Listening to the NPR program Fresh Air yesterday (June 26, 2006), I heard a remarkable interview with Dr. Paul Epstein, the associate director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School.
As an eco-physician, Dr. Epstein explores the link between increased illness and global warming. Illnesses such as heatstroke, asthma and allergies are the more obvious outcomes of a warmer and more polluted planet, but Epstein says an increase in infectious diseases such as malaria and West Nile virus may also be linked to the greenhouse effect.
I was particularly struck by two things he said. First, that an increase of 10% of an opportunistic plant such as ragweed, taking aggressive advantage of the climate changes, has resulted in a 60% increase in pollen! And second, that these pollens are attaching themselves to diesel fuel particles that we inhale and are thereby delivered very effectively into the deep recesses of our lungs, greatly increasing respiratory difficulties.
You can listen to Terry Gross's interview with Dr. Epstein by following the link below.
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