KOLEJ DISTED-STAMFORD NEWS
7 April 2008

Climate change affects health

Climate change has made our earth warmer which brings about serious repercussions on the environment and our health. 

“The global climate change affects rainfall and increases the sea level leading to floods, droughts and habitat destruction,” said Mohd Shah Rizan Sazali, an education officer with the Consumers Association of Penang. 

“It also has an adverse impact on human health and survival including weather-related mortality, infectious diseases and air-quality respiratory diseases,” he said. 

Consumers Association of Penang education officer Mohd Shah Rizan Sazali speaking on the ill-effects of climate change on health at DISTED.

He was speaking to Kolej Disted-Stamford students and staff in his talk on Protecting Health from Climate Change. 

Held on 7 April 2008 to commemorate the World Health Day, the event was organised by DISTED library to promote awareness about greening the environment for better health. 

“Climate change hastens the reproduction of micro-organisms such as viruses resulting in epidemic outbreaks of diseases,” he warned. 

“The root cause of adverse climate change is the human factor,” said Mohd Shah. 

“Many human activities have contributed to global warming such as indiscriminate logging, forest burning, excessive use of motor vehicles and industrial pollutions,” he said. 

DISTED engineering student Daniel Tay Ern Lye (left) posing a question to Consumers Association of Penang education officer Mohd Shah Rizan Sazali. Looking on are his course mates (from right) Karene Yeap Yee Laine and Prasanth Asok.

He also outlined numerous activities that could be carried out to address the climate change phenomenon. 

“Reducing rubbish disposal through recycling, reusing and resource recovery is one action we can take to help protect our environment,” he advised. 

Engineering student Karene Yeap Yee Laine is all out for greening the environment. 

“By destroying the environment, we bring upon ourselves health hazards,” she said. 

She took pride in doing her bit for the environment in reducing air pollution. 

“I car pool to college to help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide,” she said. 

Consumers Association of Penang education officer Mohd Shah Rizan Sazali (right) throws a challenge question on the environment to DISTED lecturer Jayaeswari Sangaralingam.