On the Cover

As an environmental health economist, Mary Davis looks at the impact of the environment on the development of human diseases. She believes that in order to understand the economic cost of exposure to airborne pollutants or the policies that address such public health concerns, she has to learn firsthand the nature of that exposure. In her most recent studies, she has been collecting data on truckers' exposure to diesel fumes, the safety practices of Maine's commercial fishermen and the effect of secondhand smoke on children in cars. Her findings shed light on the price we pay for ignoring the warning signs of danger in our everyday lives.