Global Warming a Matter of Life, Death

(The following is an assessment of the effects of global warming produced by Environment Texas staff member J.J. Karabias and Dr. Lisa Doggett - J.B. ed.)

Are you exercising?

What's your diet like?

Do you smoke?

These are the questions that come up when we talk to our doctors about our health.

We don't expect our doctors to ask, "What have you done lately to reduce global warming pollution?"

But it's a very relevant question, as our physical health is closely tied to the health of our climate.

According to the World Health Organization, global warming is already claiming an estimated 150,000 lives each year. As temperatures continue to increase, so will illnesses and deaths from heat waves, air pollution, the spread of infectious diseases, and extreme weather.

The good news is that this fall, for the first time in history, Congress is getting serious about global warming. The choice they make -- whether to take the bold action needed to combat global warming or to pass off half-measures as progress -- will have long-lasting effects.

Heat is a killer. In fact, it's the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States -- more than hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes and floods combined.

According to United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, cities that currently experience heat waves will face "an increased number, intensity, and duration of heat waves" if global warming continues unabated.

In 2006, the United States experienced a summer heat wave that broke records from coast to coast and caused the deaths of nearly 200 people. A recent study of 21 U.S. cities estimates that heat-related deaths during an average summer will double by mid-century as a result of global warming.

And heat brings other dangers. It's harder to breathe on hot, smoggy days.

Those with asthma and other respiratory diseases are especially sensitive. When it's hot, ozone -- also known as smog -- forms more readily.

Ozone is a powerful air pollutant that burns our lungs and can harm even the healthiest lungs.

Children, teenagers, the elderly, and people with lung disease are most vulnerable to the health effects of ozone exposure, which can trigger asthma attacks and even cause premature death.

More than 99 million Americans live in areas with unsafe levels of ozone, according to the American Lung Association (ALA).

Unfortunately, global warming is only going to add fuel to this fire.

The good news is that we don't have to sit back and watch global warming take an ever-increasing toll on our health -- or our environment or economy for that matter. The tools we need to combat global warming are at our finger tips; we simply must put them to use.

We have the technology to reduce the pollution that is fueling global warming by making our cars and homes more energy-efficient and getting our energy from natural, renewable resources such as the sun and wind.

And moving to an efficient and clean energy economy will have numerous additional benefits: it will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, save consumers money and enable us to lead healthier lives.

The science is clear: the United States must act now to reduce its total global warming emissions by at least 15 to 20 percent by 2020 and at least 80 percent by 2050. These are ambitious goals, and meeting them won't be easy.

Yet, to protect the health and well-being of future generations, we can't settle for anything less...

Unfortunately, powerful and backward-thinking companies in the oil, auto, and power industries are trying to chart a different course.

They are pushing for weak global warming legislation delivered to a president who has made no serious effort to address one of the most serious threats we face.

We're counting on Congress to work for legislation that mandates the reductions in global warming pollution that science tells us are necessary to protect future generations. That's a prescription we can live with.

J.J. Karabias is federal field associate, Environment Texas. Dr. Lisa Doggett is chair of Texas Chapter, Physicians for Social Responsibility.