Environmental Psychology Article Analysis

Environmental Psychology Article Analysis

The environment is changing daily because of the climate, global warming, and chemicals that are introduced into the atmosphere. The article analysis for this paper is: Atrazine in water tied to menstrual irregularities, low hormones. This article sheds light on how different environmental factors are causing problems to women’s health and to some amphibians. The job of an environmental psychologist covers more than the typical global warming. They have the ability to teach people different options and motivate them to change.

Article Analysis

The atrazine in the water in Illinois and Vermont is causing many women there to have irregular menstrual cycles (Konkel, 2011). The farming land there believes that the use of this chemical is not harmful, but it can be when consumed on a daily basis. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deemed this water safe to drink and studies were conducted in 2003 and 2009. The women in Illinois and Vermont were not producing enough estrogen because their hormone levels were disrupted (Konkel, 2011).

A small amount of women were involved in the study to shows the effects of the water. The women from Illinois farm towns were five times more likely to report irregular periods than the Vermont women (Konkel, 2011). The Illinois women were also six times more likely to go more than six weeks between cycles. In addition, the Illinois women had significantly lower levels of estrogen during an important part of the menstrual cycle (Konkel, 2011).

Many scientist and environmental groups finds this upsetting and the long process of regulating and evaluating the chemical safety of the water (Konkel, 2011). The test the EPA conducted in 2009 has not yet come back with results of the levels (Konkel, 2011). With the amount of time it is taking the EPA to return with results, this could continue to cause harm to the women and animals. Antrazine may seem harmless to many of the farmers but as shown it can cause problems.

Atrazine is a commonly used herbicide in many farmlands and can absorb into the ground and contaminate the drinking water (Konkel, 2011). This drinking water can also have an affect on the animals, such as reproductive problems. The problem with this is the atrazine is affecting the reproductive systems in the males and decreasing the fertility in the females (Konkel, 2011).Frogs may not seem like a relevant problem to many people, but they are part of the ecosystem and has their important part. When the atrazine affects the reproductive and fertility it can cause some frogs