I'm David Dyjack, executive director of the National Environmental Health Association. AMA about environmental health and how it affects you.

If you had to pick one thing that each person could do in their every day lives to make an impact towards a healthier environment, what would it be?

I believe it is an attitude versus a specific thing. Having said that, eating lower on the food chain, that is, primarily a vegetarian diet, is very helpful all around in that less fossil fuels, antibiotics and waste products are produced.

Mr. Dyjack; as someone who likely will never become a vegetarian (except by necessity), is spending my food dollars on sustainably/ethically raised animal products actually impactful in any meaningful way? Or is it simply an industry pacifier that I'm fortunate enough to pay for?

You guys are asking some tough questions. I believe there is a "normal" distribution of ethics among the producers. I am not vegetarian, and at the same time try to eat a plant-based diet when ever I can control myself, and consume ethically harvested and raised animal products. An ideal approach is to be a "locavore", eat food raised locally, then you will know for certain the practices of the growers.

Serious question; should I recycle?

Serious answer, it is better to "reduce" than "recycle". Recycling can generate its own set of environmental challenges, which are absent if we live thoughtful lives. For example, bottled water. We can recycle those plastic bottles although it would be better for the environment and more cost efficient to simply drink tap water from a reusable container.

What advice do you have for someone graduating in Environmental, Health and Safety soon?

Thanks for your question. While you need to be technically proficient, ensure your writing and presentation skills are top shelf. Consider being active in the local chapter of your professional association, and secure certification in your chosen professional domain.

Hello, how has the environment changed over the last 20 or so years? and where do you see things go into the future?

We are headed into an era of ecosystem fragmentation, which will give rise to the next generation of zoonotic and vectorborne diseases, such as Ebola and Lyme disease. I encourage readers to familiarize themselves with the 1-Health movement.

Hi Dave! Thanks for doing this! I've always been interested in environmental health and especially food safety and sustainable food processes. What tips could you give someone who is looking to start working in this field?

Hi - there is plenty of opportunity in the EH field, as long as you are willing to move to a new state or community. Think outside your local region. If you are in school, intern with an employer that you might desire to work for in the future. Finally, attend local professional meetings as they often announce job opportunities after the meal.

I recently graduated with a Bachelors degree in Public Health from an accredited university and am having trouble finding a job. The environmental courses that I took were some of the most intriguing and were definitely some of my favorite parts of the curriculum. How did you get your career started in this field, and what advice do you have for someone who is wanting to get his or her foot in the door for this line of work?

Thanks for the opportunity to address this question. I do have recommendations. First, consider work at a local health department. Virtually every health department has an environmental health program, and health officials have told me they are having trouble recruiting a qualified workforce. Consider relocating to mid-America for a while (away from the coastal states). Finally, consider the CDC PHAP program, designed for individuals who have bachelors degree and want to gain experience.

Hi Dave! A friend of mine argues that individuals reducing their use of resources pales in comparison to companies and corporations, and therefore it is not worth an individual's efforts. My question is, what do you think is most needed, individuals reducing their impact (and if so- how should we go about encouraging this) or larger corporations reducing their impact? Thanks so much for doing this!

Companies and corporations respond to you the consumer. Vote with your pocketbook and use your purchasing "vote" by supporting companies that are aligned with your values. Companies are sensitive to "wasted" resources, and are always looking to reduce their exposure to bad press and cost of inefficiency.

How does environmental health affect me?

There is a reciprocal relationship between you and your environment. Think about it, you likely woke up indoors where the air you breathed was cleaned by an HVAC filter, presumably flushed body wastes down the toilet, you washed (I hope!) in bacteria-free water, made coffee with safe drinking water, ate breakfast that was safe and free from contaminants. In the absence of a safe and healthy environment, your life expectancy drops dramatically.

Dr. Dyjack, thank you for taking the time to do this AMA.

I have the opportunity to work in Beijing for a few years. I'm 33 and healthy.

What sort of health complications might I expect from living there? Is there anything I can do to minimize them? Is it okay to jog outdoors during 'good' smog days? Do you expect the pollution to decline in the coming years?

Hi, I spent a summer in China a few years ago, and the air quality in urban areas is poor. Generally speaking, consider exercising indoors any time of year. poor air quality will be an issue for the foreseeable future. Also, you should anticipate food and water related disturbances to your GI tract, which can be minimized by preparing your own meals or eating street food which can be observed being cooked. But don't be paranoid.Having said that, I am jealous, Beijing is one of the great tourist cities on the planet. Be safe.

Why is it that Maine has relatively good air quality but one of highest rates of asthma?

Asthma is a complicated multi-factoral disease. Asthma episodes can be brought on by stress, physical activity as well as air contaminants, including cockroach, mite, cat dander and other irritants associated with the indoor environment. So, the short answer is that that indoor air quality, lifestyle, and other mediating factors can be associated with asthma.

I live in the great lakes area and graduated with a biology degree. My girlfriend (from California) is constantly harassing me for wasting water when we live in the country and have well/septic fields. She even bothers me about it when it's raining. Can you explain that being concerned about saving water in Michigan is like being concerned about saving sand in a desert. In my opinion it's more about keeping it clean and usable, not over using unless I am totally missing something about the water cycle and that its not all going to the same place?

Mark Twain once said "Whiskey is for Drinking and Water is for fighting over". I side with your girlfriend. Just because a resource is in abundant supply, that should not translate in capricious consumption. Water is indeed the new oil (not my quote), we should use each drop wisely, irrespective of its relative abundance. My two cents.

Hi Mr. Dyjack, I would first like to say thank you so much for doing this AMA. Awareness regarding the links between environmental health and human health is so, so important. Which leads me to my questions...

1. How do you go about inspiring people to champion environmental health? And how do you show people that standing up for the environment isn't just for the whales and the trees, but it's for our entire society? For example, when I tell my roommate or some friends that I study Sustainability, I am often met with infuriatingly patronizing responses along the lines of "oh, that's cute" or "that's nice, but how will that be useful, ever?" People just don't get that literally everything in their lives depends upon a healthy environment. Even more concerning is that I'm getting these responses in the world of academia, where people are generally more informed.

2. Do you think apathy or lack of understanding that human health is very tightly linked to environmental health in the general public is a legitimate issue? Have you seen it throughout your working career?

I have strong opinions on your questions, and would be delighted to weigh in. EH professionals have fallen prey to the "evidence based decision making" agenda at the expense of our mission. EH is a profoundly local issue, and "intimate" issue. We should frame our work and results in personal terms. For example, what is more intimate than the food we place in our children's mouths? The water we bathe them in? The mosquitoes that fly around us at night? I will be speaking at the NEHA Annual conference in July on this issue, and will introduce a metaphor and new way of speaking about us and our profession, which I hope will provide a path forward and enhance our visibility and influence.