Elizabeth Noble’s Case Study on Heatwaves in Pakistan

In this case study, Elizabeth Noble discussed the 2017 heatwave in Pakistan and the fact that there have been reports of rising heat records across Asia in the last eight years. Noble refers to studies to explain the public health factors and outcomes of these events; the reported 2,400 heat-related deaths in 2015 in India and 1,220 deaths in 2017 in Pakistan are speculated to be the result of increased use of concrete, diminishing lakes, and air conditioner energy expulsion.

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Kelly Yu Discusses Trends in Climate Change Mortality

Kelly Yu discusses natural disasters resulting from climate change, including severe heat waves, drought, and floods. The report highlights the negative feedback loop; climate change and the rise of temperatures increase energy consumption and power consumption to keep cool, leading to the worsening of climate change effects.

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Arghya Iyengar, Nancy Daneau, and Justice Quaye’s Emergency Response Plan for the Management of Monsoons in Mumbai, India

Mumbai is the capital of the state of Maharashtra, India and it is the second-most populous city after Delhi.  However, it is plagued by yearly  Monsoons that result in heavy flooding from June to September.  During the season, more than 2250 mm of total rainfall is accumulated on average, which can cause drownings, loss of ecosystems, infrastructure damage, and economic losses.  There is a serious need for a disaster plan for the city.

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Michelle Bandel and Yining Liu Evacuation Plan for the Jackson Memorial Long-Term Care Center in Case of a Hurricane

Florida is prone to hurricanes and was hit by major hurricanes (category 3-5) twenty-six times in the last century, with 4 occurring in Miami-Dade county making it the most affected county on the US coastline. Jackson Memorial Long-Term Care Center is located in Dade county, making safe evacuation plans necessary.  

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Callie Seaman and Maddie West’s Emergency Response Plan for the New South Wales Bushfires

In the state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia, bushfires become worse in recent years, more frequently due to extreme weather fueled by climate change, and are an expensive problem accounting for 10% of the cost of all major disasters in Australia.  Since NSW is the most populated state and its environment is diverse, there is an urgent need to implement high-quality fire preparation, management, and response plans to protect the parks, reserves, and citizens.

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Cars and Climate Impacts

Owning a car carries high costs on society from both individual well-being and environmental points of view.  Car ownership is related to inequality where minorities are less likely to have a car and richer people have more than one. This means that richer people drive the most and generate a higher carbon footprint, however, during the pandemic, car use has been reduced due to changes in travel behavior. The scientists at the conversation assessed 800 peer-reviewed articles to identify the most effective measures to reduce car use, and in turn improve health outcomes, meet climate targets, and create more livable cities.  Although the authors recognize that there is no silver bullet, they recommend a combination of policies that encourage more sustainable practices and policies that restrict driving and parking.  In this article, the 12 best ways were listed to help reduce city car use: congestion charges, parking and traffic controls, limited traffic zones, mobility services for commuters, workplace parking charges, workplace travel planning, university travel planning, mobility services for universities, car sharing, school travel planning, personalized travel plans, apps for sustainable mobility.  One of the most effective policies to reduce car dependence seems to be the apps for sustainable mobility, where individuals gain rewards for using low carbon emission options for transport such as walking, cycling, and using public transport. 

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Ocean Microplastics Are Creating a Host of Problems

Marine snow is comprised of debris of plant and animal carcasses, feces, mucus, dust, microbes, and viruses that eventually sink to the seafloor.  However, it has been infiltrated by microplastics such as fibers and fragments of polyamide, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. In the past, scientists have assumed that all plastics would float in the sea; however, surface plastic only accounts for around one percent of the total amount of plastic in the ocean.

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Rebecca Sherrod, Maddie West, Nancy Daneau’s Qualtrics Survey and Report on Risk Perceptions COVID-19

In this Qualtrics report, MPH students Rebecca Sherrod, Maddie West, and Nancy Daneau presented the data of a cross-sectional, quantitative study on risk perceptions of COVID-19.  In this survey, 41 participants were asked to respond to 17 questions through distributed personal links, anonymous links, or email. 

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