Status:
EndedFaculty:
Agency:
Start Date:
2009 Spring
End Date:
2009 Spring
Discipline:
Biology
Project Description:
Students in this upper level Biology course examined the variety of avenues that people and animals become exposed to endocrine disruptors in the environment. They explored the diverse sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals such as those found in water and air, and the impacts of these on people and animals. Students were required to perform background research on what is known about endocrine disruptors and developed well-founded opinions on topics of their choice, after which they engaged in an outreach effort to share what they had learned. Among the issues that the students explored included what water to drink, how to purify water in your home, how to properly dispose of things that contain endocrine disruptors, and how flame retardants (such as those that firefighters use) can end up in the water we use. The outreach efforts related to these issues included writing letters to the editors of the Keene Sentinel and the KSC Equinox, working with the City of Keene Waste Management and Public Works Departments, and producing informational and educational flyers.