National Wildlife Federation: Global Warming Bringing More Extreme Heat Waves

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.nwf.org/extremeweather/

Global Warming Bringing More Extreme Heat Waves

More extremely hot summer days are projected for every part of the country, and 30 large cities are especially vulnerable, detailed in a new report from the National Wildlife Federation and Physicians for Social Responsibility.

"Global warming is bringing more frequent and severe heat waves and the result will be serious for vulnerable populations," said Dr. Amanda Staudt, climate scientist, National Wildlife Federation. "That means air pollution in urban areas could get worse, bringing increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and asthma attacks. Children, the elderly, poor, and people of color are especially vulnerable to these effects."

Our new report: More Extreme Heat Waves: Global Warming's Wake-Up Call details how:

• Global warming will bring more extreme heat waves
• Urban air pollution could be exacerbated by more extreme heat
• Heat waves disproportionately impact people who are poor, elderly, children, or have asthma or heart disease, or live in big cities
• Natural habitats and agriculture are also vulnerable to heat waves
• We can reduce the severity of heat waves and their impacts on vulnerable people

"Global warming is one of the gravest health emergencies facing humanity. It's life-threatening and it's affecting us now," said Dr. Peter Wilk, MD, executive director, Physicians for Social Responsibility. "The science confirms that the frequency and duration of heat waves has increased significantly over the last 50 years. In the United States, heat waves already kill more people during a typical year than floods, tornadoes and earthquakes combined. Given these worsening trends, taking decisive action to stop global warming becomes a medical necessity."

Read the Full Report: http://www.nwf.org/extremeweather/pdfs/NWF_Heatwaves_Optimized.pdf">More Extreme Heat Waves: Global Warming's Wake Up Call (2009) (2.79 Mb, http://www.nwf.org/about/PDF_help.cfm">PDF help)

Listen to the tele-conference: http://www.nwf.org/extremeweather/audio/20090825144023.wav">More Extreme Heat Waves: Global Warming's Wake Up Call - August 25, 2009

Watch more about heat waves and how global warming plays a part with Dr. Amanda Staudt, NWF's global warming scientist:
http://www.youtube.com/v/kHh0Frqfe5Q

Do your part to help reduce global warming by http://online.nwf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Good_Neighbor_home&s_src=gnnwfcontent&s_subsrc=whyconserveenergy">taking the Good Neighbor Pledge today. Help cool the planet one home at a time!

[and-justice-for-all]

1. It has been a rather cool summer here in Indiana...

Probably going to be one hell of a winter.

[guardian]

2. You can send a little heat wave over here.

It been cold as hell this year. We had about 4 days of actual warm weather. Should make for good skiing this year though.