Chapter 2
Environmental Change and Health
2.1 OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
2.1.1 INTRODUCTION
The environment, which sustains the life of all living organisms, can also be a
significant cause of ill health. As discussed in the previous chapter, increasing
industrialization, expanding technology and economics, coupled in recent
decades with growing world population, have radically changed, and are still
changing, our environment. Some of the marked changes include global
climate changes, increased air and water pollution, acid rain, mounting
quantities of solid waste, destruction of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), and the presence of a growing number of endocrine disrupters in the
environment. These changes have profound impacts on the health and wellbeing of living organisms.
Literature dealing with some of these issues abounds. For example, Time
magazine, in a rare departure from its tradition of naming ‘‘Man of Year’’,
designated ‘‘Endangered Earth’’ as ‘‘Planet of the Year’’ for 1988. The January
2, 1989 issue of the magazine was dedicated to this particular theme. In the
front section, which contained several articles on the issue, are these words:
‘‘What On EARTH Are We Doing?’’
1 In this chapter, several issues of concern
are discussed.
2.1.2 GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGES
Global climate changes, particularly global warming, have attracted much
attention in recent years. According to studies by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), over the period 1978 to 2002 the global
tropospheric temperature increased 0.22 to 0.26
C per 10 years. The increase
was consistent with the global warming trend derived from observations by
surface meteorological stations.
2
According to a recent report by the New York Times, researchers have
found that the icecap atop Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is retreating at such
a pace that it will disappear in less than 15 years. The vanishing of the
seemingly perpetual snows of Kilimanjaro echoed similar trends on ice-capped
peaks in various parts of the world, including Canada and Peru, and is
considered one of the clearest signs that recent global warming appears to have
exceeded typical climate shifts. Measurements taken on Kilimanjaro show that
its glaciers are not only retreating but also rapidly thinning, with one spot
[16:55 26/8/04 P:/CRC PRESS/4365 MING-HO.751 (1670)/4365-002.3d]
Ref: 4365 MING-HO YU Chap-002 Page: 13 13-30
13
Environmental Change and Health
2.1 OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
2.1.1 INTRODUCTION
The environment, which sustains the life of all living organisms, can also be a
significant cause of ill health. As discussed in the previous chapter, increasing
industrialization, expanding technology and economics, coupled in recent
decades with growing world population, have radically changed, and are still
changing, our environment. Some of the marked changes include global
climate changes, increased air and water pollution, acid rain, mounting
quantities of solid waste, destruction of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), and the presence of a growing number of endocrine disrupters in the
environment. These changes have profound impacts on the health and wellbeing of living organisms.
Literature dealing with some of these issues abounds. For example, Time
magazine, in a rare departure from its tradition of naming ‘‘Man of Year’’,
designated ‘‘Endangered Earth’’ as ‘‘Planet of the Year’’ for 1988. The January
2, 1989 issue of the magazine was dedicated to this particular theme. In the
front section, which contained several articles on the issue, are these words:
‘‘What On EARTH Are We Doing?’’
1 In this chapter, several issues of concern
are discussed.
2.1.2 GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGES
Global climate changes, particularly global warming, have attracted much
attention in recent years. According to studies by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), over the period 1978 to 2002 the global
tropospheric temperature increased 0.22 to 0.26
C per 10 years. The increase
was consistent with the global warming trend derived from observations by
surface meteorological stations.
2
According to a recent report by the New York Times, researchers have
found that the icecap atop Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is retreating at such
a pace that it will disappear in less than 15 years. The vanishing of the
seemingly perpetual snows of Kilimanjaro echoed similar trends on ice-capped
peaks in various parts of the world, including Canada and Peru, and is
considered one of the clearest signs that recent global warming appears to have
exceeded typical climate shifts. Measurements taken on Kilimanjaro show that
its glaciers are not only retreating but also rapidly thinning, with one spot
[16:55 26/8/04 P:/CRC PRESS/4365 MING-HO.751 (1670)/4365-002.3d]
Ref: 4365 MING-HO YU Chap-002 Page: 13 13-30
13