Sometimes it seems individuals are powerless to tackle extreme pollution and severe global climate change. But it is important to remember that individuals can adhere to a clear set of guidelines and sustainability principles in order to benefit the planet.
Along with the planet, the fact that sustainability will also be beneficial to the least powerful in our communities: the young, the poor and disenfranchised should comfort us. Simple steps such as taking public transport, walking, cycling and supporting community gardens can help in addressing air quality, cardiovascular health statistics, food deserts and nutritional education.
It’s just about remembering the human side of sustainability. That people are also being affected in addition to flooding, rising water levels, storms, unreasonable high temperatures and their effects on ecosystems further demonstrating that sustainability is both an environmental and social justice issue.
If the links between sustainability and public health catch you by surprise, then it’s because many public health concerns previously focused on infectious epidemics which have mostly been controlled through immunization standards. But more recently, new public health concerns have been created as a result of climate change. These climate-related concerns include climate-sensitive diseases, heat waves, reduced air quality and extreme weather events.
It is important to note the various related, overlapping priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals proving a new logical way of thinking about issues as diverse as climate change, poverty and education fit together. These overlaps can’t be ignored by countries while addressing SDG targets individually.
For example, Zika virus is a climate-related illness that has been associated with birth defects can be spread quickly through heat and heavy rain with climate change playing a future role in this virus by providing conditions favourable to mosquitos that transmit it.
Hence there needs to be more awareness as well as the integration of climate science into public health decision-making.
Individually, we can take action to ensure that where we live is as energy-efficient as possible. Small steps such as checking doors and windows for heat loss, using energy-efficient light sources, weatherstripping and insulating our homes and conducting an energy audits in our homes can help reduce the unnecessary use of fossil fuel.
Also, we can encourage our friends, family and members of our community to bike or walk to work, errands, school or social activities as often as they can; not only for environmental reasons but also for health and wellbeing reasons. It is essential for young people to cultivate healthy habits early in life, therefore the more we can inculcate daily exercise into our routine, the better. If exercise becomes a daily routine habit rather than a temporary fitness weight loss plan, people’s lifestyles can change for the better.
Children of today are not only known for their poor eating habits but also their poor exercise habits. By encouraging children to imbibe healthy behaviours and incorporate exercise into family fun activities evening walks, cycling in the parks, etc., you will help in the improvement of bodily health, environmental health and air quality.
Climate change is definitely a public health issue; hence it is up to us to help drive effective change on a societal scale instead of a mere political policy scale. Actions speak louder than words.