Health Consequences of Energy Choices : The Energy Exercise

1. Health Consequences of Energy Choices: The Energy Exercise Crispin Pierce, Ph.D.

2. Outline How do we use energy? How do we classify health consequences from energy use? What sources of energy do we have? Coal Natural gas Diesel and biodiesel Solar Wind Biomass Nuclear Hydroelectric The Energy Exercise Questions?

3. Uses of Energy Non-renewable: coal, gas, oil, and nuclear. Renewable: solar, wind, biomass, biodiesel. Transportation Heating Manufacturing

4. Health Consequences TIME Immediate/short-term (e.g., refinery explosion) Long-term (e.g., cancer) REVERSABILITY Temporary injury (e.g., skin burn from gasoline spill) Permanent disability (e.g., lung disease from coal plant emissions) CONTROLABILITY “Voluntary” (e.g., driving a car) “Involuntary” (e.g., nuclear plant risk)

5. Coal Advantages Large US reserves Known technology Potential for lowering mercury emissions. Health Risks Acid rain Mercury in fish Particulate matter Global warming Degraded water quality

6. Natural Gas and Oil Advantages: Known technology Infrastructure exists Health Risks Air pollution (NOx, particulates, CO) Drilling, piping, and refining effects Global warming Natural protection losses Wars over oil supplies Photo: EcotechDaily

7. Diesel and Biodiesel Advantages Can be less expensive Biodiesel is renewable Health Effects Particulate emissions cause lung disease and cancer Refining and production job risks Photo: Thoroughbred Diesel

8. Nuclear Advantages Very low emissions Relatively safe Health Effects Major water needs for cooling Extremely toxic spent fuel materials cause cancer Extremely long half-lives of these wastes Terrorism and war (?)

9. Wind Advantages Renewable Very low impact Local generation Health Risks Bird losses: Vehicles: 60 - 80 million Buildings and Windows: 98 - 980 million Powerlines: tens of thousands - 174 million Communication Towers: 4 - 50 million Wind Generation Facilities: 10,000 - 40,000 Installation and operation accidents Marine mammal disruption from offshore installation and operation

10. Solar Heating Advantages Renewable Local generation Low impact Health Risks Allergenic molds and fungi Environmental costs of materials to produce solar systems

11. Solar Photovoltaic Advantages Renewable Local generation Creates electricity Low impact Health Effects Battery production and operation Semiconductor materials production (production of silicon) Land space for panels less useful as natural resource

12. Biomass Advantages Renewable Local generation Simple Health Risks Particulates and lung disease Local deforestation Agricultural effects: water consumption, runoff, herbicides, pesticides

13. Advantages Renewable Regulated supply Disadvantages Potential exposure to pathogens Disruption of natural water filtration Hydroelectric

14. Global Warming Effects • Heat deaths (70,000 people died in the summer of 2003). • Spread of mosquito, tick and other insect-borne diseases. • Increased air pollution death and diseases. • Disruption of food production.

15. Generate CO2 Coal Oil Gas Waste combustion Diesel CO2 Neutral Biomass Ethanol Solar Wind Tidal Geothermal Nuclear Biodiesel CO2 Causes Global Warming

16. Renewable Energy is Not Risk-Free • Health risks from renewable energy sources come from the large amounts of material and labor needed, as well as energy backup and storage requirements. • The diagram on the next page represents short- and long-term health risks from different sources of energy. Which sources are most dangerous? Which are safest?

17. Haddad and Dones, IAEA

18. Gohlke et al. (2008)

19. Energy conservation avoids all these risks. http://www.homesalameda.org/graphics/urban.jpg

20. The Energy Exercise • Goal: To understand how energy use choices affect our health, finances, and comfort.Setup: Each participant receives ten credits of health, money, and comfort credits.Play: Ten year-round energy “choices” are made. • Result: Participants learn about how their choices affect their quality of life.

21. Get your pencil ready! Create three columns with the labels below, starting with ten in each column. As you answer each question on the following pages, add or subtract to each column.

22. Housing Cost

23. Your Yard

24. Summer Heat

25. Trips to the Cabin

26. Travel

27. Food

28. Transportation

29. Heat

30. Food Choices

31. Winter Sports

32. Which category has the highest score? • Comfort? • Finances? • Health? • Did you learn about how your choices affect your health (and the health of all of us)?

33. Summary • All energy sources have health consequences. • Coal, oil and gas cause the most death and disability of all energy sources. • Renewable energy causes death and disability from the large amounts of material and labor needed, as well as energy backup and storage requirements.

34. Energy conservation greatly reduces these health risks. • Individual lifestyle choices directly and indirectly impact our health.

35. Thanks for your Attention!

36. References Haddad and Dones, IAEA: http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull333/33302041419.pdf Gohlke et al. (2008):Environ Health Perspect. 2008 June; 116(6): A236–A23, Economy, and Environment: Sustainable Energy Choices for a Nation; Julia M. Gohlke, Sharon H. Hrynkow, and Christopher J. Portier

37. Contact Information • Crispin Pierce, PhD • piercech@uwec.edu • (715) 836-5589