**Friday Health & Wellness

Environmental Health: After the Storm**

The last few weeks of stormy weather here in the Pacific Northwest have been hard to ignore.

Heavy rain. Strong winds. Flooding that didn’t just inconvenience people — it changed lives.

As I’ve watched the damage unfold, my concern keeps returning to the aftermath.

What does recovery really look like for the people, the animals, the land, and the communities left behind?

Environmental health is about more than the environment itself — it’s about how our surroundings affect our health and well-being, especially after events like this.

Environmental health looks at the natural and built world around us — air, water, soil, food, housing, and climate — and how exposure to harm can impact human health. After severe weather, those risks don’t disappear when the rain stops.

Why Environmental Health Matters After Severe Storms

Water safety becomes a major concern after flooding.

Drinking water can be contaminated, septic systems overwhelmed, and standing water can lead to bacterial growth and illness.

Air quality can also be affected. Mold grows quickly in damp homes and buildings.

Debris, damaged materials, and poor ventilation can trigger respiratory issues — especially for children, older adults, and those with asthma.

Food safety is another quiet issue. Power outages, flooding, and disrupted supply chains can compromise food storage, preparation, and access — particularly for vulnerable populations.

Housing and shelter matter deeply. Displaced families, damaged homes, and unsafe living conditions increase stress, illness, and long-term health challenges. Safe, dry, stable housing is a health issue — not just a convenience.

Animals, crops, and vegetation are part of this picture too. Flooding affects livestock, wildlife habitats, and food sources. What happens to the land eventually affects the people living on it.

And then there’s climate resilience — the reality that extreme weather is becoming more frequent.

Environmental health professionals work behind the scenes on prevention, risk assessment, emergency preparedness, and environmental justice to protect communities before, during, and after events like these.

Health Is Not Separate From the Environment

Environmental health reminds us that:

clean air is healthcare safe

water is healthcare

stable housing is healthcare

healthy land supports healthy people

The burden of environmental damage often falls hardest on those with the fewest resources — making environmental health a matter of equity and compassion, not just policy.

As we move forward from these storms, my hope is that we continue to think beyond cleanup and repairs — and toward long-term care for people, communities, and the land itself.

Because healing after a storm isn’t just about rebuilding structures.

It’s about restoring health, safety, and stability — together.