Heat Stroke: Are We Ready?

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There’s no vaccination against climate change. And a lot of diseases are on the move because of it. So have you ever wondered how much our federal government spends on health research related to climate change? You know, all those problems coming our way—some already here—like heat-related mortality, diarrheal diseases, diseases associated with exposure to ozone and airborne  allergens, plus all the health effects from altered air, water, agriculture, and ecosystems services. How about less than $3 million a year?

Kind of hard to believe. Multiply that number by 33 and you get the amount in bonuses AIG is planning to pay its executives for destroying their company. Bonuses paid for with federally funded bailout money.

A new study in Environmental Health Perspectives says that even though climate change will seriously impact public health, the US has yet to allocate anywhere near adequate funding to prepare for these impacts. So what’s needed? A measly $200 million or so. Enough to shift research priorities at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The report points out that funding research on the effects of climate change on human health is a wise investment, consistent with the goals of restoring economic stability, justice, environmental quality, and reducing healthcare costs. So can’t we just beg, borrow, or print a little more money to do that?

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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