Our Health Policy Matters

The catastrophic nightmare in Japan could happen anywhere.  It is a reminder of the fragile relationship between our environment and our health. As the tsunami waves swept over the land, they swept away any pretense that we are more powerful than our environment.   The mere shifting by several feet of two constantly moving plates of the earth resulted in the death of thousands, the destruction of a region, and catastrophic worldwide effects. Experts have noted that as many as 24% of premature deaths can be attributed to environmental factors .  These result from our inadequate understanding of our environment, and/or our inability to manage its forces. While the underdeveloped world is more susceptible, the Japanese tsunami reminds us that the overdeveloped world is not immune.    The images are more powerful than their descriptions.  In the wake of such destruction, we can see -- as we do in the aftermath of hurricanes -- the breeding groun...

The catastrophic nightmare in Japan could happen anywhere.  It is a reminder of the fragile relationship between our environment and our health. As the tsunami waves swept over the land, they swept away any pretense that we are more powerful than our environment.   The mere shifting by several feet of two constantly moving plates of the earth resulted in the death of thousands, the destruction of a region, and catastrophic worldwide effects. Experts have noted that as many as 24% of premature deaths can be attributed to environmental factors .  These result from our inadequate understanding of our environment, and/or our inability to manage its forces. While the underdeveloped world is more susceptible, the Japanese tsunami reminds us that the overdeveloped world is not immune.    The images are more powerful than their descriptions.  In the wake of such destruction, we can see -- as we do in the aftermath of hurricanes -- the breeding groun...