Adapting now and preparing for climate change can help to protect health. There are actions you can take to adapt and protect yourself from the health impacts of climate change.
Consider how changes in weather may impact your daily activities. Stay informed through local news and weather reports for warnings about extreme weather events. Check the air quality in your area when there is dust or bushfire smoke about. Before considering swimming in beaches and rivers particularly after heavy rainfall, look out for poor water quality warnings.
Check the Current and forecast air quality for NSW
Check alerts for roads and transport during extreme weather events. Call or check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours. Know your emergency services contacts and who to call if you need help.
More information is available at Natural disasters and severe weather.
Consider how your home retains or loses heat, and how it may be affected by more extreme temperatures in the future. Make alterations where possible to mitigate these effects. For example, install curtains or blinds on the side of your home that faces the sun to keep it cooler during hot weather. Consider external awnings, shutters or other shading to prevent sun shining on windows.
If you can, insulate your home to help reduce the indoor temperature when weather is hot and to maintain warmer temperature when cold. Check that fridges, fans and air-conditioners are in working order.
More information is available at AdaptNSW and Your Home.
Food needs to be stored at an appropriate temperature. With warmer temperatures the risk of food spoilage and food-borne disease increases. Keep food that may spoil in the refrigerator. Clean up food preparation areas after use to avoid growth of pathogens that may occur at room temperature.
More information is available on the NSW Food Authority website.
When weather conditions allow, consider active transport. Cycling or walking instead of driving – or combining these activities with public transport – will increase your daily physical activity. These activities help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles that contribute to climate change.
Being physically active can lower your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or obesity. These chronic diseases can lower your resilience to climate change.
Eating healthy food that has been locally sourced can be good for both you and the environment. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of chronic disease. If you can source more healthy food locally, this will help reduce the impact of transporting food, sometimes referred to as ‘food miles’, and help lower greenhouse gas emissions.
More information is available on the Healthy Eating Active Living website.
Climate change can affect health and wellbeing in many ways. For example, exposure to higher temperatures can cause heat stroke or heat exhaustion. More frequent floods and bushfires may cause more injury and death. However, climate change may also affect health and wellbeing in less direct ways.
Climate change and health
Everyone is likely to be impacted by climate change in some way, but some people will be more at risk. Climate change can affect the health of people in different ways depending on where they live, the work they do, their age, existing health conditions and social and economic situation.
Who is most at risk?
There are many things that we can do to help prepare ourselves and our families, friends and neighbours for emergencies. The better prepared we are, the more able we are to manage the personal aspects of a disaster and the faster we will be able to recover.
Plan and prepare for an emergency
