Q Assignment Goals: 1. Identify aspects of the built environment you live in, and evaluate which elements promote health and which serve as barriers to healthy living and a healthy environment 2. Consider the possible short and long term health effects of where you live 3. Learn more about what makes a community, neighborhood, and environment healthy 4. Reflect upon and evaluate the relationship between your current living situation and future personal and community health decisions 5. Recognize the ways we can contribute to a healthier neighborhood, community, and environment Directions for Completing Assignment: Save this file to your computer (or thumb drive). Complete the assignment by typing directly under each question/prompt. Upload your completed work as an attachment in the assignment section of this course in D2L by the due date. Part 1: Assess your Neighborhood 1. During the day time, explore approx. half to 1 mile around your neighborhood (ideally not in your car, if you can, walk or bike) and pay close attention to the following elements (or lack thereof): sidewalks, speed limits, amount of traffic, traffic control (example: speed bumps, traffic lights, walk signals etc.), parks, crosswalks, bike paths, graffiti, businesses, condition of homes, noise, etc. 2. Answer questions 1-2 on the Built Environment Worksheet (page #3) Part 2: Assess Your Walkscore 1. Using an internet browser, go to the Walkscore website (https://www.walkscore.com/). 2. Type your address into the search box at the top with the tag line “Live Where You Love” 3. Click on the search button (make sure you don’t have a “pop-up blocker” switched on, on your computer, so that you will be able to see and use the windows which open up on this site) 4. Click on the “Commute to Downtown Portland” link. Enter at least one location you travel to on a regular basis (work, school etc.) 5. Close this box and view the commute times for each type of transportation 6. Answer questions 3-5 on the Built Environment Worksheet (page #3) Part 3: Assess Local Air Quality 1. Using an internet browser, go to the Environment Protection Agency website (https://www3.epa.gov/enviro/myenviro/) 2. Enter your address into the search bar and click on the “Go” box 3. “My Maps” will be listed on the left side of the page 4. Click on the “+” sign next to the item marked “Air”. This will open a pull-down menu of options 5. Click the first two boxes labelled ‘Air Pollution (ICIS-AIR)’ and ‘Toxic Releases to Air (TRI)’ so that the boxes in front of these labels are checked 6. Click on the double up arrow next to the “Map Contents” bar at the top of the map; this will close the menu 7. Use the “– “ button on the map to zoom out to get a better view of your neighborhood 8. Answer the questions 6-7 on the Built Environment Worksheet (page #3) Part 4: Assess Food Security 1. Using an internet browser, go to the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service website ( https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx ) 2. Enter your address into the search box and click on the search icon 3. Make sure the first box is checked in the Low Income & Low Access Layers 2015 box on the right hand-side of the screen 4. Use the “– “ button on the map to zoom out to get a better view of your neighborhood 5. Answer questions 8-10 on the Built Environment Worksheet (page #3)