Here are interesting facts I recently learned – and then I promise to move off the doom message to a positive note.
The World Health Organization estimates that climatic changes already cause more than 150,000 deaths per year and about 5 million life years lost through diarrheal disease, malaria, malnutrition and flooding.
This burden is borne mostly by poor countries in Asia and Africa, while the majority of greenhouse gases per capita are produced by the developed countries.
Here’s some good news: As we reduce our effect on climate change, we will have more opportunities to improve public health.
By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we reduce heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, road deaths and injuries, asthma attacks and respiratory disease.
Plus, if we make major improvements in air pollution right away, the savings in health costs could be substantial – some say in the billions of dollars.
Not only is health improved when we make the switch to less polluting forms of transportation such as hybrid and electric vehicles and mass transportation, we improve cardiovascular health from increased walking and bicycling.
And there will be fewer serious collisions. (We already saw a reduction in early 2008 because of the increased gas prices.) According to several studies, fatal car accidents went down sharply.
Another change that can benefit our health and the climate is eating locally, organically and lower on the food chain. People benefit from consuming more vegetables and less saturated fat.
But these are just a few examples of ways people can change their lifestyle and receive health benefits while helping the climate. For more ways to reduce your own contribution to climate change, come to the Cool Thurston Café today.
Tonight is the fourth cafe sponsored by the Cool Thurston Campaign. It is centered on David Gershon’s book “The Low Carbon Diet.” Small groups get together – such as neighbors or co-workers – and help each other lower their carbon footprints (the terms used to gauge their household’s contribution to the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change). These “Ecoteams” meet four times, and members make changes in their lifestyles or homes to cut 5,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year. At the same time, they save big on energy bills.
The free cafe is from 6:30 to 9 p.m., with a presentation from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Olympia Center, Room A, 222 Columbia St. N.E., Olympia. Refreshments will be served, and information tables will help you take actions such as using the bus, trying an electric scooter, checking your home for energy leaks, and building your own window insulation panels. If you can, please RSVP to Barb Scavezze at barb@scavezze.com or 360-878-9901 or via www.coolthurstoncampaign.ning.com.
Dr. Diana Yu is the health officer for the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department, 412 Lilly Road N.E., Olympia. For information from the Health Department, call 360-786-5581.
