Physiological Determinants of Global Health

Rationale

The heart of the Silicon Valley is San Jose, the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest city with nearly 1 million residents. Because the Silicon Valley is known for its high tech industry, it is not surprising that air pollution is an ongoing problem for the growing valley. ⁹ Along the east foothills lies Mt. Pleasant High School. MP, as it’s known in East Side Union High School District celebrated its fiftieth year, having opened its doors to the East Side and Evergreen communities in 1955. Amid the celebrations, many of its past administrators, teachers, and students reflected on its history. Teachers recalled how, in its beginning, Mt. Pleasant was surrounded by orchards, and the major industry was the old Del Monte cannery in downtown San Jose. Before IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) rooted itself in the valley, FMC (Food Machinery Corporation) brought US War Department contracts shifting the major source of economy from agriculture to technology. Today, the tech industry rules the valley and is a major contributor to poor air quality.

The student population of Mt. Pleasant High School reflects that of the city. MP is a diverse school, where the majority of the population is of Latino or Hispanic descent, followed by Asians, Filipinos, African Americans, and Whites.¹⁰ As a Title 1 School, MP students are predominantly come from families that are socioeconomically disadvantaged. The majority of our students (960 out of 1512) receive free and reduced lunch, are labeled ELs (English Leaners). This represents an area of inequality since the average home prices in East San Jose are approximately $700,000. Within the Silicon Valley, there is a disparity of incomes. The typical tech workers receives an average income of approximately $200,000. However, the median income for San Jose is roughly $77,000. Both these numbers do not represent my student’s families. The majority of my students’ parents can barely afford to live and work in the area, and feed their children. In fact, many of the residents in East San Jose, live well below the poverty line of $24, 250 for a family of four.¹¹ Because of such inequalities, my students must become advocates not only for their health, but for the health of their family members.

Many of my student’s parents work in jobs that support the big tech companies. In their jobs they are exposed to environmental irritants. From gardener, line assembly personnel, house cleaner, to facilities operations, they are subjected to toxic substances and irritants to the respiratory system. For example, a person who cleans houses for a living might be exposed to fumes from various cleaners, dust mites, mold, and mildew. A heating and cooling tech might be exposed to toxic fumes from the refrigerants, and dust and mildew in unclean, unfiltered air in crawl spaces, attics, and basements. Though respiratory safety protocols are taught and practiced, constant and recurring exposure increases a person’s chances for developing respiratory disorders.¹²