The answer isn’t what you’d think. In fact, it may be the last thing you’d expect, but it’s something you need to be aware of.
The cause of these multiple deaths will be climate change, and the World Health Organization (WHO) says that a number of health issues will play a part in this process. Sadly, 38,000 deaths may occur as a result of heat exposure in the world’s elderly population. In addition, 48,000 people will die from diarrhea, 60,000 people will die from malaria and 95,000 children will die from malnutrition.
Even more concerning, though everyone will see the effects of climate change, some people will be more affected than others. The WHO says that this will include people living in areas near the coast and those living in large cities. Those in mountainous and polar regions and those residing on small islands that are in the process of being developed also will be affected.
The sad thing is that children will suffer the consequences of climate change, especially children in developing countries. Plus, the elderly and sick will pay the price. And healthcare workers may not be able to keep up with the demand for treatment in these areas.
According to NASA, climate change is not new. In fact, there are said to have been seven different glacial advance and retreat cycles during the past 650,000 years. The most recent happened 7,000 years ago, which was the end of the ice age. NASA says that most of these occurrences happened because of variations in Earth's orbit, which affects solar energy.
Here’s the thing: Scientists say humans probably causing the global warming that the earth now experiences. These days, scientists can see what’s going on, thanks to technology. This has allowed researchers to collect ample amounts of data for a long time to see patterns.
What they’ve learned is that greenhouse gases are most likely responsible for this effect. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), most greenhouse gases found in the United States are due to energy use. In fact, carbon dioxide emissions related to petroleum and natural gas account for more than 80 percent of greenhouse gases. Three things are thought to contribute: economic growth, the need for fuel to generate electricity, and weather that fuels the need for heating and cooling.
As a result, a number of things have happened. For example, the sea has risen more than six and a half inches in the past 100 years. But in the past 10 years, it’s risen almost twice that amount.
Global surface temperatures have been rising since the late 1800s. Record highs are on the rise, and record lows are decreasing, which most people have noticed. The oceans have even heated up, with an increase of .302 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 1960s. Further, ice sheets are decreasing, and the ocean has become more acidic.
The question is: What health issues will be seen as a result of changes in the climate?
The first thing that concerns experts is health issues regarding heat. According to the WHO, high temps can be deadly because they can play a role in both heart disease and breathing issues. Plus, extreme temps are said to raise ozone levels and air pollutants, which adds to health effects. Pollen levels will even rise, making for a dangerous situation for those with asthma and allergies.
The risk of infections will increase. As the climate changes, disease seasons get longer and reach places that they once did not reach. The WHO says that the conditions of the climate are linked to diseases found in water and diseases that we get by way of living things, like bugs, snails, and other animals that are cold-blooded. This may have devastating health consequences.
The WHO says that these changes even affect the amount of rain that we get, which can, in turn, affect health. This can put a damper on efforts to keep water safe and affect the ability of some communities to have water at all. To put it simply, experts say they’ve now seen three times the amount of weather-related disasters when compared to the amount of weather-related disasters that occurred in the 1960s. And with sea levels rising, relocating communities is becoming more and more probable. Drought is even said to be an impending doom, with experts predicting stronger and more droughts by the end of the 21st century. And the amount of flooding that we see is even increasing. All of these factors will play a role in global nutrition and the spread of disease.
That said, there are things you can to battle climate change. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you can start by changing five regular light bulbs out to Energy Star light bulbs. These light bulbs create less heat and use less energy in general. Seal and insulate your home to make it more energy efficient, and consider using Energy Star appliances, which are more energy efficient than many other options.
Further, you can make an effort to conserve the resources that we have on this planet. This begins with recycling. Enroll in your local recycling program and recycle simple items like newspapers and water bottles. Better yet, try to conserve water. Water treatment takes a ton of energy. So turn off water when you don’t need it, like if it’s running in the kitchen while you’re drying dishes or if you’re shaving.
Two other factors can change your water use. The first is a leaky toilet. Make sure your toilets don’t leak. The EPA says that a leaking toilet can plow through 200 gallons of water daily, and refrain from running your dishwasher until it’s full. Not only does this save money, but it also saves energy.
Finally, water your lawn and plants at appropriate times like when it’s cooler in the mornings and evenings, and consider composting. This can help to eliminate garbage pileup in landfills. It’s also the perfect way to make natural fertilizer.