How Global Warming Will Affect Human Health Essay -- Geology

How Will Global Warming Affect Human Health? Introduction: Certain threats to human health loom larger with rising temperatures. Extremely hot temperatures can cause heat illnesses and loss of life. Several vector borne diseases only occur in warm areas, and an increase in temperature could mean a spread of these diseases to larger areas. Also, warm temperatures can increase levels of air pollutants, including ozone, which can harm human health. Direct Effects: The most direct way that a rise in global mean temperature will affect human health is through a more frequent occurrence of heat waves. Heat can seriously harm or even kill during a heat wave. Extremely high temperatures push the human body beyond its capacity to cool itself through perspiration. Usually, the body perspires and is cooled through the evaporation of that perspiration. In conditions with extremely high temperatures and humidity levels, evaporation slows and the body has to work harder to cool itself. The elderly, the young, the overweight, and the infirm are vulnerable to heat stroke, as are people who have been overexposed to the heat, or have over-exercised for their age and physical condition. Men are more susceptible to heat illnesses than women, because they sweat more and dehydrate more quickly. The problem is exacerbated in urban areas because asphalt, concrete, and other manmade materials absorb a lot of light and reradiate it as infrared radiati on, which raises the temperature of the air. In a normal year, about 175 Americans die from extreme heat related illnesses, but that number could rise tremendously in response to global warming. Studies based on heat wave mortality statistics estimate that in Atlanta, even... ...w.epa.gov/airnow/health/ Fema. "Extreme Heat Backgrounder." http://www.fema.gov/library/heat.htm Greenpeace. "Global Warming May Spread Infectious Diseases." http://www.greenpeace.org/~climate/database/records/zgpz0707.html Hall, Mike. "Ground Level Ozone." http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~mjhall/glo/ Living Planet. "Emerging Infectious Diseases." http://livingplanet.org/climate/climate_docs/health_factsheet/emerging.htm Myers, David G. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers, 1998. Nasa. "Islands in the (Air) Stream." http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/essd01may98_1.htm The University of Edinburgh. "What effects can the environment have on health?" http://www.med.ed.ac.uk/HEW/env/introeh.html Washington State Department of Health. "High Levels of Ozone Pose Health Risks." http://www.doh.wa.gov/Publicat/98_News/98-68.html