Knowledge Building Series:
Climate  Change, Human  Health  and  Welfare
                                                                          Untied States
                                                                          Eirrviirai»meotal Protection
                                                                          Agency
Part 3 of 3
U.S.  ENVIRONMENTAL  PROTECTION  AGENCY  REGION 8
  Can Climate Change Affect my Health and Welfare?

Climate change is already influencing our physical environment in the Mountain West
and Great Plains states and the affect on people's health and welfare is expected to
progressively increase as greenhouse gases continue to buildup in the atmosphere. We
will experience high temperatures, extreme weather events, the spread of disease,
drought, and other impacts. Many climate impacts are expected to increase in severity.
It is important for us to be prepared, focus on adapting to these changes and address
the impacts on vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly and the poor, who
will be disproportionately impacted.

(Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)—Global Climate Change Impacts in the
United States)
                                                                                2009
   The global
     average
  temperature
 since 1900 has
       risen
 by about 1.5°F.
 By 2100, it is
  projected to
 rise another 2
   to 11.5°F"
   -USGCRP pg. 9
                                 What Health Impacts Can We Expect?
                       Climate change will have different impacts across the United States due to geographic
                       and cultural differences. In the Mountain West and Great Plains, the following impacts
                                               are anticipated:
Environmental and Health Issues
Extreme Heat and Heat waves
Poor Air Quality
Increased ground-level ozone
(a component of smog)
Floods
Wildfires
Disease Transmission through food,
water and insects
Increased Allergenic Pollen
Possible Impacts
Increased illnesses like heat exhaustion and
kidney stones; increased mortality particularly in
urban areas where temperatures can be 1 0°
warmer
Short-term harm to lungs, damage to lung cell
lining, increased cases and deaths caused by
asthma
Flood related injuries, increased waterborne
disease, and contaminated drinking water
Eye and respiratory illness due to air pollutants,
direct injuries and burns that could potentially
lead to death
Increased likelihood of food-borne diseases due
to Salmonella and other bacteria; cases of
Giardia and Cryptosporidium in drinking and
recreational waters after heavy downpours;
mosquitos, ticks and rodents carry West Nile
virus, equine encephalitis, Lyme disease, and
hantavirus
Prolonged allergy season
                                                  (Source: USGCRP Report, pgs. 90-96)

-------
                                Taking Action - What Can I Do?
  Successful climate adaptation relies on research and education. It is critical that individuals use this knowledge to
  change behavior and become aware of how to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
  (Source: USGCRP Report-Concluding Thoughts)
                         How  to Beat the Heat
 •  Drinking plenty of non-carbonated liquids like water or electrolyte-enriched
    drinks, even when you don't feel thirsty.
 •  Avoid alcohol, caffeine or drinks with a lot of sugar because they help speed up
    fluid loss.
 •  Stay indoors, preferably in air-conditioned areas like malls and movie theaters.
    Even a few hours can help cool your body's temperature.
 •  If you feel very hot, cool off by taking a cool bath or shower. Opening a window
    or using a fan may not prevent heat-related illness. Do not try to cool children in
    ice water or alcohol baths.
 •  Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose fitting clothing. Wear a hat or use an um-
    brella, and put on sunglasses.
 •  Limit physical activity to morning and evening hours. Avoid physical activity be-
    tween 1 0 am and 3 pm, the hottest part of the day.
 •  Check on older adults, infants and young children frequently.

 (Source: County of Santa Clara Public Health Department)
                         How to  Prevent Mosquito  Bites- The  4 D's
    Dawn/Dusk:  Avoid being outside at these times
    because this is when mosquitoes are most active

    Drain:  Get rid of standing water in your back-
    yard. Be sure to drain water from old tires, flower
    pots and clogged gutters.  These are breeding ar-
    eas  for mosquitoes.  Change water in bird baths
    weekly to keep it fresh.
DEET:  Use a bug repellent with DEBT when outside. Use
lower concentrations on children. Other options are avail-
able and  approved  by the  Center of Disease Control
and Protection.  These repellents should contain picaridin
and lemon or eucalyptus oil.

Dress:  Wear loose fitting, lightweight, and long sleeved
clothes. To get extra protection, spray clothes with  insect
repellent.

(Source: Colorado Department of Health)
                                                       Mosquitoes and West Nile

                                       As temperatures  increase,  the  range of disease-carrying  mosquitoes will
                                       spread further northward.  For example, West Nile Virus requires a minimum
                                       temperature  of  about 58  °F for  development,  and longer seasons  with
                                       warmer summers may expand the territory of disease carrying mosquitoes.
                                       (Source: Re/sen W, Brault AC.  West Nile virus in North America: perspectives on epi-
                                       demiology and intervention. Pest Manag Sci. 2007 Jul;63(7):641-6)

                                       In the summer of 1999, a new strain of West Nile Virus emerged in North
                                       America.  The highest transmissions of this virus were  during the summers  of
                                       2002 to 2004 in the U.S. and were linked to above-average temperatures.
                                       (Source: Journal of Medical Entomology, (43(2), 309-317)
Page 2

-------
          The Heat is On

Heat  is  already  the leading cause  of
weather-related  deaths  in  the United
States. More than 3,400 deaths between
1999  and 2003 were reported as result-
ing from exposure to excessive heat.

The number of days in which the tem-
perature exceeds  100°F by late this cen-
tury, compared to the 1960s and 1970s,
is projected to increase strongly across
the United  States.   For  example, parts
of  Texas  that  recently   experienced
about 10 to 20 days per year over 100°
F are expected to experience more than
100 days per year  in which the tem-
perature exceeds 100°F  by the end  of
the century under the higher emissions
scenario.

(Source:  USGCRP Report, pg. 90)
                    Who is at  Risk?
According  to  the  USGRCP  Report,  infants,  children,  pregnant
women, elderly, those with chronic medical conditions,  outdoor
workers, and the impoverished are the most at risk from climate re-
lated health effects.
 Vulnerable Group
     Children
       Poor
      Elderly
     Diabetes
        Why They Are Vulnerable
  Small ratio of body mass to surface area,
increased breathing, extra time spent outside,
developing respiratory tracts, and immature
             immune system
 Lack of proper shelter, air conditioning and
           other vital resources
  Likely to have debilitating chronic disease,
   lack of mobility, high sensitivity to heat,
 greater risk of heart failure, blood pressure
    medications can increase chances of
              dehydration
 Fluid imbalance and dehydration make heat
 waves more dangerous, heart disease com-
  bined with diabetes increases chances of
        mortality during heat waves
                                                              (Source: USGCRP Report, pg. 97)
                           What You  Can Do  to Decrease Ozone
                   •   Drive less and use public transportation
                   •   Carpool
                   •   Ride your bike
                   •   Make sure that your car is constantly meeting maintenance requirements
                   •   Keep chemicals and cleaning products well-sealed in order to avoid evaporation

                   (Source: A/rNow, hftp://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=health2.smog 1#1)
                                                                               Page 3

-------
Knowledge Building Series:
Climate  Change, Human  Health and Welfare
U.S.  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION  AGENCY REGION  8
EPA Climate Change Information
                             Region 8 Climate Change Website
                             http://www.epa.gov/region8/
                             climatechange/

                             EPA National Climate Change Website
                             http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
Regional Climate Change
Coordinator

Laura Farris
US EPA Region 8 / MC 8P-SA
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
farris.laura@epa.gov
303-312-6388 phone
303-312-6341 fax
For More Information

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
http://www.ipcc.ch/

National Center for Atmospheric Research
http://www.nca r.uca r.ed u/resea rch/climate/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/climatechange/

U.S. Climate Change Science Program
http://www.climatescience.gov/

World Health Organization Global Change
http://www.who.int/globalchange/en/
Adaptation Resources

Extreme Heat
http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/about/heatguidebook.html

Wildfires
http://www.epa.gov/region09/naturalevents/wildfire/

Severe Drought
http://www.epa.gov/naturalevents/drought.html

Flooding
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/index.shtm
                                                    "Adaptation to current
                                                    climate variability can also
                                                    increase resilience to
                                                    long-term climate change.'

                                                    -Intergovernmental Panel on
                                                    Climate Change
Reference: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, Thomas R. Karl, Jerry M. Melillo, and Thomas C. Peterson, (eds.). Cam-
bridge University Press, 2009.
                                                                     Page 4

-------