Madison, WI— From hazardous wildfire smoke blanketing the state to sweltering heat waves and record-setting floods, our changing climate is taking a toll on the health of Wisconsinites. In response, a statewide coalition of health and climate professionals has come together to launch Climate & Health Action Together (CHAT) to elevate stories and discussions around local solutions that can safeguard the well-being of our communities.
“As a pediatrician, I’ve seen firsthand that climate change is not a future threat—it’s a present danger to our children’s health,” said Dr. John Meurer, a Professor of Pediatrics and Community Health, after sharing a story about treating a 3-year-old for heat illness.
Climate change influences cultural and public health in many ways, intensifying existing health conditions and creating new ones. Some people’s health and well-being are affected more than others based on age, location, economic resources, and other factors.
Wisconsin has already warmed three degrees Fahrenheit, and precipitation has increased by nearly twenty percent since 1950, according to the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts. These changes supercharge natural disasters, bringing more frequent and intense rain and snowfall, and extremes from hot to cold and floods to droughts. “Excessive rainfall really has an impact on a lot of different areas. We farm a lot of crops and sometimes those crops can be affected, said Michelle Danforth-Anderson, Oneida Nation Marketing and Tourism Director.
“Within the Menominee community, our hunters, gatherers, fishers, and those who spend time in the forest are seeing the impacts of climate change firsthand,” shared Jennifer Gauthier, Enrolled member of the Menominee Nation and Director of the Sustainable Development Institute at the College of Menominee Nation. “While we have always adapted to change, many recognize that there are cultural practices that we are engaged with, that will drastically change or disappear altogether.”
Others talked about threats to air and water quality and how it is impacting asthma and lung disease, brain development, birth outcomes, and those with heart conditions.“We must do more to protect our air and prevent more needless deaths from lung cancer,” said Dr. Joan Schiller, a Medical Oncologist.
Threats like infectious diseases and damage to housing and infrastructure are also on the rise. “Increasing rates a spread of vector-borne illnesses, such as tick-borne illnesses, are directly impacted,” emphasized Dr. Rachel Pierce, an Assistant Professor of Nursing and a Family Nurse Practitioner in Northwest Wisconsin. “We have a responsibility to protect the environment by reducing the consumption of fossil fuels.”
Speakers gave examples of taking action from small changes like composting or gardening with native plants to making your home more energy efficient or calling for affordable, clean energy in your community. Many organizations shared how they are passing along knowledge and launching projects to build resiliency. “We’ve been restoring wetlands to mitigate floods or clean the water, and we are teaching kids and everyone we can through our eco-tours, said Michelle Danforth-Anderson.
“But we can’t solve these challenges if we don’t talk to them. Join us by sharing your stories, fears, and hopes with your neighbors. You are not alone, and together we can find a path to better health for all Wisconsinites now and for generations to come,” concluded Abby Novinska-Lois, Executive Director of Healthy Climate Wisconsin, a healthcare organization.
