Environmental Health

Environmental Health and Energy

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Energy provides life-sustaining and health-promoting goods, from the electricity that powers much in our lives, to the fuel that transports us from one place to another. But not all energy is equal when it comes to what it means for our health. Each stage in the life cycle of fossil fuels extraction, transport, processing, and combustion carries multiple hazards for health and the environment. Energy policies are in transition worldwide based on a convergence of factors including static oil production coupled with increased demand, a desire for energy independence, and growing awareness of climate change. Making energy choices that improve human health, the environment, and economic development is possible if we understand the complex interplay between systems for energy delivery and sustainable, healthy human environments.