Contents:
Sprayed chemicals can drift over neighbouring properties or water sources, and can affect human health, animals or the environment CCA treated timber should not be used to build children's play equipment, patios, new garden furniture, decking or handrails To reduce risks on the farm, use hazardous chemicals according to manufacturer guidelines or replace them with less dangerous options Long-term exposure to low levels of lead may produce symptoms including irritability, lack of energy and loss of appetite Farmer health, wellbeing and safety are often neglected when facing the pressures of harvest.
Simple safety measures can dramatically reduce the risk of injury and illness Preventing or minimising exposure to mercury in your environment is the best way to reduce the risk of mercury poisoning Pregnant women and young children should limit consumption of fish that contain high levels of mercury Water quality of natural water sources, such as beaches and rivers, can vary greatly. Keeping a lookout for poor water quality such as water that is discoloured, murky or smells unpleasant will help After a fire, many homes may be affected by ash residue from smoke.
This ash can be harmful, particularly for children or people with heart or lung conditions. This factsheet has tips and advice for Some types of blue-green algae produce toxins that can harm humans and animals when swallowed, inhaled or touched. People and pets should not enter the water at locations affected by blue-green algae There are simple steps for all visitors to follow to keep pool water clean for healthy swimming Drinking untreated water, such as creek water, bore water and sometimes even rainwater can lead to illnesses including gastroenteritis The humble egg is a powerhouse of nutritional goodness.
Eggs are full of things your body needs. They are a great source of protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin D People who fish in the Lower Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers need to be careful about eating their catch because of the risk of chemical exposure Chemicals such as pesticides, antibiotics and hormones are used to boost food production and ensure adequate food supply We all love travelling to new and exotic places, but unfortunately illnesses and unforeseen events can ruin the trip of a lifetime. With a little effort, take a few of these simple precautions to make The effect of electromagetic fields EMF from power lines and other sources is a controversial issue Houses, sheds and other buildings or structures burnt in a bushfire can leave potential health hazards Bushfire smoke can reduce air quality in rural and urban areas, and may affect people's health Heat kills more Australians than any natural disaster.
Find out how you can treat and prevent heat-related illness Planned burns are an important part of reducing the risk of bushfires The effects of climate change will have a serious impact on the physical and mental health of people around the world There are many things you can do to tackle climate change and live a more sustainable lifestyle Urban flash flooding can happen quickly and without warning.
Heavy rain causes runoff to collect in dips, car parks and roads, and there is a risk of contamination, injury and disease Immunisation is one of the safest and most effective ways we know of stopping preventable diseases from spreading.
Find out more about immunisation in Australia You can reduce the risk of mosquito bites if you get rid of potential mosquito breeding sites around your home Use this simple checklist and take action to prevent mosquitoes from spoiling your holiday. Mosquitoes can carry diseases be prepared and avoid mosquito bites A needlestick injury means the skin is accidentally punctured by a used needle. Diseases that could be transmitted by a needle or needlestick injury include human immunodeficiency virus HIV This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by: Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.
Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.
All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. Please enable JavaScript in order to get the best experience when using this site. Seniors Online Victorian government portal for older people, with information about government and community services and programs.
Navigation Home Close Menu. Conditions and treatments Conditions and treatments. Allergic reaction to packaged food. Blood and blood vessels. Bones muscles and joints Bones muscles and joints. Foot care - podiatrists. Complementary and alternative care. Healthy living Healthy living.
Babies and toddlers Drugs and addictive behaviours. Older people in hospital — Get well soon. Healthy Eating Healthy Eating. Services and support Services and support. Alcohol and drug services. Carers, caring and respite care services. Child, family and relationship services. Emergency, crisis and support services.
End of life and palliative care services. Hospitals, surgery and procedures. Planning and coordinating healthcare. Pregnancy and birth services. Back to Environmental health Home Healthy living Environmental health Climate change - what you can do. Climate change - what you can do Share show more. Environmental health Environmental health - Climate change. We can all make a difference to climate change. Get children involved and provide ways for them to take positive action. It is important to talk about climate change with your child and listen to their ideas. Take action as a family or as a community.
It is easy to get disheartened or fearful about climate change. Australia has one of the highest rates of greenhouse gas emissions per person compared to other industrialised nations. If we continue as we are now, the effects of global warming around the world could be catastrophic. Some aspects of climate change may already be irreversible.
Yet many scientists believe that by taking positive action now, it is possible to slow the pace of climate change and reduce further global warming. Changing our lifestyle and our behaviour will help reduce the human impact on the environment. Here are some suggestions for a healthier, more sustainable approach to living in our environment. Reduce car emissions Suggestions include: Leave the car in the garage and walk or cycle for short trips. Keep your car tyres inflated to the recommended pressure.
Drive slowly and smoothly. Reduce energy expenditure in your home Suggestions include: Turn off lights and appliances when not in use. Replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Insulate your home and reduce your heating and cooling bills. Install a water-saving showerhead and take shorter showers. Dry your clothes outside on the line rather than in the clothes dryer. Buy local and seasonal food produce to reduce energy use in transport and storage. Buy items with minimal packaging whenever possible.
If you buy new items, make sure they are made from sustainable, low-impact materials. Buy secondhand rather than new — from op shops, garage sales or over the Internet.
Recycle waste and reuse pre-loved items Suggestions include: Recycle as much of your rubbish as you can. Longer term choices that help the environment Suggestions include: Buy energy efficient household appliances. Install a solar-powered hot water system.
This ash can be harmful, particularly for children or people with heart or lung conditions. Bushfires and water tanks Debris, smoke, ash and dead animals from a bushfire can contaminate water tanks In addition, state actions can significantly affect emissions, because many individual states emit high levels of greenhouse gases. Retrieved from " https: Climate Change Science Program is a joint program of over twenty U. In an address to the U. Bushfire smoke Bushfire smoke can reduce air quality in rural and urban areas, and may affect people's health
Buy a more fuel-efficient car or think about not owning a car — perhaps you can share one. Move to an area where your workplace, shops and schools are within walking distance. Improve your physical and mental health Studies show that a fit, healthy body is more resistant to hazards such as heat stress and a healthy mind is less prone to anxiety or depression. Maintain a weight that is appropriate for your height and build. Reduce the amount of sugar, salt, fat and processed food in your diet. Exercise for at least half an hour on most days of the week. Limit your intake of alcohol.
Get plenty of sleep and keep your mind active. Focus on the positive action you can take and try to avoid despair by connecting with others and looking after your mental health. Talk with your children Even young children can be affected by uncertainty or despair. It is important to talk about issues such as climate change with your child and help them find ways to deal with their fears. Listen to your child and take their concerns and feelings seriously. Use language they understand. Power outages were already common. For the next years it was an overseas province of Spain before becoming a US territory with a population today of 3.
Beyond the city outskirts, signs of the hurricane become more pronounced: The volunteers chat and introduce themselves while waiting for more to arrive. There are researchers from the School of Public Health and two medical students. And brothers Carlos and William Preston, both in the construction business, who assess the damage while volunteering and then send their crews back to do repairs. When the last volunteer arrives, we divide into two vehicles.
These volunteers have been working on relief efforts for the last three months. Nearly days after the hurricane, half the island is still without power and, more importantly, access to clean water. Having arrived at Montones, the group disperses: The medical students carry out basic health checks, clean wounds and caution residents to use bug spray and get rid of stagnant water, although it is often the only water they have. Puerto Ricans love their animals — one Montones resident sat out the storm in his kitchen along with his 30 cockerels — but the close mingling of humans and their pets is yet another health hazard when it comes to storing water.
The householders appreciate the donations and attention. One woman offers each volunteer boiled confectionary from a plastic container by way of thanks. A couple of hours later, the volunteers regroup to drive to another part of Montones. While felled electricity poles still line the side of the road, the neighbourhood is resplendent in the bright green of new growth. That morning he stopped his truck to buy two giant avocados from a street seller, even though they looked unlikely to ripen for months. Getting information to people — especially in the mountains — proved challenging.
With communication networks down, physicians had no means of assessing what medications people needed, or how much. Six weeks after the hurricane, 83 of the 93 health centres on the island had reopened, but at least 60 had no power and were running with generators only. Without power to pump water into homes, access to clean drinking water was nonexistent.
Health workers became troubled that people were drinking from contaminated sources and rescue workers tried to distribute bottled water where they could.
Canopies of bowed trees stretch across the narrow, broken roads and nests of electrical cabling hang down from tilted poles. Driving slowly to dodge the potholes and fallen wires, I have to squeeze through narrow passageways carved out of a landslide every feet or so. Peering up I see a teetering mass of rocks, sand and trees looking ready to topple, and glancing down I can see where the morass has engulfed walls, sheds or cars. To top it all, it is raining. When the hurricane hit, the rains turned the river here into a vicious torrent that wiped out the bridge connecting the town of Utuado to the rest of the municipality.
The cut-off neighbourhoods went 15 days without food or water supplies and they named themselves El Campamento de los Olvidados, the Camp of the Forgotten Ones.
This is the summer when, for many, climate change got real. Civilisation as we know it would surely not survive. Dystopia is easy to envisage: for example, Europe is not coping well with even modest numbers However, taking a step back from the gloom, we face the same three choices in response to. With the Earth tilting toward climate catastrophe, the capacity to build resiliency through beauty and meaning is critical for preserving the self.
Damage in these rural suburbs was especially severe: One way would be to decentralise. Replace the electricity grid with local renewable sources such as wind and solar. When Hurricane Harvey flooded the streets of Houston in August , the medical centre stayed fully operational. His idea is to have community health workers that would know each neighbourhood, its vulnerabilities and strengths, and promote health through sharing knowledge and building required skills. Alfredo Ayala is using a similar approach.
His long-term mission for Rogue United is to create a network of independent citizens who learn to collaborate with hospitals, health clinics and non-profit foundations, with the goal that, in the future, the first response will be complete in weeks, not months. Although national efforts will be key to coordinating our responses, Jha predicts more community-based approaches to public health will emerge.
To an onlooker, the current situation in Puerto Rico might appear unique. But many similarities exist between the situation in Puerto Rico and other regions of the USA, still the richest nation in the world and, in theory, the most able to cope. Less affluent countries also face sea-level rise, air pollution and extreme weather events while grappling with ageing infrastructures and diminishing access to clean drinking water.
We just have to get prepared. The path to resilience in Puerto Rico will undoubtedly be expensive. But preparing for climate change will be much less expensive than dealing directly with its aftermath. The costs to human health from climate change could also be high, but the good news is that taking action on public health and climate change are mutually beneficial goals. Air pollution, including the effects of greenhouse gases, caused 3. If governments promote greener transportation systems and encourage more cycling and walking, they could reduce air pollution and improve public health at the same time.
These are win—win choices. I feel like I am caught in an Escher drawing, forever destined to be going up one hill, taking a sharp right and down another, only to find myself back on the same potholed road as before. Then, as I turn yet another hairpin bend, I stumble across the tropical equivalent of an oasis in the desert: Miraculously, the rain stops for a few short moments and I get out to puzzle at a broad-leaved, strangely decorous evergreen tree, hung not with electric lights but with odd Coca-Cola cans.
Around the tree stand an array of figurines — brightly painted slats of wood — many of which bear signs. The centrepiece, a wooden Puerto Rico flag, reads: The rain starts again and I get back to my tortuous journey, wondering if I will get out of this warren before sundown. But, for now, my heart is a little more fortified. I feel touched and grateful for the care and concern of the volunteers, who had been really worried about me driving there alone.
What has happened in Puerto Rico is nothing short of a cataclysmic tragedy for the island, its economy, its people and their health.