Does ‘green energy’ have hidden health and environmental costs?
No energy source is perfect, but solar and wind have a much lower health and environmental footprint than fossil fuels, a study finds. Biopower, though, is a mixed bag.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Environmental health
Displaying 1 - 20 of 57 articles
Water-sensitive innovations to transform health of slums and environment
A five-year project announced today will implement an innovative water-sensitive approach tailored to informal settlements. The goal is to revitalise 24 communities in Fiji and Indonesia.
Your fridge might not be cold enough to keep food safe
We all want to keep our food in tip top condition but very few of us know how to use fridges properly.
No more blame game: why we need to rethink what’s behind chronic disease
A new way of looking at what's behind chronic disease takes into account social, environmental and other factors, rather than blaming individuals.
Can we rely on DIY air pollution sensors?
Citizens and activists are using cheap off-the-shelf sensors to collect their own data on air pollution. It's a promising trend, but these devices have serious technical limitations.
Why coal-fired power stations need to shut on health grounds
Coal-fired power stations need to be closed within the next decade on health grounds. Here's why.
Millions rely on cheap cloth masks that may provide little protection against deadly air pollution
Inexpensive cloth face masks, worn by many people in heavily polluted countries, offer only partial protection. Instead governments should warn people to avoid exposure and work to clear the air.
Climate change health risks will hit the poor hardest – so what can be done?
The unanticipated public health consequences of unsustainable development reminds the world that the issues are not in the distant future, but instead face us now.
Fracking and health: What we know from Pennsylvania’s natural gas boom
Three studies find higher rate of health issues for people who live near large or many fracked natural gas well sites.
As coal mining declines, community mental health problems linger
Beyond the environmental cost, what is the psychological toll on communities of mountaintop removal coal mining?
Climate policy needs a new lens: health and well-being
As the new Australian parliament takes the reins, health groups are moving to ensure the new health minister addresses a major health threat in this term of government: climate change.
American Medical Association warns of health and safety problems from ‘white’ LED streetlights
The American Medical Association (AMA) issued guidelines for communities to reduce harmful effects of LED streetlights. A medical researcher explains what can go wrong.
Will the new toxic chemical safety law protect us?
Congress has passed a long-overdue update of a key law regulating hazardous chemicals. But a legal scholar says the new law does not go far enough to reduce chemical exposure risks.
Global warming to expose more people to Zika-spreading mosquito Aedes aegypti
More people in the U.S. and world will be exposed to the disease-carrying mosquito Aedes aegypti, not just because of warmer temperatures but global population changes as well.
Moving beyond pro/con debates over genetically engineered crops
Advocates have argued for years about whether genetically engineered crops are safe to grow and eat. Plant pathologist and geneticist Pamela Ronald calls for a more nuanced discussion.
New report on GE crops avoids simple answers – and that’s the point, study members say
Are genetically engineered crops safe for human health and the environment? A new report says yes but points out problems and regulatory gaps. Three members of the study panel offer their takeaways.
Should you be worried about PFOA in drinking water? Here’s what we know
A growing number of communities in upstate New York and New England are discovering the chemical PFOA in their water supply. Here's what you should know about the health effects of PFOA.
Why big datasets can help solve South Africa’s environmental health ills
The way data is currently collected has limited use for environmental health researchers when it comes to understanding health problems at a localised level.
BPS, a popular substitute for BPA in consumer products, may not be safer
Manufacturers have removed the industrial chemical BPA from many products over concerns that it mimics hormones in the body. Now studies show that BPS, a popular substitute, has similar effects.
Clean energy could save hundreds of billions in health costs every year
Global warming is often seen as a problem for future generations, but focusing on the immediate – and substantial – health benefits of clean energy can change public perception of climate change.
Top contributors
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Professor of Environmental Science, Macquarie University
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Postdoctoral research fellow, Macquarie University
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Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide
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Yanshuang Zhang is a Friend of The Conversation.
PhD, The University of Queensland
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Associate, Melbourne Sustainable Societies Institute, University of Melbourne; Sessional Lecturer, School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, La Trobe University
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Professor of Children's Environmental Health, Simon Fraser University
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Research fellow, University of Exeter
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Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University
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Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Emeritus Professor, National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health, Australian National University
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Professor & Director of Traumatic Stress Clinic, UNSW
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Laureate Professor, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
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Emeritus Professor, School of Science, Griffith University
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Professor of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology
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Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide
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