The Baffling Nexus of Climate Change and Health

Briana Alberghine                                                                               September 9, 2012

D Block Even                                                                                      Mr. Ippolito

Walsh, Dylan. "The Baffling Nexus of Climate Change and Health." Green Blog. N.p., 6 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 Sept. 2012. <http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/the-baffling-nexus-of-climate-change-and-health/>.

            The article “The Baffling Nexus of Climate Change and Health” by Dylan Walsh declares that the accelerated change in climate over the past fourteen years has influenced the health of the people of the United States. Studies shown by meteorologist, who study the atmosphere, and ecologist, who study the relationship of living organisms with their environment, have seen a sudden change in unpredictable healthcare challenges across the country. The change in climate has been acknowledged as one of the most severe causes of public health threat encountering the United States. Recently, there has been an outbreak of West Nile virus sweeping across the country, putting people in life-threatening conditions. As recorded, this year’s outburst of West Nile virus has broken the countries record for worst case of the virus. Along with West Nile virus, other infectious diseases have been factors resulting from the climate change. Depending on the location in which you live, the severity of the “infectious diseases, waterborne and foodborne pathogens, air pollution, allergies, violent weather, and extreme heat waves” affect the public’s health differently. With the risk for the countries health problems being high, beneficial plans in response to the outbreaks have gone into effect. Though health care isn’t politically cared for, public health remains important to the people and they feel as if it should be greatly protected.

            Today, healthcare isn’t an important factor politically and is usually looked passed as irrelevant. The health threats our country is facing is causing nation wide testing on new disease, cures, and solutions to many of these issues. The society we live in wants to know that they are protected and without having a stable health care plan, many people feel as if they aren’t safe. People’s lives are being put at risk and could be solved by creating a few healthcare polices involving research and planning for the future. I find the medical side of science very interesting and when I found out that healthcare problems were erupting across the United States, I knew that I would be excited to read about it. The importance of medical care has a strong impact in the everyday lives of people, effecting how their lives will continue.

            This article was written very well which made it intriguing for me to read. The details and evidence used to back up stated claims was very well presented. The topic of the article was of interest to me because it does have a strong effect on everyone’s lives. The author, some from scientist, doctors, and government reports, gave many different sources and opinions to this issue. Towards the end, the author gives an update and a prediction on how the health care world will be in a few years. As far as what could have been improved, I think data from medical findings could have been interesting to read about. Overall I think the article displayed many different components to how the climate change can affect the overall standing point of the United States.