Originally published on the CGS blog on October 22, 2008.
Climate change is often discussed as a global problem. We constantly hear catch-phrase warnings such as ‘melting ice caps,’ ‘rising sea levels,’ ‘desertification,’ and ‘greenhouse gases.’ What we don’t often hear about are the real problems pollution and climate change are creating today in small communities across the globe.
What’s the problem?
According to a recent report on the world’s most dangerous environmental hazards, as many as 40% of the world’s deaths each year can be attributed to water, soil and air pollution. The report, released yesterday by two environmental organizations, the Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland, articulates the profound effect that anthropogenic pollution is having on human life.
In communities the world over, people are dealing with disease, disability, neurological damage and illness as a result of deteriorating environmental conditions .
For instance, in Nanjing, China cyclists have begun to wear masks as they ride through the city streets under a thick blanket of smog. Inhaling the airborne particulates that contaminate urban areas across the globe can lead to chronic pulmonary and cardiovascular stress as well as severe respiratory diseases.
(For more information on Urban Air Quality or the rest of the Toxic Top Ten worst pollution problems in the world, click here.)
What is being done?
Authors of the report commended the world for working together to fight global health threats such as AIDs and Malaria. However, “while much attention has been paid to these pandemics, the relationship between human health and pollution seems to have been largely ignored.”
What should we do?
The first step is acknowledging and understanding the problem. People across the globe must realize that each day they are affected in very real ways by irresponsible legislation and lax environmental regulations. The problem is not just global; it’s local. Secondly, as the report states, “there is a great need to address critical environmental health threats that have had no attention in the global dialogue.” Alongside global discussions of hunger, poverty and genocide we must also consider the health of our environment, because, as we have found out the hard way, an unhealthy environment leads to unhealthy people.
