pollutant is dioxin, which is known to cause cancer in humans. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) advises that farmed salmon not be eaten more than once per month. Wild Pacific salmon should not be consumed at more than one meal per week. Only the least contaminated (and sustainable,) Alaskan wild salmon, can be safely eaten for up to 4 meals/week. Other good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include flax seed oil, green leafy vegetables, walnuts, eggs, and sesame seeds.
Question 7: True or False? The hard plastic "camping" bottles, also know as polycarbonate, are safer to re-use than the softer plastic pre-filled water bottles.
Answer: False
Plastic #7, used in most baby bottles, re-usable camping bottles and plastic barware, is made of polycarbonate plastic bisphenol-A, which leaches out as bottles age, or are heated. Bisphenol-A is a synthetic chemical which mimics estrogen and can have a variety of harmful effects in the body. Plastics numbered 1, 2, 4, and 5 (pre-filled water bottles, toddlers' "sippy cups") are safer as they don't leach chemicals into your drinks unless washed in hot water or are otherwise heated (e.g. by the sun.) A "microwave-safe" label on plastic containers only means that they shouldn't melt, crack or fall apart when used in the microwave. These labels do not guarantee that containers don't leach chemicals into foods when heated. Glass and ceramic dishes (not hand painted) are safe choices for microwaving and heating food.
Bonus: You are at the grocery store and are asked "paper or plastic"? What should your answer be?
Answer: Neither! Reuse a cloth bag, and keep some in the car. Many stores even offer a small refund for using your own bag.
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Last reviewed: November 2007