Local

ALEXIS SMITH: We have solutions to treat climate change

By Alexis Smith

December 13, 2023 9:10 AM

After a year blighted by extreme heat, deadly wildfires, and smog, it’ll come as little surprise to many of us that 2023 is likely the hottest year on record globally. It’s clear we need to address the issue of climate change head-on.

A mounting body of evidence highlights the undeniable link between our reliance on fossil fuels and its insidious toll on public health. Take a recent study that warns of a doubled risk of fatal heart attacks due to the combination of extreme heat and fine particulate pollution. Meanwhile, research by epidemiologists warns children living near oil and gas wells are 5-7 times more likely to develop lymphoma.

Climate change threatens to magnify existing disparities

Meanwhile, climate change threatens to magnify existing disparities. Rising temperatures lead to higher cooling bills, and increased flooding leads to higher premiums for home insurance. Under-resourced communities suffer from increased exposure to heat, pollution, flooding, and the impacts of extreme weather. Wildfires, poor air quality, evacuations, and power outages pose dangerous challenges for those with complex medical conditions and their caregivers.

Communities of color bear a disproportionate climate burden but also stand to gain the most as we transition to clean, healthy, renewable forms of energy. Rising temperatures and heat waves heighten the likelihood of heat-related illnesses and deaths among vulnerable groups, including the mentally ill, unhoused people, and people with disabilities. Other marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ community, also suffer a disproportionate share of climate impacts.

As a healthcare worker who has sworn to “do no harm,” it’s my duty to speak up about the need to transition to cleaner energy sources that reduce air pollution, save lives and ensure better outcomes. In turn, it’s the responsibility of elected representatives, who’ve sworn to “faithfully discharge” the duties of their offices, to enact legislation that protects their constituents from harm.

We possess ‘preventative’ solutions to avoid the worst of climate change

Just as preventative healthcare measures guard against dire health outcomes, we possess “preventative” solutions to avoid the worst of climate change. We simply need Congress to take action.

Take the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act which was reintroduced in 2023 and would deploy the most powerful tool we have to drive down America’s carbon pollution. The legislation puts a fee on carbon pollution, and the money collected from fossil fuel companies goes to Americans via a monthly ‘carbon cash back’ payment so everyone can afford the transition. Critically, it will help improve health and save millions of American lives over the next 50 years by reducing the pollution Americans breathe. Poor air quality from burning fossil fuels is responsible for as many as 1 in 10 American deaths today and sickens thousands more.

Imagine a world where the air is visibly cleaner, the climate stable, and at least 50,000 American lives are saved each year by reducing air pollution. In healthcare, we often say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and this timeless wisdom needs to be applied to our changing climate.

Will we continue burning fossil fuels, perpetuating a growing healthcare burden and an estimated annual U.S. healthcare cost of $77 billion due to air pollution? Or will we take action now to prevent the worst and save countless lives, not to mention healthcare dollars, in the future?

---

Alexis Smith DO is a local physician and a member of the Mahoning Valley chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.