NEWS: New Year's resolution you can feel good about

December 31, 2009
Winnipeg Free Press

There is a growing body of evidence the Earth is warming, and that human activity leading to greenhouse-gas production is a significant contributor to this warming process. But human activity -- physical activity -- can also reduce GHGs and make you feel better at the same time.

Carbon dioxide is the primary contributor to the greenhouse effect. CO2 comes from a variety of sources, and individual actions can have a significant impact on GHG production.

The United Kingdom, for example, has estimated about 40 per cent of carbon emissions are the result of decisions taken directly by individuals.

The potential public health impacts from climate change and GHG are wide-ranging and include increases in illness and death from direct heat effects such as heatstroke; severe climactic events such as tornadoes; worsening air quality, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases; impacts on food production; and a spread in the insects that cause illnesses such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease.

So, how can the average Winnipegger take action?

Climate change can feel like an overwhelming and distant issue, but many of the steps can be taken are the same as those that anyone can take to have immediate and significant impacts on one's own health as well as on the health of the community. A number of organizations have produced resources on specific steps that individuals can take -- one of these is a Top 10 list of actions identified by the provincial department of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines:

"ö Drive your personal car less -- walk, bike, bus or carpool

"ö Be idle free

"ö Keep your vehicle well-maintained

"ö Drive the most efficient vehicle that can meet your needs

"ö Avoid the use of two-stroke engines

"ö Make your building more energy efficient

"ö Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost household waste

"ö Consume wisely

"ö Carefully manage fertilizer application

"ö Plant trees

Many of these steps, like using personal vehicles less, allow all of us to make a contribution to GHG reduction but also have a number of additional health benefits. People who cut back on personal vehicle use and use active forms of transportation get more exercise and all the health benefits of exercise.

Since inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, more active transportation means your risk from conditions like stroke and heart attack is less and you get to enjoy the mental-health benefits of being active. At the same time, you are improving local air quality, which means a lower risk from conditions like asthma and heart disease for you and your neighbours.

Making changes in daily, personal habits is never easy -- if it was, rates of smoking, obesity and stress would be much lower than they are. But driving less doesn't have to mean selling the family car.

Most people who make these types of positive lifestyle changes in a way that fits into schedules -- you've got to spend the time commuting to work anyway, so you might as well combine it with your workout time -- find they feel better, and feel better about the decisions they've made.

The more that Winnipeggers can use active forms of transportation and try when possible to make some of the other choices that are available to reduce GHG, the better our health and the health of our family, friends and community will be.

Now that's a New Year's resolution we can all feel good about.

[Dr. Michael Rutledge, medical officer of health with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority]

 

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