By Mike Buza
From the cost of your lunch to the beating of your heart, climate change is affecting almost all aspects of our lives.
Take food, for example. In its March 14, 2024 edition, Time Magazine reported that the price of a hamburger increased 32% between 2019 and today, in part because farmers decreased their herd size during the drought years. Almost all climate scientists agree that the climate crisis made the drought worse. Add fries to your lunch, and your wallet will take a bigger hit because the price of potatoes has increased by 30%. Smoke from the 2022 wildfires and the drought dramatically decreased the potato crop yield. Again, these conditions were made worse by the climate crisis.
Food is only one example of how the climate crisis is increasing daily living costs. In September 2018, an Allstate commercial pointed out that there have been 26 "once in 500-year storms" in the last decade. Insurance Companies keep close tabs on this type of data. In 2023, National Public Radio (NPR) reported that the National Climate Assessment said that climate-affected events like wildfires, hurricanes and tornados caused $150 billion in damages during the previous year, and the costs are expected to become greater as we pour more carbon into the air. Allstate and State Farm have said they will quit issuing new home-owner insurance policies in California because of unacceptable risk. All insurance companies are reevaluating their position in high-risk areas subject to hurricanes and wildfires, and policies that are issued come with dramatically increased premiums. The risks and costs are increasing in all areas of the country.
While the physical health dangers of burning fossil fuels, such as pulmonary and heart problems, are well documented, less well known are the costs associated with mental health. Incidents of domestic violence and online hate speech spikeduring heat waves, while decision-making abilities, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to learn have been shown to be affected by increased levels of CO2.
In addition, studies found that girls born to women who were pregnant during hurricane Sandy had dramatically greater chances of developing depression and anxiety. Boys born to these women had a much greater chance of developing ADHD and conduct disorders. It appears that these disasters may also cause intergenerational problems.
Clearly, the dangers posed by climate change have created an all-hands-on-deck moment for humanity. The crisis is advancing faster than humanity or nature can adequately adapt. There are many things you can do. Take whatever personal action you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has many provisions to help people reduce their carbon footprint. Sierra Club provides an overview of some of the provisions available today both for communities and individuals. Even if you do not qualify for some of the financial incentives of the IRA, any money you spend reducing your carbon footprint is an investment in the future.
Last year, the Michigan Legislature passed and Governor Whitmer signed into law some of the nation’s most innovative and important policies to address climate change. Over the coming months the Michigan Chapter will provide more detail and insights into these laws and correct misinformation that has spread about some of them as well. If you have questions or comments about these issues or want to help spread the word about addressing climate changer here in Michigan, send an email to theoriginalzuba@yahoo.com