A Weatherman's View

by Stewart MacLennan
(Sydney Australia)

As an ex-ABCTV weatherman and a PWD (now) I would like to give you some personal points on this interesting, but very concerning issue:

1. My neurologist tells me I am not alone in feeling totally exhausted in hot weather - I'm a person with MS, but he says many with spinal cord injures and even degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease have impaired capabilities to adjust to extreme variations in temperature, particularly high temperatures. So PWDs who do not have the luxury of air conditioning are already suffering with our longer, hotter summers here in Australia.

2. Some of the people worst affected by the cyclone which devastated New Orleans were PWDs. They could not escape their homes as the waters rose. They could not get into boats or refuges. Global warming is bringing more extreme weather "events" and again PWDs will be in the front row of those affected.

3. PWDs are often on low incomes - at best. Global warming is putting up costs of basic food and services.

So the most vulnerable are among those who will suffer most from climate change.

Its not a happy picture at all.

Stewart MacLennan

PS
I am so concerned about the physical impact of the weather on my wellbeing and that of the community in which I spend a good bit of the year that I assembled a weather station and a website www.milsonspassage.com.au in "activities" have a look too at the Carrick
Lifter.