Climate Change Creates a New Medical Specialty

The science of medicine has expanded tremendously. If we counted correctly, there are now 36 Specialty Certificates and 134 Subspecialties according to the American Board of Medical Specialties. It would be a great surprise if a new specialty were to be added to this list – unless there is a compelling need for it. It turns out, there is.

As CNN recently reported, Dr. Jay Lemery, Director of the Climate and Health Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, has created the new specialty of “Climate Medicine” (1). In addition, Harvard Medical School and other leading medical schools are now inserting new content into existing courses to address the unique health challenges being caused by climate change (2).

Climate change is real, and the proof can be seen in the rapidly growing array of both chronic and acute illnesses that are being driven by climate change. Some of these are obvious and well-recognized: Extreme heat waves approaching the limits of human survival, vast clouds of wildfire smoke that trigger respiratory illness, tropical diseases spreading into temperate climate zones, trauma due to natural disasters and the like. There are additional threats which are not so obvious. Access to care is disrupted whenever there is a natural disaster. Wide scale flooding is spreading to new regions unprepared for it. Floods lead to homes, businesses and autos that become poisoned with mycotoxins due to mold overgrowth.

Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders, which destroy who we are, are increasing as a consequence of climate change. Medical researchers in Denmark and Italy conclude,

“…the evidence so far suggests that climate change will affect the practice of all major neurological disorders in the near future.” (3).

Schuller and Montrose of Boise State University explain,

“While there is a long history of association between woodsmoke exposure and diseases of the respiratory, circulatory, and cardiovascular systems, recent evidence has linked woodsmoke exposure to cognitive dysfunction, including Alzheimer's disease dementia.” (4)

Fortunately, we are not helpless. We can all do something. At Big Shine Energy, we have a passion for partnering with you to change course. The first steps are easy to take, beginning with a Lighting Audit or an ASHRAE Level 1 energy audit. Often times we find significant energy savings can be made with no cost changes and modest investments which are incredibly rewarding due to the utility and tax incentives. Our dedicated EMTs, Nurses and Doctors are stepping up to do their part. Let’s jump in and join them!

1. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/training-generation-climate-doctors-111604017.html?
2. Medical Schools Warm to Curriculum Changes as Climate Threats Grow (msn.com)

3.??? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34430087/?? Global warming and neurological practice: systematic review; PeerJ.?2021 Aug 4:9:e11941.doi: 10.7717/peerj.11941.?eCollection 2021.

4.?? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32974607/???? Influence of Woodsmoke Exposure on Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Alzheimer's Disease: Existing Literature and Gaps in Our Understanding; Epigenet Insights. 2020; 13: 2516865720954873. Published online 2020 Sep 14. doi: 10.1177/2516865720954873