The world around us

We are increasingly concerned about a number of environmental factors that can influence health. The quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat may be the most common concerns. In 1997/98, for instance, 42% of Canadian adults reported using a water purifier at home and 40% had purchased organic food.

Chemical pollution also threatens our health. Pesticides, once primarily employed in agriculture, have come into widespread use among home-owners for landscaping and gardening.

Other chemicals used around the world also have the potential to affect Canadians adversely because chemical pollution can migrate to Canada via global air currents and precipitation.

	Smoggy summer day in Toronto Photo: William Doré

The human and the wildlife populations in Canada's North have both been found to harbour high levels of contaminants in their bodies, despite living far from the source of such chemicals. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), for example, are seven times higher in adult Inuit people than in other North Americans.

Pollution is a health concern for Canadians in other areas, too. Our buildings—fortified against our cold and wet climate—can be so airtight nowadays that they adversely affect indoor air quality. As a result, more and more Canadians are experiencing negative physical reactions from exposure to contaminants found in homes and buildings.