How would you describe the current state of global health?

The first thought that popped into my head is do you mean global people's health or global ecosystem health? I'll be happy to answer either (or both) once I know which one you mean

 

Age: 20's
Gender: Male
Occupation: Software Engineer


It really depends on what you mean by "global health". If you're talking about the health of the globe, i'd say it's been experiencing a pretty large downward trend - nothing that can't be stopped with the right amount of diet (no more smog producing fossil fuels) and exercise (expansion and preservation of the rain forest and other areas).

If you're talking about the health of the billions of people on the globe, i'd say it's been going down hill for a while, but again is something that can be fixed with a proper diet (to fight obesity) and exercise (to fight obesity, promote general cardiovascular health).

Wait, i guess it really doesn't matter - both answers are the same - poor and going down hill, but something we can turn around if we try!

 

50s
Male
Biophysical Geographer

Human population at 6.6 billion and climbing. Population beyond sustainable carrying capacity. Increasing competition for fossil fuels, good air quality, potable water.

Greed and global economics have no regard for sustainability, only short-term thinking. India and China are coming up strong trying to emulate the US. The US and the world are in a "Crude Awakening" as we enter Peak Oil.

 

40s male accountant

We've destroyed half of our forests, half of our wetlands, we're losing species at an ever-increasing rate, and we really have no idea what we're doing. Our economic system is dysfunctional, and completely ignores information vital to our survival. I remain hopeful that humanity will eventually develop into a responsible and intelligent race, but it's not looking good so far.

Have a nice day.

 

Any more replies? Did we bum everyone out?

 

Attorney 36

The globe is in great shape.
Its got some eczema, but that's it.

There are more trees alive in the United States now than at anytime in its history;

There is no evidence that species extinction is any different now than at any other time in history, (rates of extinction vary and are not constant);

CO2 makes up about .03% of the atmosphere, That's 3 one hundredths of one percent. There is NO evidence that CO2 causes or caused the .6C temperature increase over the last 100 years. It is only an assumption made by GOVERNMENT FUNDED SCIENTISTS WHO WILL LOSE FUNDING IF MAN-MADE GLOBAL WARMING DOESN NOT (or not caused by man) EXIST.

 

I'll refrain from explaining the reasons Devil's Advocate is wrong but he is an attorney and not a scientist afterall.

Age: 30's
Gender: Male
Occupation: Student - Ecology and Biodiversity

The state of the Earth's ecosystems is in decline in almost all areas and in severe decline in others. Human population and consumption rates continue to rise and place ever greater demands on natural resources and the destruction of critical habitat. In some areas human population growth is declining but consumption continues to rise negating any benefits of slowed population growth. The Earth will go on and repair itself once we have destroyed oursevles.

If you truely want a snapshot of the Earth's ecosystem status then check out the report that was completed by over 1,300 scientists around the world. Millenium Ecosystem Assessment

 

Let me point out a couple of things that give a little hope:
1) The multinational effort to greatly restrict chlorofluorocarbons has made a difference. Here the global health is starting to improve, with quite a ways to go.
2) Efforts to protect a lot of the ocean fisheries is making progress. There is a LONG way to go here, but the good news is that a few efforts are starting to turn the tide....and the momentum is picking up speed.
3) We have not incinerated ourselves with a nuclear war. The trend has been on reducing nuclear arsenals. Lots of stuff still to get rid of, but elimination is outpacing building.
4) And finally, education is starting to reveal the interconnectedness of everything biological to the next generation. One of the critical aspects of improving global health is diagnosing the illnesses, and this is underway.

 

+1 (Ditto!) on all points. Global Health is getting better every day they sell more Prius's.

 

40's, male, solar system sales, full-time dad, amateur rocket scientist.

We have turned the corner on so many hockey-stick graphs that it isn't even funny. The devil is in the compounding of everything. When two people reproduce, it is no big deal. When four do it, then eight, then 16, then 32, then 64... well, we have a problem. And population is only ONE of the hocky-stick problems we face.

Short answer: We continue with the status quote, we're screwed. What we have today, we have because of the cheap energy that is now gone.