Problem
In our daily lives, we are surrounded by microbes. Some of those microbes are harmless, while others have the potential to cause us harm. Our society has developed and employed a variety of approaches to improve or maintain human health. Many of these approaches are intended to specifically reduce, remove, or eradicate potential pathogens.
Think about and consider some of the ways that our society (you, others around you, or public health officials) have tried to limit or remove microbes in their environment. These methods might involve chemical or medicinal approaches, or even just physical practices and/or habits (ex. think about signs in public restrooms or items labeled as antimicrobial). In many cases, these approaches can also have unintended consequences that do not benefit humans.
Once you have identified an example to discuss further, conduct some research through Google Scholar (opens in a new window) or PubMed (opens in a new window) to familiarize yourself with the effectiveness or possible unintended consequences of this approach.
1. Describe the approach or technique that is being used to decrease microbes.
2. Explain any unintended consequences that this approach has had. This can be related to human health, environmental health, and/or economy.
3. Provide your opinion and reasoning on whether this is an effective approach to reducing potential harm from microbes.