Sunday, March 14, 2010

"Experts": You're too fat; also, trace amounts of CO2 are gonna kill us all

Obesity, climate change are "great threats'': doctors | Herald Sun
An open letter signed by more than 300 Australian doctors and scientists has warned of the threat to civilisation posed by man's preoccupation with consumerism, "exertion-free living'' and a growing economy and population.

The letter, co-signed by a former Australian of the Year, said these forces were now "seriously damaging our planet'' and had spawned two great threats - in rising obesity rates and climate change.

A dedicated task force and new public forum was needed to drive discussion and development of “post-growth alternatives to unsustainable, consumption-based growth as the economic norm''.

“As health professionals, we urge Australian politicians (and the public) to recognise the overlap in the underlying cause of two great health threats that our population now faces,'' the experts wrote.

''... the rise of obesity and its life-threatening disease consequences and the great threats to health from global climate change."

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