How Global Warming Affects Health?

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Nearly all scientists agree that climate change is real, is here, and that we humans are part of the problem — and part of the solution.

Experts also agree that the effects of global warming are serious. But climate change threatens more than the environment. It also threatens human health — and it's already causing problems here in the United States. Here's what you need to know to protect yourself.

How Global Warming Affects Health

Climate change can affect our health in many ways.

1. Heat-related illnesses and deaths will increase as the earth warms up.

2. Hurricanes, cyclones, floods and wildfires are expected to increase, causing injury, death, psychological trauma, and damage to the public health infrastructure.

3. Insect-borne diseases, including West Nile virus and viral encephalitis (carried by mosquitoes), and Lyme disease (carried by ticks) will increase, as many insects thrive in warm water.

4.Tropical diseases, such as malaria, dengue and yellow fever may also spread to the United States. These infections may seem exotic and remote, but a 2007 Italian epidemic of a viral infection normally found in the Indian Ocean region reminds us that warming can make our small world even smaller.

5. Human suffering and economic stress are obvious consequences if melting polar ice caps are left unchecked. The sea level will rise, displacing millions of people.

The Effects of Climate Change

1. The depletion of the ozone layer has increased exposure to UVB radiation that contributes to skin cancer, cataracts and immune-system problems.

2. Particulate emissions and noxious gases spewed from car tailpipes, smokestacks and burning forests contribute to heart and lung disease. Experts blame poor air quality for our huge increase in asthma since 1980.

3. Global warming may threaten important food crops. It has already boosted some pesky plants: Ragweed plants now produce twice as much pollen as they did 100 years ago. Global warming is another reason for the rise in asthma, hay fever and allergies. That's nothing to sneeze at — nor is the flourishing growth of Toxicodendron radicans, the CO2-loving plant better known as poison ivy.

And just in case you still think climate change is just a problem for polar bears, consider this: The World Health Organization estimates that climate change is already responsible for 150,000 deaths a year worldwide, and the toll is expected to double by 2030.

Do Your Part

Here are some small steps you can take to help the environment — and your health — today and in the future.

1. Step it up. Walk (or bike) for transportation. You’ll cut your gasoline bill and air pollution. Of equal importance, the exercise will lower your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, dementia, depression, colon cancer and osteoporosis.

2. Eat for a cooler planet. If you eat less meat and dairy, you'll reduce the demand for animal products and the amount of energy used to provide your food. You'll also take in less saturated fat, which raises cholesterol, and lower your risk of colon and prostate cancers. Substitute fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and fish for the health of your planet and your body.

3. Become a "locavore." One pound of lettuce contains 80 calories. But it takes 4,600 calories of fossil fuel energy to grow and process it in California and transport it to an East Coast market. Choose locally grown and organic foods to save energy used for fertilizer, pesticides, transportation and storage. You may also reduce your exposure to food-borne infections.

4. Ride right. Make your next car a high-mileage model. Keep your tires fully inflated, your car tuned, and your gas pedal off the floor. Drive less by carpooling or taking public transportation.

Make Home Improvements

A healthier home means a healthier you. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging everyone to "go green" at home and work.

1. Invest in insulation, weather stripping and storm windows. Use a sealant or caulking to close cracks and plug leaks in and around doors and windows.

2. Turn the heat down a few degrees in winter and at night; set the air conditioner a few degrees warmer in summer. (Dress accordingly to make up for the difference.) Adjust curtains and window shades to keep sunlight out on hot summer days, but to let it in when it's cool. Use fans to reduce air conditioner use.

3. Switch to Energy Star appliances. Don't run your washer, dryer or dishwasher unless they're full.

4. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Turn off lights when you leave the room.
5. Turn off your computer when it's not in use. Unplug TVs, printers, fax machines and other electronics when you're away for more than a day or two; those little green lights mean you're using electricity and generating CO2.

6. Choose renewable energy (wind, solar and water, for example) if it's available to you. Reduce wasteful consumption, reuse whatever you can; recycle whatever you can't reuse.

Health is everyone's concern, and climate change is everyone's problem. Do what it takes to reduce your "carbon footprint" and to prod our leaders to reduce global warming. It's the cool and manly thing to do.

A ground-breaking report named climate change the "biggest global health threat of the 21st Century." The Lancet and the University College London (UCL) announced the findings together on May 11. The report was published online by the Lancet on May 13.

The earth's 12 warmest years on record have occured during the last 13 years. Experts predict that the earth's average surface temperatures are likely to increase to more than 2° C above the temperatures that were recorded prior to the Industrial Revolution (mid-19th century). If this occurs, human health will be affected in serious ways:

• Heat waves and fatalities from heat exposure will increase.


• Infections that have traditionally been limited to the tropics, such as tick-borne encephalitis, malaria and dengue fever, will become more widespread.


• Water shortages will lead to less abundant food supplies, malnutrition and (due to less available clean water) more epidemics of diarrhea. Experts predict that half of the world's population could face severe food shortages by the year 2100 because of declining crop yields; much of the decline in crop yields could occur during the next 20 years.


• Extreme climate events, such as hurricanes, cyclones and storm surges, will occur more often. They will spread infection due to flooding, injuries and disruption in the usual medical care.


• Some scientists predict that sea level will rise to 13 meters (over 40 feet) by the middle of next century. This could force more than a billion people from their homes and communities, creating urban slums and settlements.

Some of the changes to help limit global warming require action by industries and governments. But we can have a major impact by changing our lifestyles and choices: What we eat, the goods we consume, and the size of our families can all influence global warming. Global warming should get more political attention as awareness of the health problems caused by this growing crisis increases.