The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health
When we hear the words ‘climate change’ we all think about hotter summers, more rain and the melting ice caps, but have you ever considered how climate change might impact our health?
Don’t worry, the purpose of this blog isn’t to scare you, it’s to help highlight the importance of working together to fight climate change so we can all enjoy a healthier future! We know we have sparked your interest, so how can climate change impact human health? Let us tell you –
Climate change impacts human health both directly and indirectly through changing the severity, length or frequency of climate related events. For example, this year in the UK we experienced a significant heatwave with the hottest ever temperature being recorded at a whopping 40.3°C (it was great for a few days but then things got REALLY hot). Below, we will outline a key impact of climate change and how this could impact human health in years to come:
Extreme Heat: In recent years we have experience more extreme heat in the UK and for longer periods of time. As a result, we are likely to experience more heat related illness such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps.
Outdoor Air Quality: Climate change is contributing towards increased temperatures and a change in rain patterns. In some circumstances more heat and less rain can lead to wildfires and a decrease in the quality of the air that we breathe.
Flooding: Rising sea levels due to the melting ice caps leads to more flooding events. From this we could see more injuries along with increased exposure to contaminated water.
Mental Health and Wellbeing: We have touched on some physical effects of climate change, but how could this effect our mental health? Climate change impacts, especially extreme weather could increase our expose to events such as storms, hurricanes and flooding. All these events can result in damage to our homes and infrastructure and if we are unable to go about our daily lives, this could have an impact on our mental health and wellbeing.
The purpose of this blog isn’t to scare you, it is to encourage change! What we have just mentioned above is likely to be at its worst in a few years' time, which means we have the chance to slow down climate change and likelihood of these impacts. What do you do to fight climate change?
Let us know in the comments below!
With love,
Team Cheeky Panda
I lead as eco a life as possible. I live in an eco-build house heated via an estate energy centre, bought off plan, where we weren’t supposed to have a gas supply – a selling point for me, but some purchasers clamoured for it, & so I’ve ended up with it but don’t use it. I buy recyclable & sustainable products, make stock from meat bones, batch cook & freeze portions of food, & recycle everything possible, rinsing out all packaging (where possible without using vast quantities of water) so as not to contribute to greenhouse gases in the future – grease soaked cardboard is a problem with certain foods. As my local council can’t seem to get it together to collect all plastic for recycling, I store a bag for it & take it to the supermarket that does. I threw my washing up water on my lawn in the drought & I’ve kept my garden as natural as possible, with the largest lawn space possible (no astro-turf for me, although I see plenty of neighbours vacuuming theirs) & room for compost bins – my neighbours can’t seem to bring themselves to use any – & no plastic chairs breaking down in the sun. I’ve petitioned my council & estate manager to get food waste bins & a communal collection service for every flat dweller on the estate but neither can be bothered, so I wonder how many other people could do this but don’t. In my section where we have individual bin emptying less than half of us present our food waste, & I’m amazed there’s no proactivity, laws, or encouragement on this matter. I reuse, repair, or repurpose most worn out things. I use water based paint & low/non VOC products where practical. I don’t drive, & had actually lost my passport in my house for 5 years but didn’t really have time for a holiday that required a flight & didn’t miss it much either (OK the pandemic meant I wasn’t going anywhere anyway for the past 2 years). It’s a balance though, & I’ve not going to obsess about it all when ‘big business & taxes’ means that polluting vehicles are still being manufactured, & people are still encouraged to use them, & when huge industry bodies don’t take all the preventative actions that they could – such as the National Grid offices leaving their lights on all night, & some water companies directly polluting our rivers & the sea with foul untreated waste!
The most significant development I have been exposed to this year as to how house-dwellers/householders can contribute to mitigating climate change is the discipline of washing up. All food containers, whether they are for recycling or general waste are being washed with the washing up in my household to get those small items of food waste down to the sewer.
This is not about compromising one’s drains with food waste blockage, but taking a common sense approach to food recycling by including the rinsing of crisp packets after the main wash is done for example, to remove the small pieces of food left in them or the pizza delivery box by soaking it for a few minutes before binning it to get those awkward pieces of cheese and sauce off them.
All this food mounts up per household and if left in bags, particularly in hot weather, will give off greenhouse gases as the food rots. =)
We are trying to be a eco friendly family. I have a electric car which I lease and believe me I will never go back to a petrol or diesel car, we have installed solar panels on our roof, we have also got rid of our gas hob and replaced with a electric induction hob, where possible we buy eco friendly cleaning and washing liquid, and of course we use Cheeky Panda toilet paper and kitchen rolls.
I have changed my car to one with low emissions, and drive very little anyway. I have given up meat and trying hard with dairy. I’ve been buying bamboo products for years, including clothing, and many other eco- friendly products. I buy used clothing, furniture and other goods wherever possible, and sell / give away reusable things that I no longer need. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE is my motto ☺️
I don’t iron hardly anything. I always put a full load of washing on & wash mostly at low temperatures, and I haven’t flown for 4 1/2 years! Always looking for areas where I can improve…
Recycle as much as I can
Re use envelopes & paper for notes
Gone paperless for bills
Buy shopping products without plastic
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