She is Known by Many Names –
Mother Earth, Pachamama, Earth Goddess, Gaia, and Mother Nature to name a few. Due to the positive and supportive environment she creates, people are drawn to her and relish her whenever they can – and I have always loved her since I was young. But today it is clear that she needs more than a friend – she needs advocates and caregivers.
Clearly Climate Change and Pollutants have taken their toll….
Upon examination, it is clear that Mother Nature has a bad case of climate change – made worse by pollutants already in her system. Her diagnosis and treatment has been delayed because some people had been dismissing her symptoms – symptoms that are causing her significant distress. Now at this advanced stage, her “disease” is causing communities themselves to become sick with multiple illnesses such as heart and lung disease and infections – with older adults being one of the more vulnerable populations to the negative effects of climate change.
What do we need to do first?
In order to be able to address the needs of both Mother Earth and the community – The community needs to be informed about:
- their own health risks due to climate change and pollutants
- ways they can help heal themselves and Mother Nature at the same time
Unfortunately, there are many reactions to Gaia’s climate change including:
- some refusing to believe that Nature is sick
- some not wanting to change their lives to help her
- some becoming so fearful of losing Mother Earth that they choose to avoid the discussion altogether
Therefore, the FIRST order of business is to make the following facts clear:
Climate Change Is Affecting Us Now
Mother Nature has been sick for some time now – although global temperatures have been rising steadily since the industrial revolution, they have skyrocketed since 1990 leading to the following changes in the Hudson Valley – changes that are more concerning for seniors:
Poor air quality from smoke
This is a NASA map from July 21, 2021 showing how smoke from more frequent and severe wildfires in the West brought pollution to the Hudson Valley – visually evident in our area by orange sunsets and hazy conditions. This results in triggering heart and lung disease especially for seniors.
More prevalent disease from ticks and mosquitos
According to these maps from the US Global Change Research Program Climate and Health Assessment: Figure 5.2: Changes in Lyme Disease Case Report Distribution – the distribution and the numbers of reported cases of Lyme disease have increased in 2014 compared to 2001.
As the environment becomes more habitable for disease carrying insects in the Hudson Valley – Seniors are more vulnerable to infectious disease due to their weaker immune system.
Extreme Weather Events
According to the National Climate Assessment 2018 (Figure 2.6 Observed and Projected Change Heavy Precipitation): Data shows a 55% increase in heavy rainfall in the Northeast since 1958.
With hurricanes becoming more severe and frequent -The Hudson Valley is at risk for more flooding – leading to power failures, infrastructure/supply disruptions, and agricultural damage through soil erosion.
This is especially worrisome for seniors with chronic illness who require consistent medical care, medications, medical equipment dependent on power, and a specific diet to maintain their health and avoid hospitalizations.
Global warming resulting in more frequent and severe heatwaves
NOAA predicts a 7o F increase in annual temps for 2035-2065. According to the NIH National Institutes on Aging, older adults are particularly vulnerable to becoming overheated and dehydrated during extreme heat events due to an inadequate thirst response and tendency to be on medications that cause dehydration.
Seniors are more Vulnerable
Unfortunately, older adults are significantly affected by changes in the environment and are susceptible to subsequent illnesses. Seniors have been exposed to years of unmonitored and unrestricted pollution, putting them at risk for disease – BUT their health CAN be improved by reducing exposure to current environmental hazards including chemicals in the water, poor air quality, and extreme weather events.
Things have Improved!!!!…..but NOT nearly enough
Thankfully we have made progress on improving the quality of the air we breathe and water we drink according to the EPA and GAO – but despite these advancements, we are still harmed by long term exposure at low levels of pollution in our community.
A video from NASA illustrates the loss of permanent ice in the Artic – A clear sign of global warming which has changed our weather patterns. This is one of the videos I credit most when asked why I refocused my career on fighting for the health for Mother Earth and our community.
So now that we know that Mother Nature is sick – what can we do for her?
One achievable action to help Mother Earth’s recovery – as well as our own – is to continue to spread the word that climate change and environmental hazards are creating real time havoc on our senior communities in the Hudson Valley through:
- Conversation: personal conversations with friends and family are critical to keep this issue prominent in our daily lives – inspiring people to make improvements in our communities.
- Social Media: while conversations are always the most motivational tool out there – social media and electronic communication can also be informative and compelling – not only answering questions but invoking them.
- Volunteer: there are many opportunities in your community – for example: help with a public garden in Kingston or Poughkeepsie, participate in cleaning up an area, or help advocate for better environmental policies.
- Talk to the seniors in your community: inform them of concerns and inquire into their needs. Bring these concerns to your next town council meeting or convey them to your local environmental non-profit such as the Hudson Center for the Community and Environment.
And I have decided to start a blog….to expand on the above issues as well as other pertinent global issues and how they affect the seniors in the Hudson Valley –
I will also share suggestions for ways that we can all contribute to protecting the natural world while always getting input from my lovable senior schnoodle Luna – who always seems to have an opinion about everything.
Luna’s advice of the day:
“older dogs like me are also affected by climate change – be aware of air quality, temperatures, and insects when we go outside”
“Although I am simply persistent and persuasive when I want something, it is also important to be patient and consider other peoples’ perspectives when you talk with them about climate change ”