bookmark_borderMental Health Impacts of Climate Change

By Daniel Brouse

The environmental changes and uncertainties associated with climate change can contribute to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Almost all survivors of climate-related disasters suffer from mental distress and experience PTSD. Of those who have not experienced climate disasters, over two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) report having climate change anxiety.

Pollution and climate change can have severe health impacts, leading to the loss of lives through various direct and indirect mechanisms. An overview of how pollution and climate change contribute to adverse health outcomes:

Pollution:

  1. Air Pollution:
    • Respiratory Issues: Inhalation of air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3), can cause or exacerbate respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
    • Cardiovascular Effects: Air pollution is linked to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. Fine particulate matter can enter the bloodstream, affecting the cardiovascular system.
  2. Water Pollution:
    • Waterborne Diseases: Contaminated water sources can harbor pathogens, leading to waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, and gastrointestinal infections.
    • Chemical Exposure: Industrial pollutants, agricultural runoff, and untreated sewage can introduce harmful chemicals into water supplies, posing long-term health risks.
  3. Soil Pollution:
    • Food Contamination: Polluted soil can lead to the contamination of crops with heavy metals, pesticides, and other harmful substances. Consuming contaminated food can result in health issues, including neurological problems and cancer.
  4. Noise Pollution:
    • Stress and Mental Health: Chronic exposure to high levels of noise can contribute to stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Long-term stress can impact mental health and, indirectly, physical well-being.

Climate Change:

  1. Extreme Heat:
    • Heat-Related Illnesses: Increasing temperatures, especially during heatwaves, can cause heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, leading to organ failure and death.
  2. Extreme Weather Events:
    • Injuries and Fatalities: Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other extreme weather events associated with climate change can cause injuries and fatalities directly. These events may also displace populations, leading to increased vulnerability.
  3. Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases:
    • Changing Disease Patterns: Climate change can alter the distribution and prevalence of vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, and Lyme disease. These diseases can lead to severe health complications and death. Climate change can influence the geographic range and seasonality of infectious diseases, potentially leading to the emergence of new health threats. “The magnitude of the vulnerability when you think about one or two diseases — okay, sure, we can deal with that,” professor Camilo Mora said. “But when you’re talking about 58% of the diseases, and 58% of those diseases can be affected or triggered in 1,000 different ways. So that, to me, was also revealing of the fact that we’re not going to be able to adapt to climate change.”
  4. Air Quality Impacts:
    • Worsening Respiratory Conditions: Changes in climate patterns can affect air quality, contributing to increased respiratory issues and exacerbating existing health conditions.
  5. Food and Water Scarcity:
    • Malnutrition and Dehydration: Climate change can impact agricultural productivity and water availability. This may lead to food and water scarcity, causing malnutrition, dehydration, and related health problems.
  6. Mental Health Impact:
    • Psychological Stress: The environmental changes and uncertainties associated with climate change can contribute to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Almost all survivors of climate-related disasters suffer from mental distress experiencing PTSD. Of those who have not experienced climate disasters, over two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) report having climate change anxiety.

It’s important to note that vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, are often disproportionately affected by the health impacts of pollution and climate change. Additionally, global efforts to mitigate these impacts and transition to more sustainable practices are crucial for protecting human health and well-being.

* Our climate model employs chaos theory to comprehensively consider human impacts and projects a potential global average temperature increase of 9℃ above pre-industrial levels.

What Can I Do?
There are numerous actions you can take to contribute to saving the planet. Each person bears the responsibility to minimize pollution, discontinue the use of fossil fuels, reduce consumption, and foster a culture of love and care. The Butterfly Effect illustrates that a small change in one area can lead to significant alterations in conditions anywhere on the globe. Hence, the frequently heard statement that a butterfly in China can cause a hurricane in the Atlantic. Be a butterfly and affect the world.

Here is a list of additional actions you can take.

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderHow to Protect Yourself From Air Pollution

By Daniel Brouse

Climate change is a primarily caused by air pollution.

Air pollution is a primary cause of death.

The health impacts of air pollution are both cumulative and irreversible. The more polluted the air, the more severe the effects. The more polluted air you breathe over time, the more severe the effects. That is to say breathing “Moderate” quality air for 3 days might be similar to breathing “Unhealthy for Sensitive Group” quality air for 1 day. In both cases, your respiratory, circulatory, neurological, and immune systems have been damaged.

You can (and should) check your local air quality several times a day at AirNow.gov. The air quality index (AQI) goes from 0 to 500. An AQI value of 50 or below represents good air quality, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality.

Particulate Matter (PM)

The EPA defines particulate matter (also called particle pollution): the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.

Particle pollution is similar to smoking cigarettes. The more you inhale, the worse it is for you. Also, the more particles in the air you breath, the worse it is for you. Breathing air on a day with an AQI that is unhealthy is similar to smoking a half-pack of cigarettes. If you go running instead of walking, it might be equivalent to smoking 2 packs of cigarettes.

The more particulate matter you breathe in over time, the greater the cumulative effect. The impact on your health will depend on your predisposition. In all cases your risk increases for nasal and upper respiratory tract health problems, heart attacks, strokes, asthma, and bronchitis, as well as premature death from heart ailments, lung disease, and cancer. Studies show that exposure can impair brain development in children and are significantly associated with the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Some of the impacts of particle pollution may be reversed overtime if further exposure to particle pollution is eliminated. After five years of quitting smoking, the risk of developing complications decreases by up to 50%.

The best lifestyle is to avoid particulate matter. Exercise outside only on days with a “Good” AQI under 50. If you must go out on days with an AQI over 50, wear an N95 mask. Indoors build and run a Corsi-Rosenthal Box filter.

Ground-level Ozone

Tropospheric ozone is low level ozone caused by humans. Tropospheric ozone is “bad ozone” that causes health problems in humans, plants to die and other destructive results. (Stratospheric ozone, the good ozone, is the ozone layer in the stratosphere that keeps 95-99% of the suns ultraviolet radiation from striking the earth.)

“Tropospheric ozone is formed by the interaction of sunlight, particularly ultraviolet light, with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which are emitted by automobiles, gasoline vapors, fossil fuel power plants, refineries, and certain other industries.” — National Center for Atmospheric Research

Ozone primarily affects the respiratory and immune systems. The damage is permanent, untreatable and often results in death. The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District reports, “Roughly one out of three people in the U.S. is at risk of experiencing ozone-related health effects.”

The best lifestyle is to avoid ozone exposure. Since heat and ultraviolet light are needed to create ozone, staying indoors offers the best protection. Neither masks nor air purifiers protect from ozone exposure. (Ozone is O3 and almost the same size as Oxygen O2)

REFERENCES
Death by Ozone
COVID-19 and Air Pollution
Ozone Know Zone
Air Pollution Kills
Indoor Air Pollution: How to Purify the Air, Aromatic Plants, and Phytoncides
Corsi-Rosenthal Box filter
The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderNatural Air Purifiers, Aromatic Plants, and Phytoncides

By Daniel Brouse

Air pollution is: a leading cause of death worldwide, the leading cause of climate change, and the greatest threat to humankind. There is not much an individual can do about the outdoor air quality; however, there is a lot one can do to improve their individual air quality. The EPA reports, risks from long-term exposure to indoor pollution “include some respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.” In the Spring of 2023, wildfires in Canada made the symptoms noticeable to many residents in the United States. Outdoor air quality measured hazardous for days in a row. When people could see and smell the air quality, it became obvious. Their indoor air quality also became noticeably poor.

With extreme weather events increasingly impacting both outdoor and indoor air quality, a long-term breathing experiment is underway.

No matter where your virgin air comes from, most likely the best way to purify the air is with plants.

The most famous study was conducted by NASA to remove formaldehyde from the air and found spider plants removed 95 percent of the toxic substance from a sealed Plexiglas chamber in 24 hours.

As part of the long-term breathing experiment we have cultivated multiple generations of spider plants. They are a great place for a novice to get started. Spider plants thrive in bright to moderate light. In the spring and summer, once-a-week watering is sufficient. During the winter, the soil should dry between waterings. (Spider plants are almost as easy to care for as cacti.) Snake plants are also easy to grow in all kinds of lighting situations, require little watering, and are one of the best air purifying plants.

Aromatic Plants and Phytoncides
Almost all plants are good for air purification. The spider plant and snake plants are great for taking pollutants out of the air, as well as optimize sustainability. The long-term breathing experiment is also looking at adding to the air quality.

Aromatherapy and Forest Bathing are easy to implement in your natural air purification experiment. Many plants can help take contaminants out of the air while adding medicinal properties to the air. Rosemary, mints, basil, sage, and most other herbs can add anti-bacterial, anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, stress, pain relief and other beneficial properties to air quality.

During the Air Quality Crisis of 2023, the long-term breathing experiment collided with the Tree Extinction Experiment. As part of the tree experiment, we grow a small nursery of trees in containers. Their main purpose is usually outside to act as a windblock for the structure to help reduce heating and cooling energy needs. Luckily, during the hazardous air quality days we were able to bring some (spruce and oak) inside to help purify the air and add phytoncides. The US Department of Agriculture reports, “These chemicals are natural oils that plants use to defend themselves against unwanted pests such as insects, bacteria or fungi. Phytoncides improve the human immune system by increasing natural killer cell activity. These cells respond rapidly to virus-infected cells and tumor formation. Studies show that increased natural cell activity can last for more than 30 days after a trip to a forest, suggesting that a trip once a month would enable individuals to maintain a higher level of natural killer cell activity. Other benefits from phytoncides include an increase in anti-cancer proteins; a reduction in blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones; reduced test scores for anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion; and increased scores for vigor.”

Trees known to produce especially high levels of phytoncides include the evergreen trees (Cedars, Spruces, Conifers and Pine) and Oak trees.

Read the full article.

More on Clean Water, Air, Healthy Plants and Good Nutrition

More Things You Can Do to Help the Environment and Your Health

Natural Indoor Plant Air Purifiers
Natural Indoor Plant Air Purifiers

bookmark_borderAir Pollution Cause of Cognitive Decline and Dementia

In a UK study, a causal relationship has been established between air pollution and cognitive decline / dementia. The primary cause is a decline in blood flow to the brain.

Cognitive decline, dementia and air pollution

COMEAP reviewed nearly 70 studies in human populations (epidemiological studies) which looked at possible links between air pollution and a decline in mental ability and dementia in older people. They also considered studies which investigated how air pollution might affect the brain.

From this review, it can be concluded that it is likely that air pollution does contribute to these effects. The most likely way this occurs is through effects on the circulation. It is known that air pollutants, particularly small particles, can affect the heart and blood vessels, including to the brain.

WORST CITIES FOR OZONE POLLUTION
#1: Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
#2: Bakersfield, CA
#3: Visalia, CA
#4: Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA
#5: Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
#6: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
#7: Denver-Aurora, CO
#8: Houston-The Woodlands, TX
#9: Sacramento-Roseville, CA
#10: Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, UT
#11: Las Vegas-Henderson, NV
#12: El Paso-Las Cruces, TX-NM
#13: San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
#14: New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA
#15: El Centro, CA
#16: Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
#16: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK
#18: Fort Collins, CO
#19: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
#20: Chico, CA
#21: Reno-Carson City-Fernley, NV
#22: Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM
#23: Redding-Red Bluff, CA
#24: Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI
#25: San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX

WORST CITIES FOR PARTICLE POLLUTION
#1: Bakersfield, CA
#2: Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA
#2: Visalia, CA
#4: San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
#5: Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
#6: Medford-Grants Pass, OR
#7: Fairbanks, AK
#8: Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
#9: Chico, CA
#10: El Centro, CA
#11: Sacramento-Roseville, CA
#12: Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN
#13: Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN
#14: Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV
#15: Bend-Prineville, OR
#16: Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI
#16: Redding-Red Bluff, CA
#18: McAllen-Edinburg, TX
#18: Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD
#18: Eugene-Springfield, OR
#21: Yakima, WA
#22: Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
#22: Houston-The Woodlands, TX
#24: St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL
#25: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
#25: Shreveport-Bossier City-Minden, LA

Air Pollution and Health

bookmark_borderClimate Change And Wellness

The AGU Science Policy Conference released this statement on global warming:

When climate change affects what we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink, the consequences can be deadly. Changes in climate also affect weather conditions, causing illnesses related to heat and incidents connected to severe weather events. The EPA even says that the spread of climate-sensitive diseases, such as a new strain of West Nile virus that emerged in 2002, depends partly on climate factors. In response, government and health officials must monitor climate change and implement policies for adapting to change while also mitigating risk.