International Environment and Health Fall 2012 Instructor: L. Venkatachalam Contact Information: venkatmids@gmail.com Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday- during office hours Office: Class: Tue 09.00 -12.00 Course Objective: This course aims at introducing importance concepts and issues of international environmental health. The classroom discussion will cover the inter-disciplinary nature of environmental health, interaction between environmental system and human wellbeing, sources and types of environmental pollution (water pollution, air pollution, toxic pollution, e-waste, pesticide pollution, solid waste, indoor air pollution, etc), direct and indirect impacts of environment on human health, measurement of environmental impact on human health within a benefit-cost framework, science and international health policies and emerging global environmental health problems. In order to illustrate the concepts and measurement issues, a significant number of country case studies will be discussed in the class room. The students will also carry out case studies on specific environmental issues. Class Schedule: Week 01 (09/17~): Introduction to International Environment and Health Week 02 (09/24~): Inter-disciplinary nature of environmental health Week 03 (10/01~): Interaction between environmental system and human wellbeing Week 04 Sources and types of environmental pollution - water (10/08~): pollution, air pollution Week 05 (10/15): Sources and types of environmental pollution -toxic pollution, e-waste, pesticide pollution, solid waste, indoor air pollution, etc Week 06 (10/22~): Benefit-Cost Analysis and Health Impact Week 07 (10/29~): First In-Class Exam Week 08 Measurement of Health Impact: Revealed Preference (11/05~): Methods Week 09 (11/12~): Economic Valuation of Health Impact: Stated Preference Methods Week 10 (11/19~): 11/19-11/23 Midterm exam week Week 11 (11/26~): Case Studies on Measuring Health Impacts Week 12 (12/03~): Science and International Health Policies Week 13 (12/10~): Environmental Governance and Health Week 14 (12/17~): Emerging Global Environmental Health Problems Week 15 (12/24~): Case Studies on International Environment and Health Week 16 (12/31~): 1/1 New year’s day, campus closed Week 17 (01/07~): Second In-Class Exam Week 18 1/11-1/17 Final exam week (01/14~): 1/21 Winter vacation begins Grading: We will have bi-monthly homework assignments (25%), two (2) in-class exams (25%, 25% of each), one (1) term paper (25%): 1. Homework Assignments: There will be 5 assignments to make the students familiar with important topics on international environment and health. The assignment will have to be submitted before 15th and 30th of every month. 2. The two in-class exams will be conducted in the ninth and seventeenth weeks, respectively. 3. Term paper: The student is free to choose the topic for the term paper, in consultation with the instructor. The term paper should not exceed 8000 words including bibliography, footnotes, graphs and tables. This paper is due by January 15, 2013. References: Blumenthal, D. S., and Ruttenber, A. J. (1995). Introduction to Environmental Health. Second Edition. New York: Springer. Moeller, D. W. (1997). Environmental Health (Revised ed.). Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Nadakavukaren, Anne (2011). Our Global Environment: A Health Perspective, 7th Ed., Waveland Press, Prospect Heights, Illinois. Yassi, A., Kjellstrom, T., de Kok, T., Guidotti, T. L. (2001). Basic Environmental Health. New York: Oxford University Press. Note: Additional Reading Materials will be supplied in the class room.