City of Columbus

Climate Change and Public Health -- 10.29.2014

Media Advisory
Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Contact
Jose Rodriguez, Columbus Public Health, 604-5025

Columbus Public Health to Host Session on Climate Change and Public Health
Experts to Discuss Link Between Natural Environment and Residents’ Health

WHAT:                      
“A Matter of Dollars and Sense:  Climate Change, Carbon Standards and Public Health” – a session of the Climate Explorations Series, presented by The Ohio State University Byrd Polar Research Center, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory and 4-H. 

WHO:                          
Dr. Ellen Mosley-Thompson, Byrd Polar Research Center; Dr. Teresa Myers, Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University; Dr. Joel Schwartz, Professor of Environmental Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health; Dr. Noah Dormady, John Glenn School of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University; Jason Cervenec, Education and Outreach Director, Byrd Polar Research Center; Ben Gelber, meteorologist at NBC4 Columbus; Dr. Teresa Long, Health Commissioner at Columbus Public Health; Shelly Kiser, Director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association; and, Lois Hall, Executive Director of the Ohio Public Health Association. 

WHEN:                      
9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2014 

WHERE:                    
Columbus Public Health – Auditorium (2nd Floor)
240 Parsons Ave., Columbus 

MORE INFO:            
Columbus Public Health is bringing together climate scientists and communication, health and economic policy experts for a community conversation on climate change.  “A Matter of Dollars and Sense:  Climate Change, Carbon Standards and Public Health” will focus on the health impacts of climate change and the tie-in with USEPA’s recently-proposed air quality regulations for newly constructed power plants.

Poor air quality has been linked to greater risk for premature death, and is a contributor to heart and respiratory disease, possible stroke and cancer – four of the top five leading causes of death in Franklin County.  It has also been linked to more cases of asthma and a greater frequency of asthma attacks.  Health officials report that approximately 14 percent of Franklin County adults have asthma, with the rate for those under 18 at just over 16 percent.

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