Abstract
Since the use of atomic weapons in 1945 visionaries have warned that without major changes the survival of global civilization is in question. These concerns deepened in following decades, during the Cold War, with The Limits to Growth, the best-selling environmental book of the 1970s. Yet, since then, most concern has faded, fuelled by technological developments and a shift in dominant global ideology. Public health, with a few exceptions (one of which is the book Planetary Overload), has been slow to recognize this debate, even as evidence emerges that civilization may indeed be at risk, driven by an increasingly ominous complex of events. This article outlines the key relevant literature and concepts, attempting to bring emerging and future health consequences to the attention of health workers, including the idea of a "social vaccine," conveying sufficient anxiety to provoke action for environmental protection, but insufficient to induce paralysis.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 360-369 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Current environmental health reports |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2016 |
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Planetary Overload, Limits to Growth and Health. / Butler, Colin D.
In: Current environmental health reports, Vol. 3, No. 4, 01.12.2016, p. 360-369.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Planetary Overload, Limits to Growth and Health
AU - Butler, Colin D.
PY - 2016/12/1
Y1 - 2016/12/1
N2 - Since the use of atomic weapons in 1945 visionaries have warned that without major changes the survival of global civilization is in question. These concerns deepened in following decades, during the Cold War, with The Limits to Growth, the best-selling environmental book of the 1970s. Yet, since then, most concern has faded, fuelled by technological developments and a shift in dominant global ideology. Public health, with a few exceptions (one of which is the book Planetary Overload), has been slow to recognize this debate, even as evidence emerges that civilization may indeed be at risk, driven by an increasingly ominous complex of events. This article outlines the key relevant literature and concepts, attempting to bring emerging and future health consequences to the attention of health workers, including the idea of a "social vaccine," conveying sufficient anxiety to provoke action for environmental protection, but insufficient to induce paralysis.
AB - Since the use of atomic weapons in 1945 visionaries have warned that without major changes the survival of global civilization is in question. These concerns deepened in following decades, during the Cold War, with The Limits to Growth, the best-selling environmental book of the 1970s. Yet, since then, most concern has faded, fuelled by technological developments and a shift in dominant global ideology. Public health, with a few exceptions (one of which is the book Planetary Overload), has been slow to recognize this debate, even as evidence emerges that civilization may indeed be at risk, driven by an increasingly ominous complex of events. This article outlines the key relevant literature and concepts, attempting to bring emerging and future health consequences to the attention of health workers, including the idea of a "social vaccine," conveying sufficient anxiety to provoke action for environmental protection, but insufficient to induce paralysis.
KW - Anthropocene
KW - Civilization collapse
KW - Climate change
KW - Conflict
KW - Environmental determinism
KW - Human carrying capacity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029026984&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/planetary-overload-limits-growth-health
U2 - 10.1007/s40572-016-0110-3
DO - 10.1007/s40572-016-0110-3
M3 - Article
VL - 3
SP - 360
EP - 369
JO - Current environmental health reports
JF - Current environmental health reports
SN - 2196-5412
IS - 4
ER -