Health Effects

Weather and climate have affected human health for millennia. Now, climate change is altering weather and climate patterns that previously have been relatively stable. Climate experts are particularly confident that climate change will bring increasingly frequent and severe heat waves and extreme weather events, as well as a rise in sea levels. These changes have the potential to affect human health in several direct and indirect ways, some of them severe.

A brief overview of the likely health effects of increased temperatures and extreme weather events is provided here. Links to additional information about these and other potential health effects − such as air quality, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, water- and food-borne diseases and mental health − appear below.

Increased Temperatures

Heat exposure has a range of health effects, from mild heat rashes to deadly heat stroke. Heat exposure can also aggravate several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. The results can be severe and result in both increased illness and death. Heat also increases ground-level ozone concentrations, causing direct lung injury and increasing the severity of respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Higher temperatures and heat waves increased demand for electricity and thus combustion of fossil fuels, generating airborne particulates and indirectly leading to increased respiratory disease.

Over a longer time period, increased temperatures have other effects ranging from drought to ecosystem changes that can affect health. Droughts can result in shortages of clean water and may concentrate contaminants that negatively affect the chemistry of surface waters in some areas. Drought may also strain agricultural productivity and could result in increased food prices and food shortages, worsening strain on those affected by hunger and food insecurity in the U.S. and elsewhere. Ecosystem changes include migration of the vectors (organisms that do not cause disease but transmit infection by carrying pathogens from one host to another) and animal hosts that cause certain diseases prevalent in the U.S., such as Lyme disease and Hantavirus. The dynamics of disease migration are complex and temperature is just one factor affecting the distribution of these diseases.

Winters will also be warmer, which is likely to lead to a decrease in illness and death associated with exposure to cold. In addition to this general warming trend, climate change will bring increased weather variability, the results of which are difficult to predict.

Extreme Weather Events

The direct effects of extreme weather events include drowning from floods, injuries from floods, and structural collapse. Indirect effects outnumber the direct effects and likely will be more costly. Potential indirect effects include aggravation of chronic diseases due to interruptions in health care service, significant mental health concerns both from interrupted care and geographic displacement, and socioeconomic disruption resulting from population displacement and infrastructure loss.

Sea level rise increases the risk from extreme weather events in coastal areas, threatening critical infrastructure and worsening immediate and chronic health effects. Salt-water entering freshwater drinking supplies is also a concern for these regions, and increased salt content in soil can hinder agricultural activity in coastal areas.

Other indirect exposures and health effects

Climate change is a complex phenomenon and a range of unanticipated ecological effects may result. Many of these ecosystem effects could have indirect health effects. Increased concentrations of ground-level carbon dioxide and longer growing seasons could result in higher pollen production, worsening allergic and respiratory disease. Increased carbon dioxide concentrations in sea water may cause oceans to grow more acidic and is likely to contribute to adverse ecosystem changes in the world’s tropical oceans. This would have potentially dramatic implications for fisheries and the food supply in certain regions of the world. Major regional ecosystem stresses may result in mass population movement and conflict, with significant health effects. Some of these concerns are low-probability high-impact events, and could have significant health impacts on a global scale.

Potential Climate Change Health Effects

• Heat-Related Morbidity and Mortality
• Asthma, Respiratory Allergies, and Airway Diseases
• Vectorborne and Zoonotic Diseases
• Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
• Weather-Related Morbidity and Mortality
• Foodborne Diseases and Nutrition
• Waterborne Diseases
• Human Developmental Effects
• Mental Health and Stress-Related Disorders
• Neurological Diseases and Disorders
• Cancer

Additional Readings about the Health Effects of Climate Change

Frumkin H, Hess J, and Vindigni S. Peak petroleum and public health. JAMA. 298:1688-1690, 2007.

Frumkin H, Hess J, Luber G, Malilay J, and McGeehin M. Climate change: the public health response. Am J Public Health. 98:435-445, 2008.

Luber G, and Hess J. Climate change and human health in the United States. J of Env Health. 70(5):43-44, 2007.

Patz JA, McGeehin M, Bernard SM, Ebie KL, Epstein PR, Grambsch A, Gubler DJ, Reiter P, Romieu I, Rose JB, Samet JM, Trtang J. The potential health impacts of climate variability and change for the US. Env Hlth Pers. 108 (4): 36-54, 2000.

Top of Page

 

bpl

Health cover for BPL families from April
Bisheshwar Mishra | TNN
New Delhi: The prospects of launching the world’s largest paperless, cashless insurance scheme through smart cards to cover the country’s six crore below poverty line (BPL) families, from April 1, took concrete shape on Friday, when 95% of states agreed in principle to actively participate in this venture. The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) scheme will take care of Rs 30,000 of the annual hospitalisation expenditure of 5 members of a BPL family in any part of the country, even if they migrate. This will be made possible by the use of smart cards which cannot be misused by anybody else. In all, 60 million cards will be issued under the RSBY scheme over the next five years. Each year, 1.2 crore BPL family members will be targeted. The BPL beneficiary has to pay only Rs 30 per year to get the smart card with his thumb impression on the chip for identification purposes. The labour ministry officer Anil Swarup who is anchoring the mega project, said that states like Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat and many others have already advertised the project and are ready to issue tenders. He is confident that the project will succeed "because it is a business model to fulfil a social purpose. Everybody gains from it’’. He said that, considering the huge numbers and the funds involved, there are business opportunities for all key players like insurance companies, hospitals, smart card service providers and intermediaries. On an average, around Rs 7.5 crore will be pumped in in each district. "This will create business opportunities, as there will be incentives for private sector health providers to set up health-related infrastructure,’’ Swarup said. Sources confirmed that many private investors had started inquiring about the districts which were being selected initially for the scheme, as they wanted to set up hospitals there. Many states were initially reluctant to participate in the scheme for various reasons, but now almost all off them have come on board. The Centre will bear 75% of the cost, and the states 25%. The Centre will follow the BPL list that it has, and state governments will be responsible for identifying the BPL beneficiaries. Senior technical director of National Informatics Centre (NIC) S K Sinha, who developed the technical system for the smart card, said this is the only safe and reliable system which eliminates all misuse and corruption. LIFE UMBRELLA The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna scheme will take care of Rs 30,000 annual hospitalisation expenditure of five members of a BPL family in any part of the country even if they migrate The BPL beneficiary has to pay Rs 30 per year to get the smart card with his thumb impression on the chip to identify Each year, 1.2 crore BPL family members will be targeted

regards,

denny john---------------------------------------------------------------

FacultyInstitute of Public Health, BangaloreC/o Share Your CareBhaktivedanta HospitalMira Road, Thane DistMaharashtra State

Climate Change

Climate Change PowerPoint Presentation Notes
Section 1 – What is Climate Change?
Slide 5:
• See EPA’s “Recent Climate Change” page at
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/recentcc.htmlfor details on these changes.
Slide 6:
• The world has warmed by 1 to 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 100 years. That
may not sound like much, but remember it’s a global average. Some parts of the world
have warmed more than the average, others less.
• The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that
human activities very likely caused most of the warming over the past 50 years.
• Source: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/recenttc_triad.html
Slide 7:
• Climate change is caused naturally by factors such as long-term changes in the Earth’s
orbit, changes in the Sun’s intensity, major volcanic eruptions, and changes in ocean
currents.
• But none of these factors can explain all of the warming that has occurred over the past
50 years or so.
• You’ll find a lot of good information on the causes of climate change on EPA’s
climate change science pages: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/index.html.
Slide 8:
• Carbon dioxide is emitted by many natural sources (including humans and other
animals, when we exhale). Normally these natural sources are balanced by natural
“sinks” that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as trees and the oceans.
• Fossil fuels are made from plant materials that have been buried underground for
millions of years. Those plant materials contain carbon, and when we burn them the
carbon combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide. Worldwide, humans are burning
fossil fuels in such large quantities that the natural sinks can’t remove it quickly
enough. So the carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere, warming the planet.
Slide 9:
• Image credit: White House OSTP publication from October 1997, entitled Climate
Change: State of Knowledge. They credit the image as being created by M. Warford,
1995.
Section 2 – What are the effects of climate change?
Slide 2:
• http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/virtualmuseum/climatechange1/02_1.shtml
Slide 3:
• It’s the increase in the greenhouse effect that worries scientists.
Slide 4:
• Useful resources for more information:
• EPA’s Web page on recent temperature change:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/recenttc.html.
• EPA’s Web page on recent precipitation changes:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/recentpsc.html.
• EPA’s Web page on past climate change and how it is measured:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/pastcc.html.
Slide 5:
• Scientists collect air samples using weather balloons, towers, observatories, ships, and
aircraft.
• Useful resources for more information:
• EPA’s Web page on recent changes in concentrations of greenhouse gases:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/recentac.html.
Slide 6:
• Image Credit: Muir Glacier, photographed by William O. Field on 13 August 1941
(left) and by Bruce F. Molnia on 31 August 2004 (right). NSIDC/WDC for Glaciology,
Boulder, compiler. 2002, updated 2006. Glacier Photograph Collection. Boulder, CO:
National Snow and Ice Data Center/World Data Center for Glaciology. Digital media.
www.nsidc.org/gallery/glaciers/index.html.
Slide 7:
• Check out EPA’s “future climate change” page for more details:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/futurecc.html.
Section 3 – How does climate change affect children’s health?
Slide 3:
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural “fertilizer” for plants because they use carbon
dioxide in photosynthesis. But not all plant species respond in the same ways to
increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere—some species grow
faster when CO2 is higher, while others see less benefit. Furthermore, the other impacts
of climate change (such as changes in temperature and precipitation) may have
negative impacts on many plant species; it’s difficult to predict what the net effect will
be.
Slide 4:
• Children are more vulnerable to disasters than adults are because they typically rely on
others to care for them. Young children may need specialized medical care after
disasters due to their size and other factors.
• Floodwater may carry bacteria. Even if drinking water supplies remain safe, you could
get sick if you come into direct contact with floodwater.
Slide 5:
• Childhood exposure to particle pollution has been associated with respiratory
symptoms, decreased lung function, exacerbation of asthma, and development of
chronic bronchitis. Some communities with high particulate levels have been shown to
have increased rates of pre-term births, lower birth weights, and higher infant
mortality.
• California fire risk figure comes from www.energy.ca.gov/2005publications/CEC-500-
2005-190/CEC-500-2005-190-SF.PDF.
Slide 6:
• Mosquitoes can carry dangerous diseases such as West Nile virus, malaria, and dengue
fever. In the United States, we are usually able to keep such diseases under control.
That is not the case in poorer countries, such as many African and South American
nations, however. The risks are much greater there.
• Heat waves in cities tend to be more severe than in surrounding countryside because
pavement and buildings tend to absorb heat, while trees and grass reflect it. Children,
pregnant women, and older adults are especially vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
Slide 7:
• People in developing countries generally face greater risks than those in industrialized
nations such as the United States because they lack systems, technologies, and access
to health care that could protect them from many of the impacts of climate change.
• Worldwide, 66.5 million kids were affected by weather-related disasters every year
between 1990 and 2000.
• References: 66.5 million children were affected by weather-related disasters every year
between 1990 and 2000: Penrose A, 2006.
Section 4 – Protect yourself from the effects of climate change
Slide 2:
• For more information about the Air Quality Index (AQI), visit http://airnow.gov.
Slide 3:
• See EPA’s Web page on flood risks to children for more information:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/flood.htm.
• Avoid moldy areas, such as houses that have been flooded. The mold can provoke
asthma attacks or allergic reactions.
Slide 5:
• For more information, visit EPA’s Web page on heat waves and children:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/heat.htm.
Section 5 – Take action to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas
Slide 1:
• We burn fossil fuels for energy for modern day conveniences such as our lights,
heating, and air conditioning.
Slide 5:
• Other resources for schools: ENERGY STAR’s “how to get started” page for K-12
schools: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=k12_schools.bus_schoolsk12.
Slide 6:
• Information on the Kids Ride Free program is available at:
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/tsvtmpl.asp?url=/content/DOT/transit/kids_free_ride.
asp.
Slide 9:
• More information on green roofs is available on EPA’s Urban Heat Island site:
www.epa.gov/heatisland.
Slide 11:
• The free Climate CHECK tool runs on Microsoft Excel. It provides educational
information on climate change and prepares a complete greenhouse gas inventory for
your school. The tool meets National Science Content Standards and is aimed
primarily at high school students.
Slide 12:
• You will reduce your family’s energy use by taking these important steps.
Slide 13:
• Consider buying used electronics to save money and the environment.
Slide 14:
• Heating water uses energy and results in greenhouse gas emissions. A shower aerator
gives you a stronger shower but uses less hot water. Shower and faucet aerators are
cheap and make good Earth-friendly gifts for your parents.
Slide 16:
• Smart Growth allows towns and cities to develop in ways that preserve natural lands
and critical environmental areas, protect water and air quality, and reuse already
developed land. For more information on Smart Growth, see
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth.
• For more information about ENERGY STAR, see www.energystar.gov.
Slide 17:
• To qualify to be a Climate Ambassador you can do things like:
o Motivate at least 5 other students to give climate change and children’s health
presentations to other students, youth organizations, at school, or in the
community.
o Get 10 people to Change the World and Take the ENERGY STAR Pledge. The
pledge encourages changes throughout the home. If every American home
replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would
prevent the same amount of greenhouse gases as removing more than 800,000
cars from the road.
o Recruit at least one leader from your community, school, or other organization to
issue a climate change and children’s health proclamation, encouraging young
people to take actions to address climate change and its effects on children’s
health.
o Lead an effort to reduce energy consumption in your school or community and
calculate your results. Examples include getting more students to walk, bike,
carpool, or take a bus to school or reducing the amount of waste produced at your
school or in your community.
• Climate Ambassadors will share their actions so that others can be inspired by what
they do.
• Climate Ambassadors will inspire others to address global climate change.
Slide 19:
• More detailed information on climate change risks to children’s health is available at:

Climate Change Health Effects

Health Effects

On this Page

• Increased Temperatures
• Extreme Weather Events
• Other indirect exposures and health effects
• Potential Climate Change Health Effects
• Additional Readings

Weather and climate have affected human health for millennia. Now, climate change is altering weather and climate patterns that previously have been relatively stable. Climate experts are particularly confident that climate change will bring increasingly frequent and severe heat waves and extreme weather events, as well as a rise in sea levels. These changes have the potential to affect human health in several direct and indirect ways, some of them severe.
A brief overview of the likely health effects of increased temperatures and extreme weather events is provided here. Links to additional information about these and other potential health effects − such as air quality, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, water- and food-borne diseases and mental health − appear below.

Increased Temperatures

Heat exposure has a range of health effects, from mild heat rashes to deadly heat stroke. Heat exposure can also aggravate several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. The results can be severe and result in both increased illness and death. Heat also increases ground-level ozone concentrations, causing direct lung injury and increasing the severity of respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Higher temperatures and heat waves increased demand for electricity and thus combustion of fossil fuels, generating airborne particulates and indirectly leading to increased respiratory disease.
Over a longer time period, increased temperatures have other effects ranging from drought to ecosystem changes that can affect health. Droughts can result in shortages of clean water and may concentrate contaminants that negatively affect the chemistry of surface waters in some areas. Drought may also strain agricultural productivity and could result in increased food prices and food shortages, worsening strain on those affected by hunger and food insecurity in the U.S. and elsewhere. Ecosystem changes include migration of the vectors (organisms that do not cause disease but transmit infection by carrying pathogens from one host to another) and animal hosts that cause certain diseases prevalent in the U.S., such as Lyme disease and Hantavirus. The dynamics of disease migration are complex and temperature is just one factor affecting the distribution of these diseases.
Winters will also be warmer, which is likely to lead to a decrease in illness and death associated with exposure to cold. In addition to this general warming trend, climate change will bring increased weather variability, the results of which are difficult to predict.

Extreme Weather Events

The direct effects of extreme weather events include drowning from floods, injuries from floods, and structural collapse. Indirect effects outnumber the direct effects and likely will be more costly. Potential indirect effects include aggravation of chronic diseases due to interruptions in health care service, significant mental health concerns both from interrupted care and geographic displacement, and socioeconomic disruption resulting from population displacement and infrastructure loss.
Sea level rise increases the risk from extreme weather events in coastal areas, threatening critical infrastructure and worsening immediate and chronic health effects. Salt-water entering freshwater drinking supplies is also a concern for these regions, and increased salt content in soil can hinder agricultural activity in coastal areas.

Other indirect exposures and health effects

Climate change is a complex phenomenon and a range of unanticipated ecological effects may result. Many of these ecosystem effects could have indirect health effects. Increased concentrations of ground-level carbon dioxide and longer growing seasons could result in higher pollen production, worsening allergic and respiratory disease. Increased carbon dioxide concentrations in sea water may cause oceans to grow more acidic and is likely to contribute to adverse ecosystem changes in the world’s tropical oceans. This would have potentially dramatic implications for fisheries and the food supply in certain regions of the world. Major regional ecosystem stresses may result in mass population movement and conflict, with significant health effects. Some of these concerns are low-probability high-impact events, and could have significant health impacts on a global scale.

Potential Climate Change Health Effects

• Heat-Related Morbidity and Mortality
• Asthma, Respiratory Allergies, and Airway Diseases
• Vectorborne and Zoonotic Diseases
• Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
• Weather-Related Morbidity and Mortality
• Foodborne Diseases and Nutrition
• Waterborne Diseases
• Human Developmental Effects
• Mental Health and Stress-Related Disorders
• Neurological Diseases and Disorders
• Cancer

Additional Readings about the Health Effects of Climate Change

Frumkin H, Hess J, and Vindigni S. Peak petroleum and public health. JAMA. 298:1688-1690, 2007.
Frumkin H, Hess J, Luber G, Malilay J, and McGeehin M. Climate change: the public health response. Am J Public Health. 98:435-445, 2008.
Luber G, and Hess J. Climate change and human health in the United States. J of Env Health. 70(5):43-44, 2007.
Patz JA, McGeehin M, Bernard SM, Ebie KL, Epstein PR, Grambsch A, Gubler DJ, Reiter P, Romieu I, Rose JB, Samet JM, Trtang J. The potential health impacts of climate variability and change for the US. Env Hlth Pers. 108 (4): 36-54, 2000.

Climate Change

http://youtu.be/Rfxx3Bsuj_Q

ECONOMICS COLLAPSE AND GLOBAL ECOLOGY

Economic Collapse And Global Ecology
By Dr. Glen Barry
14 January, 2008Earth Meanders
Given widespread failure to pursue policies sufficient to reverse deterioration of the biosphere and avoid ecological collapse, the best we can hope for may be that the growth-based economic system crashes sooner rather than later
Humanity and the Earth are faced with an enormous conundrum -- sufficient climate policies enjoy political support only in times of rapid economic growth. Yet this growth is the primary factor driving greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental ills. The growth machine has pushed the planet well beyond its ecological carrying capacity, and unless constrained, can only lead to human extinction and an end to complex life.
With every economic downturn, like the one now looming in the United States, it becomes more difficult and less likely that policy sufficient to ensure global ecological sustainability will be embraced. This essay explores the possibility that from a biocentric viewpoint of needs for long-term global ecological, economic and social sustainability; it would be better for the economic collapse to come now rather than later.
Economic growth is a deadly disease upon the Earth, with capitalism as its most virulent strain. Throw-away consumption and explosive population growth are made possible by using up fossil fuels and destroying ecosystems. Holiday shopping numbers are covered by media in the same breath as Arctic ice melt, ignoring their deep connection. Exponential economic growth destroys ecosystems and pushes the biosphere closer to failure.
Humanity has proven itself unwilling and unable to address climate change and other environmental threats with necessary haste and ambition. Action on coal, forests, population, renewable energy and emission reductions could be taken now at net benefit to the economy. Yet, the losers -- primarily fossil fuel industries and their bought oligarchy -- successfully resist futures not dependent upon their deadly products.
Perpetual economic growth, and necessary climate and other ecological policies, are fundamentally incompatible. Global ecological sustainability depends critically upon establishing a steady state economy, whereby production is right-sized to not diminish natural capital. Whole industries like coal and natural forest logging will be eliminated even as new opportunities emerge in solar energy and environmental restoration.
This critical transition to both economic and ecological sustainability is simply not happening on any scale. The challenge is how to carry out necessary environmental policies even as economic growth ends and consumption plunges. The natural response is going to be liquidation of even more life-giving ecosystems, and jettisoning of climate policies, to vainly try to maintain high growth and personal consumption.
We know that humanity must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% over coming decades. How will this and other necessary climate mitigation strategies be maintained during years of economic downturns, resource wars, reasonable demands for equitable consumption, and frankly, the weather being more pleasant in some places? If efforts to reduce emissions and move to a steady state economy fail; the collapse of ecological, economic and social systems is assured.
Bright greens take the continued existence of a habitable Earth with viable, sustainable populations of all species including humans as the ultimate truth and the meaning of life. Whether this is possible in a time of economic collapse is crucially dependent upon whether enough ecosystems and resources remain post collapse to allow humanity to recover and reconstitute sustainable, relocalized societies.
It may be better for the Earth and humanity's future that economic collapse comes sooner rather than later, while more ecosystems and opportunities to return to nature's fold exist. Economic collapse will be deeply wrenching -- part Great Depression, part African famine. There will be starvation and civil strife, and a long period of suffering and turmoil.
Many will be killed as balance returns to the Earth. Most people have forgotten how to grow food and that their identity is more than what they own. Yet there is some justice, in that those who have lived most lightly upon the land will have an easier time of it, even as those super-consumers living in massive cities finally learn where their food comes from and that ecology is the meaning of life. Economic collapse now means humanity and the Earth ultimately survive to prosper again.
Human suffering -- already the norm for many, but hitting the currently materially affluent -- is inevitable given the degree to which the planet's carrying capacity has been exceeded. We are a couple decades at most away from societal strife of a much greater magnitude as the Earth's biosphere fails. Humanity can take the bitter medicine now, and recover while emerging better for it; or our total collapse can be a final, fatal death swoon.
A successful revolutionary response to imminent global ecosystem collapse would focus upon bringing down the Earth's industrial economy now. As society continues to fail miserably to implement necessary changes to allow creation to continue, maybe the best strategy to achieve global ecological sustainability is economic sabotage to hasten the day. It is more fragile than it looks.
Humanity is a marvelous creation. Yet her current dilemma is unprecedented. It is not yet known whether she is able to adapt, at some expense to her comfort and short-term well-being, to ensure survival. If she can, all futures of economic, social and ecological collapse can be avoided. If not it is better from a long-term biocentric viewpoint that the economic growth machine collapse now, bringing forth the necessary change, and offering hope for a planetary and human revival.
I wish no harm to anyone, and want desperately to avoid these prophesies foretold by ecological science. I speak for the Earth, for despite being the giver of life, her natural voice remains largely unheard over the tumult of the end of being.

STOP GREENWASHING

Time To Stop The Greenwashing
By Glen Barry
05 January, 2008Earth Meanders
The Earth and all species including humans are threatened with imminent ecological ruin. You should be afraid, very afraid. Yet real hope remains that fundamental social change can avert looming failure of global ecosystems. The biggest current obstacle to such change is that now that everyone, every product and every business claims to be "green"; we have been diverted from urgent, adequate ecological change required to secure being.
Many mainstream (and some "radical") environmentalists, most businesses and essentially all governments are greenwashing -- misleading the public regarding the environmental benefits of their practices, policies and products. Certified FSC logging destroys ancient forests, climate and water. Coal is unlikely to ever be clean as existing plants emit into the atmosphere, and sequestration is unproven. Biofuels hurt the environment, geo-engineering will destroy remaining natural processes, and buying more stuff is rarely good for the environment.
It is time to stop the greenwashing. After two decades of successfully raising awareness regarding climate change, forest protection and other challenges to global ecological sustainability; increasingly my time is spent reacting to dangerous, insufficient responses that fail to address root causes of ecological decline, provide a false sense of action, and frequently consolidate and do more environmental harm.
Many "greenwash" to make money, some to be perceived as effective advocates, while others believe incremental progress without changing the system is the best that can be done. Yet all are delaying policies necessary simply to survive. The greatest obstacle to identifying, refining, espousing and implementing policies required to maintain a habitable Earth may come from "environmentalists" proposing inadequate half-measures that delay and undermine the rigorous work that must be done to bring humanity back into nature's fold.
Sufficient policies required to save the Earth are massive in scope and ambition. Deep-seated change is required in how we house, feed and clothe ourselves; in our understanding of acceptable livelihoods and happy lives; and in our relationship with the biosphere and each other. To maintain a livable Earth there is no alternative to less people and consumption, a smaller and restorative economy, and an end to cutting natural vegetation and burning fossil fuels.
Systematic failure of global ecosystems and social systems must be addressed in more than a token manner. A whole series of policy actions exist that we know are needed, would work, are sufficient, and could start immediately. These include massive investments into subsidizing renewable energy, implementing population controls, banning coal, ending old-growth logging and financing carbon emission reductions.
Given the Earth has already exceeded what can be sustained in these regards, not only must the destruction stop, but massive regional scale ecological restoration must commence to establish rewilded and connected ecological reserves. Economic growth beyond steady-state use of natural capital must be stopped, and sustainable relocalized communities built around bioregions.
Certainly ecologically positive technology has a role to play. Living in the country and needing a vehicle I recently chose the best transportation option society offers me and bought a Toyota Prius. But leading environmentalists touting technology as the primary emphasis to save our environment are dreadfully misinformed, and are obviously unaware of the ecological nature of being. They seem to have forgotten about the primacy of maintaining and restoring ecosystems.
Even as we personally strive to live frugal, rich lives; necessary consumption should focus upon durable items that will last. Strong tools and minds are required to grow food, make a righteous living, and otherwise practice ecological living. Excessive consumption is a poor substitute for a truthful, fully aware, knowledge filled and experience rich life. All can and should enjoy some luxuries, rather than some enjoying all.
Global ecological threats are intensifying -- oceans lifeless, forests tattered, water scarce, and the atmosphere perhaps irreparably damaged. This occurs even as a climate change backlash builds, largely as a result of truthful apocalyptic warnings presented without adequate policies that go beyond greenwash responses and actually promise a hope filled solution likely and able to succeed.
Given this increased urgency and public awareness, the environmental community must espouse rigorous, sufficient polices "while the iron is hot" and demand real actions that are sufficient to solve global ecological crises. And greenwashers beware: if you stand in the way of sufficient ecological responses to the greatest emergency of all times, you will be exposed as Earth charlatans and resisted.