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| Mon, 16th Sep 2019 13:28:00 |
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Should We Be More Optimistic About Fighting Climate Change? |
There are two stories about climate change. The first is the one you hear the most; that if we don’t dramatically curb greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade, there will be dire consequences to our health and way of life. The second story is about optimism. It’s about how innovations large and small are helping us to mitigate these dangers and transform our economy and our lives.
Both stories are true. But the second one is rarely told. It’s also the reason why we believe that reining in climate change is possible. As doctors and entrepreneurs, we have witnessed the extraordinary capacity that people have to surmount challenges and maintain hope in the most difficult circumstances. Alice is the former Executive Director of Doctors for America, and has practiced medicine in California and Washington, DC. Vivek, before serving as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, co-founded a clinical trial optimization company and two organizations focused on improving health in India. From health care’s frontlines we’ve witnessed the catastrophic costs of climate change, and have seen the public and private sectors– to varying degrees– respond. It is why we are both increasingly worried, and increasingly optimistic. And why we want you to be, too.
Diagnosis: Climate Change
When we think about the major health challenges facing the world, we tend to think about mental illness, violence, malnutrition, and chronic illnesses like heart and lung diseases. It surprises many to learn that climate change is the greatest public health challenge facing communities around the world. But where there is risk, there is also opportunity; Nielsen estimates that by 2021, one quarter of total store sales in the U.S. ($150 billion) will be sustainable products. What’s more, those products are expected to outperform traditional products. We are heartened by this, but not altogether surprised. As physicians, we know that patients we have cared for throughout the years stand to be increasingly affected by climate change. We also know that these people are not just our patients, but they are also your employees, colleagues, and customers, maybe even yourself and your family. The choices you make today– big ones about carbon neutrality and small ones like the kind of lightbulb in your desk lamp– are going to influence their lives tomorrow.
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