Recently a commission run by The Lancet named what they called the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. HIV/AIDS? Nope. Heart disease? Not at all. Cancer? Keep trying. To get your head around the biggest health threat of all, you might have to change how you think about health entirely. That's because the biggest threat of all, in the view of this blue-ribbon panel, was climate change.
In the last few years, leading medical professionals have begun to speak out about the extraordinary threats climate change poses to human well-being. The American Academy of Pediatrics stated in Pediatrics, its professional journal that "children are likely to suffer disproportionately from both direct and indirect adverse health effects of climate change." The American Nurses Association described the challenges of global climate change as "unprecedented in human history" and called for nurses to "speak out and advocate for change." Cecil Wilson, MD, the president of the American Medical Association, stated at a congressional briefing that climate change could cause "devastating events with serious human health implications."
How can our warming climate affect our health? In some surprising ways, as we describe in our new book, Changing Planet, Changing Health.
In Changing Planet, we also describe a full set of technology and policy solutions, each carefully vetted to provide maximum benefit for human health and the environment. We need a smart electrical grid that will increase efficiency, reduce demand and use renewable sources like wind, solar and geothermal at many homes and businesses rather than get power solely from a centralized power station. We need to move away from nuclear, coal, even with carbon capture and storage, and corn-based ethanol, all of which harm human health and the environment. These choices are based on extensive studies called life cycle analyses that look at the true costs of a technology or energy source from cradle to grave.
Policies must change as well. We need to rejigger the international financial system to encourage countries to invest in measures that protect their environment and the health of their citizens. To promote good health in the 21st century, we need to become resilient and adaptable.
Times will change dramatically whether we like it or not. Humans more than likely will move on in forced change, there just won't be nearly as many of us.
The spin factories are relentlessly putting out noise to keep doubt alive, but they cant stop the reality. The consequences of global climate change aren't necessarily apparent in our weather but, more and more, the instability is becoming perceptible.. It's getting pretty serious and this is just the beginning.
Emigrating is easy. You just buy the ticket and get on the plane. I will say that it's harder for Americans than most. The rah-rah indoctrination is intense and tends to create a xenophobic world view. The good news...? That's a lot of crapp! Come on in, the water's fine. :p
In the interests of combating global warming and maintaining public health, why don't we break off trade ties with China, impose an embargo, and ban all outsourcing and offshoring, until China gets its carbon footprint under control?
The U.S. could shut down all its cars and power consumption for a YEAR, and within that same year, China and India would've replaced its carbon footprint with the expansion of their own. And we'd all be choking on smog from China. By 2030, China will have a bigger carbon footprint than pretty much the rest of the western world combined.
There'll be higher prices on toys, clothes, electronics and other junk. Less profits for the Walmarts and Targets and malls. But maybe it'll lead to lowered unemployment here, less junk to fill our landfills with, and stronger global efforts for environmentalism and energy conservation.
China is already "mining" their dumps.
rooftop solar, offshore wind, and waste bio char bio fuels are the future. China gets it more that the US does.
But it's always nice to have an "enemy" outsides your own group.
Per-Capita Co2 emissions for 2009:
World: 4.473 tons per person
US: 17.669 tons
North America: 14.188
Eurasia: 8.254
Middle East: 8.098
Europe: 7.130
China: 5.823
Asia & Oceania: 3.519
Central & South America: 2.554
India: 1.375
Africa: 1.127
See the following:
EIA, DoE: http://tinyurl.com/co2eia09
IEA: http://www.iea.org/co2highlights/
Epstein provides a lot of factual information which illustrates changes which are occurring in many different parts of our planet. You do not have to believe his information. You should at least understand why many health professionals are concerned, to make the best health decisions for you and you family.
And, it really doesn't matter what you think since Health Insurers are setting their costs on the information in this book.
Again, I don't care what you believe or don't believe. Just don't be ignorant.
http://worldpicturejournal.com/WP_5/Morton.html
Malaria is not restricted to low altitudes and the tropics. Malaria is a disease that can exist whereever there are mosquitos, including, historically, Washington DC, England and Siberia, for example.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldselect/ldeconaf/12/12we21.htm
http://petesplace-peter.blogspot.com/2007/10/35-mistakes-continued-to-conclusion.html
AGW advocacy needs to be decoupled from continued efforts to promote clean, renewable sustainable energy initiatives and policies, clean air, nature conservation, wild animal rescues, etc. It has politicized and polarized the entire environmental and conservation movement, and reduced it into an ideological manifesto.
Maybe I'm getting too old. But I remember when environmentalism and conservation were advocated, simply because they made sense, without having to resort to fear-mongering and climate hysteria.
EVERYTHING, even malaria, can now be attributed to anthropogenic global warming. All that excess CO2 has helped give rise to a mutant form of mosquito, one that can travel far and light, with an attitude and a chip on its shoulder, out to kill all humans, because it, too, believes global warming ought to be 'stopped.' LOL.
Much like evolution, we now understand it is one of the fabricated, political ideas that scientists create so they can get lots of funding from the government.and take money from your pocket.
Fortunately we have many corporations who are working with the Republicans to clarify the issues and make sure everyone understands them as they should be understood.
Once the Right gets control of both houses of Congress, they will be able to deal effectively with the issue. Here is the program I suggest:
- make sure you silence these nutty professors who are perpetrating the hoax. While you are at it, let's get rid of tenure so that they become easier to fire. That will shut them up.
- make sure the EPA cannot do anything about regulating carbon dioxide emissions. Hey, it's only air anyway.
- drill baby drill
Charlie