Vision: Community action to reduce the impact of global warming on the health and well-being of the people of Ventura County.
Mission: Participate in the nationwide public health effort to improve our environment, reduce and roll-back climate change, and reduce waste and pollution to improve the lives of people in our communities.
Purpose: The World Health Organization (WHO) states, "The science is clear: The earth is warming, that warming is accelerating, and human actions are responsible. If current warming trends remain uncontrolled, humanity will face more injury, disease and death related to natural disasters and heatwaves; higher rates of foodborne, waterborne, and vector-borne illness; and more premature deaths and disease related to air pollution." The science about this is "as good as it gets." We don't argue the science here, we use it to help us make improvements in the lives of our communities, and improve our future health and well-being. We also follow the State of California's policy leadership which is taking action on global climate change.
For our children's sake, and our own, we need to find ways to reduce and even roll back the changes occurring around us. Working on global climate change begins at home, with each of us. Our efforts will also reduce waste that is building up in mountains around us, reduce pollution of our air and water, and make our environments healthier places to live, day-to-day.
World Health and Climate Change
Climate change is not some distant thing in time or location. It is here and now, and we need to start changing things so that we can have a better future for ourselves and our children. The World Health Organization has a web site devoted to the effects of global climate change on health. They also sponsored a World Health Day devoted to climate change.
Conference: We held a community forum "Global Warming: Our Health in the Balance, What Can We Do?" on Monday April 7, 2008 at the Ventura County Government Center. Download our Public Health presentations:
Awareness—Analysis—Action: How Can I Get Involved?
Each of us can become a community leader. First we must learn about the issues and problems. Then analyze that information, see what we think about it, what it means to us. Armed with our new knowledge, we can start taking action. Some resources are offered below that can help you become aware of the problems.
In all of this there is also some good news. Most of the things we can do to reduce global warming are also good for us in the short run. Doing things like driving less and walking more, buying fewer products, changing the air filters on our heating systems and using recycled paper also to save us money here and now, and can make us healthier too. We just have to learn new tips for helping the world, our pocketbooks and our health.
What Ventura County and the Public Health Department are Already Doing
The County of Ventura, and your Public Health Department are working to reduce our use of products, the waste they create an save money while doing it. We're using recycled paper and printer cartridges. We're reducing the waste produced when we have lunch meetings, by working with vendors to package lunches so that they use little paper and plastic. The drains in our administration building's parking lot filter out pollutants.
Ventura County Global Warming Initiatives
Public Health Presentation: Global Warming and Our Health
Public Health Pocket Guide to the Global Climate Crisis
Ventura County Climate Change and Energy Conservation
Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance
VC COOL
Build It Smart
Resources & Reports
Ventura County Farmers' Markets: Buy Local Foods, Reduce Pollution
Our Changing Climate (California) [English], OR
Nuestro Clima Cambiante [Español]
Tips for Saving Energy in the Workplace
World Health Organization: Climate Change and Human Health
Preparing for the Impacts of Climate Change in California
33 Facts about Global Warming (San Diego State University)
Early Warning Signs of Global Warming
Images of Global Warming
Pew Charitable Trust: "Global Warming Basics"
Other Useful Websites
Take the Quiz: What is Your Ecological Footprint?
California Climate Change Portal
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Climate and Weather Science
(and some educational videos)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Natural Disasters and Severe Weather
Climate Institute
Energy Star
Flex Your Power
Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment
United Nations Environmental Program
U.S. Department of Energy
About Food: Local Foods Save Money and the Environment too.
Eat Local Foods
About Food
Ventura County Farmers' Markets & Health Information
About Water
Be Water Wise
Climate Change and California Agriculture
Global Warming and Public Health
