Environmental Sustainability and Health

From the April 14, 2023 issue of the Transformational Times

Environmental Sustainability and Health

What More Can We Do for our Grandchildren, Patients, and Communities? 

 

John Meurer, MD, MBA, Professor and Director, MCW Institute for Health & Equity 

 

 

Dr. Meurer tackles the tough, personal responsibility issue behind increasingly frequent, severe climate disasters such as storms, heat waves, and wildfires, with apologies for triggering any traumatic memories for readers... 

 

Since 1900, energy consumption in the United States from petroleum, natural gas and coal has increased by 80 quadrillion thermal units contributing greenhouse gases to global warming. In the past 50 years, Milwaukee’s average winter temperature has increased 9°F.  

 

Rapid industrialization, energy use, agricultural and consumer practices, deforestation, livestock, transportation, and pollution have caused rising temperatures and sea levels (there is enough ice on Earth to raise sea levels by twenty stories!), unpredictable weather, land degradation, and loss of wildlife and biodiversity. The impacts of climate change are displaced people, poverty, loss of livelihood, hunger, malnutrition, increased infectious diseases, food and water shortages.  

 

The richest 10% are responsible for half of total lifestyle consumption emissions. The negative effects of climate change disproportionately impact people of color and other historically marginalized people.  

 

What is being done

Health care organizations, including MCW and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC), are working to lessen our impact on climate change with energy conservation and sustainable waste management, however the pace and scale of the efforts is insufficient.  

Most of us have little sense of the scale of carbon footprints of many things we do and buy. For example, consuming red meat has both environmental and health impacts much greater than a vegetarian diet. Single passenger cars contribute more C02 emissions per passenger per mile travelled than air flights traveling the same distance. Consider taking the jump or steps in these directions: 

The Inflation Reduction Act provisions may reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. The U.S. alone could prevent 4.5 million premature deaths if we reduce emissions globally to meet the Paris agreement of 50% reduction below 2005 emission levels. 

 

What we can do as individuals and as MCW

The U.S. phased down hydrofluorocarbons (gases that trap 1000x more heat than C02) and now the Earth’s ozone layer is slowly healing. U.S. renewable energy from solar and wind is increasing yearly.  

 

In addition to changing individual lifestyles and influencing our social networks, we also can advocate for system and policy changes. In The Climate Book, Greta Thunberg noted 22 vital things we can do together as a society including: 

• Educate ourselves 
• Rewild and restore nature and plant trees 
• Maximize carbon sinks and abandon “carbon offsetting” and “climate compensation” 
• Divest from fossil fuels and end their subsidies 
• Make local public transport free of charge 
• Leapfrog to renewable energy 
• Ban high-carbon ads and sue carbon-polluting governments and companies 
• Invest in research and technology 
• Heed the principles of safety 

 

With the leadership of Dean Joe Kerschner, MCW is establishing a center for sustainability, health, and environment. We aim to be a distinguished leader and innovator in advocacy, community engagement, medical, graduate and pharmacy education, clinical collaboration, and research to sustain a healthy and equitable environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and resiliently adapt to climate challenges. MRMC offers an online carpool and rideshare program to save money and go green. MCW Medical Students for a Sustainable Future and Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action are actively tackling the challenges.  

 

Please consider what more we can do for our grandchildren, patients and communities for environmental sustainability and health.  

 

John Meurer, MD, MBA, is Professor of Community Health and Pediatrics and Director of the MCW Institute for Health & Equity. The MCW center for sustainability, health and environment will be launched in IHE soon. We seek broad engagement across MCW and beyond. mailto:jmeurer@mcw.edu