Climate Change is Affecting Your Health: A Climate Change Awareness Event
Written by Comms Team, November 7, 2022
November 14 Virtual Event Explores the Impacts of Climate Change on Your Health
For Our Grandchildren and Peterborough Public Health are inviting residents to a virtual event on November 14 at 7:00 p.m. to learn more about the impacts of climate change on our health.
“The climate emergency is already impacting us locally. The storm that hit our region in May of this year was a tragic event that was likely the result of climate change more broadly impacting the frequency and severity of storms.” said Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health. “The event on November 14 is an opportunity to learn about already occurring climate events, anticipated futures, and to bring awareness to how these may be impacting our health.”
The event will feature keynote speaker Drew Monkman. Monkman is a naturalist and writer of the column “Our Changing Seasons” and three-time novelist. Monkman is a strong advocate for environmental education. Monkman shared, “I often ask myself why it is that some people develop a passion for wildlife, the outdoors, and the protection of natural spaces, while others are indifferent at best. If children have no real understanding or knowledge of the natural world around them, then how will they ever develop a sense of what is being lost?”
Monkman will be joined by Dr. Thomas Piggott who will speak to the impacts that climate change has on our health. Dr. Piggott is the Medical Officer of Health for the region of Peterborough. Dr. Piggott has dedicated his career to advocating for health equity across the population. Dr. Piggott and Peterborough Public Health are prioritizing adaptation strategies to reduce the impacts that climate change has on the health of our community. This includes supporting our most vulnerable residents to be prepared for the changing climate.
Prior to moving to Peterborough, Dr. Piggott previously worked as Medical Officer of Health in Labrador. Dr. Piggott shared, “in the North, people, in particular Indigenous communities, have been alarmed by the impacts of climate change. One of the most noticeable changes being thinning sea ice.”
Dr. Piggott mentioned, “the impacts of climate change go beyond dangerous climate events. A changing climate will lead to more vector borne disease, cancers, and heart and respiratory disease, to name a few. These changes are not yet fixed. However, there is hope if we work quickly to prevent further changes and adapt to already occurring changes.”
“Climate Change is Affecting Your Health: A Climate Change Awareness Event” will be hosted virtually by For Our Grandchildren and Peterborough Public Health on November 14, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. To register for the event, visit Eventbrite.ca. Questions for the presenters can be submitted at registration and some will be answered by the presenters at the end of their presentations.
For more information on this event, please visit forourgrandchildren.ca/event/climate-change-is-affecting-your-health/
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For further information, please contact:
Sarah Gill
A/ Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 352