Category: Environment
TIPS FOR CLEAN AIR INDOORS ON SMOKY DAYS: A PUBLIC HEALTH COMIC
Comic by Meredith Li-Vollmer from Public Health — Seattle & King County
Hottest temperatures of the year forecasted for Western Washington this week
National Weather Service issues excessive heat warning for much of Puget Sound
How to Prepare for an Early and Long 2023 Wildfire Season in King County
his year, wildfire smoke is forecast to start early in King County and last into the fall. Record-setting forest fires have already darkened skies in Canada and the eastern U.S., and our region is set to be next. By preparing now, you can help to protect your and your family’s lungs, heart, and health from smoke.
Saving lives from extreme heat: Lessons from the deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave
The 2021 heat dome was Washington’s deadliest weather disaster on record. It contributed to 441 deaths in the state between June 27 and July 3, our research shows. Medical systems were overwhelmed. There are numerous ways to avoid this deadly of an outcome in the future. Many emerge from thinking about extreme heat as long-term risk reduction, not just short-term emergency response.
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.
How wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains
One concern is that smoke can suppress macrophage function in the lung, altering the immune cell’s function enough that you become more susceptible to respiratory infection.
Climate change is changing public health
In Washington, a new team of epidemiologists is preparing for a hotter, smokier future.
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.”
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,
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?”
FEELING THE HEAT? MAYBE IT’S YOUR MEDICATION.
Medications can make it harder to stay hydrated and regulate body temperature, including those for allergies and colds, thyroid, depression, heart/blood pressure, and weight loss. Check with your doctor to see if your health conditions or medications make you more sensitive to heat.
DIY air filter fan
This simple D.I.Y. project can make the smoky days a little more bearable and safe.
Excessive heat warning issued for Seattle and King County
Cooling centers will be available across the city,