Human Health and Climate Change: Case Studies | Nitin Damle | TEDxURI

Summary

This script narrates four real-life stories illustrating the severe health impacts of climate change, including heat stroke fatalities, exacerbated asthma and allergies, increased tick-borne diseases, and foodborne illnesses. It emphasizes the urgent need for global action towards renewable energy, sustainable practices, and international agreements to mitigate these effects, highlighting the moral, ethical, and economic imperative to act for the health of our planet and its inhabitants.

Takeaways

• 🌡️ Heat waves are increasing in frequency and causing health issues like heat exhaustion and even death, as illustrated by the elderly couple's story.
• 🏃‍♀️ Climate change is affecting athletes, with the college runner's story highlighting the challenges of managing asthma and allergies amidst longer allergy seasons and increased air pollution.
• 🌳 The rise in vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease and babesiosis is linked to warmer temperatures, as seen in the patient's hiking experience.
• 🍽️ Disruptions in food production, shipment, and storage due to climate change are leading to a rise in foodborne illnesses such as giardia.
• 📈 The incidents shared in the stories are becoming exponentially more common, emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change.
• 🌍 Climate change has wide-ranging effects on the environment, health, and quality of life, with the most vulnerable populations being disproportionately affected.
• 🔥 The consequences of a warming earth include increased heat waves, air pollution, melting Arctic ice, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events.
• ⚡️ Transitioning to 100% clean, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydrogen, and safe nuclear power is crucial in mitigating climate change.
• 🌱 Individual actions matter, and people can make a difference by adopting plant-based diets, using renewable energy, and leading healthy, active lifestyles.
• 🌳 Planting trees and reducing commutes are simple yet effective ways to combat climate change and improve air quality.
• 🌐 Global cooperation through agreements like the Paris Accord and COP 26 is essential for a united front against climate change.

Q & A

What was the situation of the elderly couple from the first story?

The elderly couple lived in Peacetale without air conditioning, had limited resources and family support, and suffered from heat stroke, leading to heart failure and unfortunately, both passed away.

How does climate change affect the frequency of heat waves?

Climate change increases the frequency of heat waves, leading to more cases of heat exhaustion and death, as experienced by the elderly couple in the story.

What challenges is the college runner facing due to her health conditions?

The college runner struggles with asthma and allergies, which affect her athletic performance despite being on medication, highlighting the impact of longer and more intense allergy seasons due to climate change.

What is the significance of the increase in allergy seasons from 177 to 190 days?

The increase in allergy seasons indicates a direct effect of climate change, with longer periods of pollen exposure, leading to increased health issues and costs for medication.

How does air pollution contribute to the health issues mentioned in the script?

Air pollution exacerbates respiratory issues like asthma and allergies, affecting 7 million people globally who live in areas exceeding WHO limits on particulate matter.

What are the consequences of the patient's hiking trip in Arcadia?

The patient contracted Lyme disease and babesiosis, tick-borne illnesses that have seen a tenfold increase in incidence in New England, attributed to warming temperatures.

Why are vector-borne illnesses becoming more common?

Vector-borne illnesses like Zika, West Nile virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are becoming more common due to longer warm periods, which allow vectors like ticks, mosquitoes, and sandflies to thrive.

What was the cause of the patient's diarrhea and abdominal pain after visiting a cilantro bar?

The patient acquired a parasitic infection called giardia from spoiled food, reflecting the exponential growth in foodborne illnesses due to disruptions in food production and storage caused by climate change.

How does climate change impact food security and health?

Climate change disrupts food production, shipment, and storage, leading to food insecurity and an increase in viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.

What are the broader impacts of climate change mentioned in the script?

Climate change leads to food insecurity, effects on mental health, mass migration, increased heat waves, air pollution, melting Arctic ice, sea-level rise, forest fires, flooding, extreme weather events, and species extinction.

What urgent actions are suggested to mitigate the effects of climate change?

The script calls for a transition to 100% clean renewable energy, sustainable economic and financial incentives, and global commitments through the Paris Accord and COP 26 agreements.

How can individuals contribute to mitigating climate change?

Individuals can make a difference by spreading awareness, adopting plant-based diets, using renewable energy, planting trees, reducing commuting, and leading healthy, active lifestyles.

Outlines

00:00

🌡️ Health Impacts of Climate Change

The first paragraph of the script discusses the real-life health consequences of climate change. It recounts a tragic incident involving an elderly couple suffering from heat stroke, which resulted in heart failure and death due to the lack of air conditioning and limited resources. The narrative highlights the increasing frequency of heat waves and their deadly effects, such as heat exhaustion and death. The paragraph also touches on the growing prevalence of respiratory issues like asthma and allergies, exacerbated by longer and more intense allergy seasons and increased air pollution. The economic burden of these health issues is underscored by the billions of dollars spent annually on allergy and asthma care.

05:01

🌿 Addressing Climate Change: Actions and Solutions

The second paragraph presents a call to action for combating climate change, emphasizing the urgency and the need for a global shift towards 100% clean, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydrogen, and safe nuclear power within the next 20 years. It stresses the importance of innovation, economic sustainability, and financial incentives to facilitate this transition. The speaker calls for international cooperation through agreements like the Paris Accord and the COP 26 meetings. Individual actions are also highlighted, such as spreading awareness, adopting plant-based diets, using renewable energy, and leading a healthier lifestyle. The paragraph concludes with a moral, ethical, political, and economic imperative to act against climate change, invoking Margaret Mead's words to inspire collective action for the preservation of our planet.

Keywords

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. In the video, climate change is the central theme, with the speaker discussing its direct impact on human health through various real-life stories. For example, the increased frequency of heat waves is causing more heat exhaustion and deaths.

💡Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a serious medical condition that occurs when the body's temperature rises rapidly to a dangerous level due to excessive heat exposure. In the script, it is mentioned as the cause of death for an elderly couple who suffered from heat stroke during an extreme heat event, illustrating the deadly consequences of climate change-induced heatwaves.

💡Heart Failure

Heart failure is a chronic condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. The script describes how the elderly couple's pre-existing heart conditions were exacerbated by the heat stroke, leading to heart failure and ultimately their deaths, showing the indirect health risks associated with climate change.

💡Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to difficulty in breathing. The speaker mentions a college runner with asthma who struggled with her condition due to worsening air quality and longer allergy seasons, which are linked to climate change.

💡Allergies

Allergies are immune system reactions to substances in the environment that are usually harmless. The video script highlights the increase in allergy seasons and the need for more medication to manage them, which is a direct consequence of climate change affecting pollen levels and air quality.

💡Air Pollution

Air pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances in the air, which can have adverse effects on human health and the environment. The script mentions the increase in air pollution levels, with millions living in areas exceeding health limits, contributing to respiratory issues like asthma and allergies.

💡Tick-Borne Illnesses

Tick-borne illnesses are infections caused by pathogens transmitted by the bite of infected ticks. The script discusses the rise in cases of Lyme disease and babesiosis in New England, which is attributed to warmer temperatures extending the ticks' active season, a direct impact of climate change.

💡Vector-Borne Illnesses

Vector-borne illnesses are diseases transmitted by living vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies. The video mentions the increase in vector-borne diseases like Zika, West Nile virus, and eastern equine encephalitis due to climate change, which affects the habitats and behaviors of these vectors.

💡Foodborne Illnesses

Foodborne illnesses are caused by consuming contaminated food or water. The script describes the rise in foodborne infections like giardia due to disruptions in food production and storage caused by climate change, such as increased temperatures and flooding.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and hydro power, are sustainable and produce little to no greenhouse gas emissions. The speaker calls for a transition to 100% clean, renewable energy within 20 years as part of the solution to mitigate the effects of climate change.

💡Sustainable Practices

Sustainable practices involve using resources in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video encourages individuals to adopt sustainable practices, such as eating plant-based diets and using renewable energy, to combat climate change.

Highlights

The elderly couple in South County suffered from heat stroke due to lack of air conditioning and limited resources, leading to heart failure and death.

Increasing frequency of heat waves in the United States is causing more people to suffer from heat exhaustion and death.

A college runner with asthma and allergies struggled to perform due to worsening conditions, highlighting the need for costly medications.

Allergy seasons have lengthened from 177 days to 190 days, and air pollution levels have risen, affecting millions.

The cost of allergy and asthma care has escalated to billions of dollars annually.

A patient contracted Lyme disease and babesiosis, tick-borne illnesses that have seen a tenfold increase in incidence.

Vector-borne illnesses like Zika, West Nile virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are becoming more common due to warming temperatures.

A patient acquired a parasitic infection, giardia, from spoiled food, indicating a rise in food-borne illnesses.

Climate change is causing exponential growth in viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections due to disruptions in food systems.

Food insecurity, mental health effects, and mass migration are increasing as a result of climate change.

Climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable populations such as the elderly, frail, young, poor, and communities of color.

The warming earth leads to a cascade of environmental issues including heat waves, air pollution, and sea level rise.

Urgent action is needed to mitigate climate change effects; failure to act could lead to an uninhabitable earth by the end of the century.

A global shift to 100% clean renewable energy is necessary within 20 years to combat climate change.

Nations must commit to sustainable practices through the Paris Accord and COP 26 agreements to address climate change.

Individuals can make a significant difference by adopting plant-based diets, using renewable energy, and leading healthy lifestyles.

Climate change and health are interconnected moral, ethical, political, and economic imperatives.

Margaret Mead's quote emphasizes the power of small groups of citizens to effect change, encouraging action on climate change.

Transcripts

[Applause]

[Applause]

so i have four real-life stories to tell

you today about the human health effects

of climate change

so it was mid-august last year in south

county on one of our hottest days

i was on call for the emergency room and

got a call

that one of my favorite elderly couple

who lived in peacetale

and had no air conditioning and limited

resources

and family support were there with a

high fever

and confusion they were suffering the

effects

of heat stroke so we cooled them down

and treated them with intravenous fluids

and medication

to lower their temperature but they had

underlying

heart conditions and the demand on the

heart

resulted in heart failure they both

unfortunately

passed away despite our best efforts

more and more people are suffering from

heat exhaustion

and even death as in this couple

it's from the increased frequency of

heat waves in the united states

so my second story is one of a college

runner

who was having trouble staying on the

team because

she was having frequent episodes of

wheezing

and upper respiratory infections she has

asthma

and multiple allergies she was being

treated with inhalers

and other medications but she still

couldn't perform

optimally so more people

are on costly medications and even

steroids

to keep their asthma and allergies under

control so we are seeing

longer and more intense allergy seasons

from 177 days 10 years ago

to 190 days today and an increase in the

levels of air pollution

with 7 million people in the world

living in areas that exceed the world

health organization limits

on particulate manner more people are

seeking care in the office

and in the emergency room at a cost of

11 billion dollars per year

for allergy care and 56 billion dollars

per year for asthma care

the third story is a patient of mine who

went hiking

in arcadia this summer with some friends

he presented to the office with a rash

and joint pains a few days later

he had lyme disease and babesiosis

both are tick-borne illnesses and we've

seen

a tenfold increase in their incidence

in the past several years in new england

in addition vector-borne illness like

zika

and west nile virus and eastern equine

encephalitis

from tick bites sand flies or mosquitoes

is significantly more common and a

result

of warming temperatures for longer

periods

around the world my fourth story

is a patient who went to a cilantro bar

and about a day later

developed diarrhea and abdominal pain

she was healthy

but had acquired a parasitic infection

called giardia

from spoiled foods we are seeing

exponential growths in the number of

viral bacterial

and parasitic infections from a

disruption in food production

shipment and storage from farm to table

due to increased temperature flooding

extreme weather events what is alarming

is that the incidents of the four

stories i shared with you

are exponentially more common today than

even a decade ago

in addition we are seeing more food

insecurity

effects on mental health and mass

migration around the world

climate change affects our environment

our health and quality of life

it disproportionately affects our most

vulnerable populations

the elderly the frail the very young

the poor and communities of color the

warming earth

leads to an increase in heat waves air

pollution

melting of arctic ice sea level rise

increased frequency and intensity of

forest fires

frequent flooding extreme weather events

and mass species extinction it is not

hyperbolic to say

that if we don't act now it will result

in an uninhabitable earth before the end

of the century

so we have one last opportunity to save

the planet

and ourselves and mitigate the effects

of climate change

we need to move to 100 clean renewable

energy

that is wind solar hydrogen and safe

nuclear

within 20 years we need to develop

sustainable

economic and financial incentive through

innovation

and green jobs all nations need to

commit to this

through the paris accord and the

upcoming cop 26 agreements

in november of 2021 in glasgow scotland

you and me as individuals can make a

difference

in mitigating climate change people are

mobilizing all over the world

we need to spread the word with local

state

and national leaders in your civic

organizations

in our schools colleges and universities

about the effects of climate change on

our health we need to eat healthy

plant-based diets

use renewable energy such as electric

cars and solar panels for our homes

we need to plant a tree commute less

walk run and bike and lead healthy lives

so just ask yourself which world do you

want to live in

a world of famine drought heat waves

mass migration violence and air

pollution

are one of healthy diets biking and

hiking

clean energy buildings electric cars and

national stability

climate change and your health is a

moral and ethical

imperative it's a political imperative

and it's an economic imperative so as

margaret mead said

never doubt that a small group of

thoughtful committed citizens

can change the world indeed it's the

only thing that ever has

so go do your part to save animals

plants ourselves and this precious earth

the only home we have ever known