There are two stories about climate change. The first is the one you hear the most; that if we don’t dramatically curb greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade, there will be dire consequences to our health and way of life. The second story is about optimism. It’s about how innovations large and small are helping us to mitigate these dangers and transform our economy and our lives.
Should We Be More Optimistic About Fighting Climate Change?
By 2021, $150 billion of U.S. products will be sustainable.
September 16, 2019
Paul Taylor/Getty Images
Summary.
When we think about the major health challenges facing the world, we tend to think about mental illness, violence, malnutrition, and chronic illnesses like heart and lung diseases. It surprises many to learn that climate change is the greatest public health challenge facing communities around the world. But where there is risk, there is also opportunity; Nielsen estimates that by 2021, one quarter of total store sales in the U.S. ($150 billion) will be sustainable products. What’s more, those products are expected to outperform traditional products. We are heartened by this, but not altogether surprised. As physicians, we know that patients we have cared for throughout the years stand to be increasingly affected by climate change. We also know that these people are not just our patients, but they are also your employees, colleagues, and customers, maybe even yourself and your family. The choices you make today– big ones about carbon neutrality and small ones like the kind of lightbulb in your desk lamp– are going to influence their lives tomorrow.