April 7, 2008

 

Senator Taylor Urges Awareness During
National Public Health Week

April 7-13

Madison, WI—Senator Lena C. Taylor encourages all Wisconsinites, including her legislative colleagues, to be aware of their role in National Public Health Week from today through Saturday.  This year’s theme is “Climate Change:  Our Health in the Balance.” 

The American Public Health Association, sponsor of the week-long awareness event, urges people from around the state and nation to grow aware of the connection between climate change and health. 

“Climate change is one of the most serious public health threats facing us,” said Senator Taylor.  “Yet many Americans, including many of our elected officials, are unaware of the very real consequences of climate change on the health of our communities, our families, and our children.  We should recognize the connection between the changes in the world’s climate and health concerns like disease, air pollution, water supplies and quality, and other significant health effects.”

Children, the elderly, the poor, and those with chronic health conditions are considered the most susceptible to the negative health impacts of climate change, and any strategies for managing climate change impacts should take their unique challenges and needs into account.

“I urge everyone to adopt their own strategies to promote a healthy climate and a healthy future,” continued Taylor.  “But on a statewide and regional level, we legislators have a huge responsibility to protect the climate—and the opportunity is at hand.  We need to pass the Electronic Recycling legislation that ensures that discarded electronic equipment such as televisions and computers do not end up in our landfills and continue to pollute our ground water.  We need to approve The Great Lakes Compact that is critical to protecting our region’s defining natural resources–including the places that define our state and our Wisconsin way of life.

“In the spirit of Wisconsin’s great environmental leaders—John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Gaylord Nelson—it is time for Wisconsin to lead on climate change, and to protect our health and our quality of life.”