Category: Environmental Health
Wildfire smoke forecasted to impact Washington again this season
‘Smoke Ready Week,’ June 12-16, is the perfect time to prepare for unhealthy air
Climate Crisis Is on Track to Push One-Third of Humanity Out of Its Most Livable Environment
Climate change is remapping where humans can exist on the planet. As optimum conditions shift away from the equator and toward the poles, more than 600 million people have already been stranded outside of a crucial environmental niche that scientists say best supports life. By late this century 3 to 6 billion people, or between a third and a half of humanity, could be trapped outside of that zone, facing extreme heat, food scarcity and higher death rates, unless emissions are sharply curtailed or mass migration is accommodated.
Hot Weather Precautions
Severe heat may cause illness or even death. When temperatures rise to extreme highs, reduce risks by taking the following precautions.
Climate change is changing public health
In Washington, a new team of epidemiologists is preparing for a hotter, smokier future.
Are gas stoves bad for your health?
Here’s why the federal government is considering new safety regulations.
Washington’s homelessness challenge focus of Inslee’s State of the State address
“When there’s not enough housing for all, rents and prices skyrocket beyond what many can afford,” Inslee said. “An until we fix our housing crisis, thousands of people will remain homeless.”
Pandoravirus: the melting Arctic is releasing ancient germs – how worried should we be?
All the viruses cultured so far are far from viruses that affect mammals, let alone, humans and would be very unlikely to pose a danger to humans. A more relevant area of concern is that as the permafrost thaws it could release the bodies of long-dead people who might have died of an infectious disease and so release that infection back into the world.
Proliferating Wildfires Threaten Health Across the Country
By Matt VasilogambrosStateline As wildfires continue to burn in parts of the United States, state public health officials and experts are increasingly concerned about residents’ chronic exposure to toxin-filled smoke. This year has seen the most wildfires of the past…
How climate change will make infectious disease worse around the world
Climate change can exacerbate a full 58% of the infectious diseases that humans come in contact with worldwide, from common waterborne viruses to deadly diseases like plague,
No AC? Can’t open your windows? Here’s how to stay cool.
When it’s hot outside, it can be miserable inside if you don’t have air conditioning or can’t open your windows. These tips can help when it feels like an oven in your home.
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize
Heat waves are becoming supercharged as the climate changes – lasting longer, becoming more frequent and getting just plain hotter. One question a lot of people are asking is: “When will it get too hot for normal daily activity as we know it, even for young, healthy adults?”
Wood-burning Stoves Raise New Health Concerns
Burning wood releases a host of particles and gases. The most regulated is fine particulate matter, or PM2.5 — particles 2.5 microns or smaller across, tiny enough to enter the bloodstream through the lungs and even penetrate the brain.
Wood-burning Stoves Raise New Health Concerns
In the United States, 11.5 million homes, or about 30 million people, were estimated to use wood as their primary or secondary heat source. Growing scientific evidence shows that woodsmoke affects human health and contributes to air pollution.
Monroe School District offers $34 million to students to settle chemical exposure case
A school district in Washington state has offered an extraordinary $34 million settlement to students and parents exposed to toxic chemicals that lingered for at least eight years on a public school campus.
Wildfire Smoke Is Here to Stay. Here’s How to Clean the Air Inside Your Home.
The standard advice is to stay inside when heavy smoke is in the air. But the smoke can get into your house or apartment. So you might want to consider investing in equipment to clean the air inside your home, especially with climate change likely to continue escalating the scope and intensity of the fires.