Climate Change – a Challenge to Small Business

Climate change is here. Climate change has a cost in terms of increased health risks, property damage and lost productivity. Informing yourself on the potential risks then reviewing the information on the Shoreline Green Business website on ways to conserve will help business owners save money in the short term and reduce future risks.

The National Resources Defense Council has put together data on their website for the United States that shows state by state what kind of effects can be anticipated.

A quick look at Washington shows the following anticipated affects based on weather modeling and suggestions for reducing risk. 

• Average temperatures, heavier rainfall, drier summers, bad air days, and sea levels are already increasing.
• In the future, with climate change, temperatures are projected to rise another 3.5°F (2°C) by mid century and 5.9°F (3.3°C) by late century.2
• Residents and businesses will likely face water shortages from early snowmelt, more frequent very hot days, declining air quality in urban areas, and increased flood risks.

The section below taken from their website has a family focus but is also applicable to business:

Air Pollution

Many people are facing a double whammy of air quality threats that will worsen with climate change:

• 7 counties have ragweed pollution.3
• Asthma sickens an estimated 145,100 kids and 464,000 adults.4
• By mid-century, King County will likely experience 132 additional deaths due to poor air quality.5

Protect your family from air pollution:

• Check news reports on the radio, TV, or online for pollen reports or daily air quality conditions. Or visit EPA's Air Now for air quality info and avoid outdoor activity on bad air days particularly for people with asthma or other respiratory diseases.
• After spending time outdoors, wash off pollen that may have collected on your face, skin, or hair.

Extreme Heat

• 5 counties saw record-breaking temperatures in the summer of 2010.6
• Extreme heat could increase heat-related deaths by about 100 by 2025.7
• Protect your family from extreme heat:
• Limit exertion during heat waves and high temperature days, drink plenty of water and take cool showers or baths, and stay inside or in the shade.
• Check on elderly or at-risk friends or neighbors regularly -- or ask someone to look in on you if you feel vulnerable to heat.

Infectious Diseases

• 54 cases of Dengue Fever were reported between 1995-2005.8
• 230 cases of Lyme disease were reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 1990-2008.9
• Protect your family from infectious diseases:
• When planning international travel, check with the CDC's website for information on recent disease outbreaks and take appropriate precautions.
• During mosquito season at home, apply insect repellent with 20-30 percent DEET in the mornings and early evenings.

Bloggers Note: There is a need for caution in the use of DEET and new effective alternatives.

In 2002 Duke University pharmacologist Mo­­hamed Abou-Donia, said in his 30 years of research on (DEET) the pesticides' brain effects clearly indicate the need for caution among the general public. You can read more on this.

In 2005, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) granted approval to two alternatives to DEET – picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus – for protection from mosquitoes. Picaridin, long used to repel mosquitoes in other parts of the world, is now available in the US under the Cutter Advanced brand name. Oil of lemon eucalyptus, which is derived from eucalyptus leaves and is the only plant-based active ingredient for insect repellents approved by the CDC, is available in several forms, including Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, OFF! Botanicals, and Fight Bite Plant-Based Insect Repellent. Read the label and follow the guidelines for any product you select.

Drought

• Snowpack is expected to decrease 30% next decade, and earlier snowmelt will increase water shortages.10
• About 67% of the state's counties now face a higher risk of water shortages by mid-century as the result of climate change.11
• Protect your family from droughts:
• Visit EPA's WaterSense for tips on conserving water, such as replacing leaky pipes.
• Agricultural water users can find conservation options with a local Cooperative Extension Service agent, or the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

Flooding

• Close to 40 communities along the coast -- including some with the state's largest populations -- are threatened by rising sea levels.
• Combined sewer overflows are a health risk for 11 communities, including Seattle and Spokane.
• The state has been declared a disaster area 5 times since 2000, due to severe storms and flooding.
• Changing rainfall washes nutrients into waterways and can increase risks of harmful, toxic algal blooms that threaten seafood safety and people's health.

Protect your family from floods and related illnesses:

• Familiarize yourself with your region's vulnerability to flooding and its local emergency evacuation plans.
• Prepare your own plan -- including where your family will stay in case of flooding and what you'll do if a relative is sickened by contaminated water.

Although there are many things outside our control, as business owners we can choose to conserve and thereby reduce cost and long-term risk. We can also encourage our elected officials to adopt policy changes that incentivize conservation.