Identifying Needed Antibodies in an Urban Environment

an·ti·bod·y

ˈantiˌbädē/

noun

plural noun: antibodies

1. a blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. Antibodies combine chemically with substances that the body recognizes as alien, such as bacteria, viruses, and foreign substances in the blood. 

Let's parlay our knowledge of what an antibody is into a new context; how can we identify the "alien" component in our urban environment to improve them?

When you wake up in the morning, what are your first thoughts?
For many of us, we are flooded with a desire to continue sleeping and to stay comfortable in bed, however, often our responsibilities drag us out of bed.

Our bodies have adapted around the Earth's natural circadian rhythms, our wakefulness is directly related to how much light is in our immediate environment. Several researchers have found that natural light in our homes helps us fall asleep and wake up at the same time the sun rises and falls. Other studies have found that natural light in a hospital can help the patient's mental attitude, as well as quicken the healing process, in some instances.

I've always been an early riser,  and actually enjoy waking up at 7:00 or 7:30am. That is, until I moved into my most recent apartment. My bedroom now doesn't have a window that allows natural light to come through, it opens to a hallway. My normal sleep schedule has fluctuated dramatically, I can sleep much longer, and wake up with little intuitive sense regarding the time. I can personally testify that not having natural light flooding into my room in the mornings makes me feel slightly off.

When we explore our urban environments, and observe people interacting within them, there is something about natural lighting that people always gravitate towards; perhaps this may be for a reason? Design that incorporates natural lighting may be a small, often overlooked feature that can positively influence peoples' lives in urban environments.

In this case, florescent lighting may be the alien that needs to be remedied into something else...

Visit for an more information about natural light benefits in the workplace:
( http://www.medicaldaily.com/natural-light-exposure-improves-employee-health-workers-tend-exercise-and-sleep-better-297666 )

As we look to identify more potential health hazards in our urban environment, lets start at the breakfast table. 

What do you eat for breakfast?

In most first world countries we have an abundance of different types of foods, even if these are fresh foods its common that they are packaged or cloaked in plastic. Many of these plastics contain BPA or DEHP, amongst others, which are found to be harmful to human health for having endocrine disrupting properties.

These nicely wrapped foods are also an obvious offender when it comes to the natural environment. A way in which we could mitigate our environmental impact, and improve our health while sitting at our breakfast tables would be to try to limit the plastic packaging that comes along with each trip to the grocery store. We can also try to only purchase items that come in a type plastic that our local recycling stations can rekindle into something new, and of use again.

Alien #2: Plastic, plastic, and more plastic.



For more information visit:
 ( https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/ )

Isn't it amazing to think about the distance our vegetables and fruits must travel to get to our plates? When we try to purchase local foods, and especially those that are in season, we eliminate the fossil fuels usually burned to transport them.

Here in Salt Lake City, we have a nasty, gnarly inversion season. We've got the perfect combination of factors working against our cause, the first being the natural geographic basin that we reside in traps pollution in the valley when temperatures drop. Because of this, we are ranked as the city with the 6th worse air quality in the States.



When we think about how our actions impact our own health, as well as the health of others, perhaps we will gradually adopt more sustainable consumption habits...  And having a diet that doesn't require polluting your air, or your neighbors for that matter, may become more attractive to you.

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What can you identify in your environment that could be better for your health and the environment?