Caring for Our Planet Is Our Health Care

Over 13 million people die each year worldwide from preventable causes related to the environment. Data extracted from a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) attest to the growing relationship between the reciprocal global environment and human health.

According to Maria Neira, director of the Department of Public Health and Environment WHO, nearly half of deaths from malaria and 94% of deaths from diarrheal diseases could be prevented by promoting policies favorable to the care of the natural environment around us . Mercury pollution, air pollution, exposure to pesticides or consumption of water with high levels of pollutants are the main agents causing damage to the health of men. Diarrhea is caused by unsafe water, respiratory tract infections are caused by lower air pollution and chronic obstructive pneumonia give a lesser extent in an environment free of dust or cigarette smoke or gases created in combustion of fossil fuels.

"We knew that the environment influences health very profoundly, but never had such precise estimates as these, which help us to demonstrate that wise investment to create a supportive environment can be an effective strategy for improving health and achieving development sustainable?, says Dr Anders Nordström, Acting Director General of WHO.

Children make up the group most vulnerable to diseases caused by environmental causes. The rapid growth of humans in their early years makes you breathe faster and ingest a greater amount of food and water, thereby increasing the risk of diseases associated with the environment. 33% of diseases in children under 5 years are caused by these agents.

People with fewer financial resources are also more exposed to environmental risks. Nearly 26 million Latinos in the United States live in areas that violate air quality standards required. Drinking water supplies in Ajo, Arizona and Albuquerque, with a high population of Latin America, have high arsenic levels. 12% of the inhabitants of border areas between Mexico and the United States have no access to drinking water.

Many Latin American immigrants in the United States are engaged in agriculture. Working in the field and poses no environmental benefit for these people because they are exposed to toxic pesticides used in extensive agriculture.

Many of the environmental hazards such as small particles or contaminants in the air are invisible to the human eye. Proper signage and warning the population of these risks by the authorities is the first step. Do not pour toxic waste into the water or air, or debug them when needed could prevent many deaths.

Investing in the environment is to invest in health for all. Therefore, promoting a clean storage of water intended for human consumption, the use of cleaner fuels and more prudent management of toxic substances are a necessary and effective vaccines to lengthen and improve life on the planet and the beings that inhabit it .

Ivan Alonso Gonzalez

Journalist

ccs@solidarios.org.es