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Climate Change and Public Health
Climate change. Is it just a sound bite or something to be really concerned about? Climate change makes the news almost every day. Whether or not you think climate change is as profound as the media makes it out to be, the fact that the planet's climate is changing is not disputed. It is important to understand how it works, why it is happening, and what we can do about it.
Climate change is defined as any change in measurable aspects of the climate, like temperature and precipitation amounts, that last for a significant period of time, such as years or decades. Climate change is influenced by many factors, both naturally-occurring and human-influenced, and it affects many factors of our lives, especially our health.
If you would like to learn more about all aspects of climate change's influence, please visit the Environmental Protection Agency's comprehensive web page about climate change, and continue reading below for more locally-orientated information.
How Does Climate Change Affect Human Health?
Changes in our climate have profound effects on everyone's health. Increased incidence of many diseases, from asthma to Lyme, can be attributed to changes in the local and regional climate. In Maine, the overall asthma rate is near the highest in the nation, and has consistently been high for nearly a decade. Vector-borne diseases like Lyme and West Nile Virus have grown more prevalent over the past several years, making their way further north as the winters become milder, and vector breeding seasons become longer.
The summers in Maine and throughout the United States have been increasing in average temperature and in average number of very hot days, increasing the risk of heat-related death among the most vulnerable populations. The added heat of the summer, coupled with the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, will also increase the prevalence of allergens in the air, adding more risk for the people who already suffer from allergies and possibly increasing the total number of allergic people.
-AsthmaAmerican Lung Association of Maine Asthma Resources
AH! Asthma Health from MaineHealth
Environmental Protection Agency: Asthma Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Local Asthma Resources
Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Local Asthma Resources
-Lyme and West NileCenters for Disease Control and Prevention- West Nile Virus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- Lyme Disease
Frequently Asked Questions about West Nile Virus
Frequently Asked Questions about Lyme Disease
-Excessive Heat
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Resources
What Can I Do?
Although we can't change the impact we have already made, we can lessen our future impact by incorporating some very simple changes into our lives. The following are several ways you can make a difference in your home environment.
-Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
The old adage still rings true; reduce your consumption where you can, reuse the materials that you use where you can, and when all else fails, recycle it so it can be remade into other useful materials. A place to start reducing your consumption is by using a reusable shopping bag when you buy groceries. You will lower the number of plastic bags that end up in landfills and the bag is reusable so you will never have to throw out another plastic bag after you get back from your trip to the market.
Recycling has never been easier in the Greater Portland area, due to single sort recycling that doesn't require residents to sort their recycling. For more information about this program and other programs in your area, check out the links below.
City of Portland Single Sort Recycling Program
Maine State Planning Office recycling information
ecomaine, a non-profit waste management company owned and operated by 21 municipalities in southern Maine.
-Be Energy Efficient
Learn to be more energy efficient and better manage the energy
you do use. Use compact fluorescent bulbs in the lights in your home
and encourage neighbors to do the same. Seal windows and doors in the
winter to reduce the draft from the outside cold air. Reduce
driving you by grouping errands and carpooling to work. Keep your car in good shape and
check the air pressure in your tires regularly; this will save fuel and reduce
the pollution you create when you do have to drive.
For more simple ideas
like these, check out the EPA's
climate change
website.
-Get Active!
As you have already read, there are many small ways to change the impact we have on our environment. One of the more significant and wider ranging ways to do this is to create and support legislation that will change emissions levels for cars, homes, and businesses. Getting involved in the legislative process may seem like a daunting task for anyone without a lot of time to spare, but it isn't, and there is plenty of information available to help you get more involved.
Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Maine Climate Policy Information
Natural Resources Council of Maine
Get in touch with your local and national congressional representatives to voice your opinion on climate issues and raise your concerns about current legislation. You can easily find their contact information here: http://maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/lookup_officials.php
Information gathered by the City of Portland, HHSD, Public Health Division from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website and the American Public Health Association's National Public Health Week website.