One Health and Building a Healthier Future for All

In light of ongoing public health discussions following the critical impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to recognize changes in personal behavior, and potential regulations taken on by governments or companies to prevent the dangers of future epidemics. Considering the declining state of the environment, we must bring our attention to how the spread of diseases can be mitigated. When discussing the health of communities, it is important to recognize the importance of One Health - the overarching idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment are all interdependent and all need to be protected for the safety of all life (1).

In many individualistic societies, like the United States, self-determination and freedom are of high value, with individuals often more concerned with their personal goals and well-being over the needs of others. This class of societal culture can prevent individuals from seeing the importance of a group’s needs. Despite this way of life being a normality, we need to take more inspiration from collectivistic cultures that value all of society's well-being. Even before the COVID pandemic, in collectivist societies like Japan, it was common practice to wear a mask when feeling sick; this simple action can be a way to protect those around us and can be a small initiative to help protect the communities we belong to. As we approach the summertime, a popular time for travel, public health messaging can shift to emphasize the importance of personal health decisions, outlining them as ways to protect friends, family, and the vulnerable. When we understand that our actions have far-reaching effects beyond ourselves, we may be more inclined to make choices that prioritize the health of all. A potential demographic to target could be children and teens, as they will be the future generation left to deal with the consequences of the declining environment, and thus the dangers of diseases. Through fun, interactive workshops at schools and libraries with prizes and rewards, the younger generation can be exposed to informational content on the importance of changing behaviors and actions for a healthier society.

While personal changes play a crucial role in community welfare and addressing the dangers of future epidemics, the actions of large-scale companies play a critical role in the safety of the environment and the dangers of infections. According to the Carbon Disclosure Project, whose purpose is to guide companies to disclose their environmental impact, 100 active fossil fuel producers, including major gas companies, are linked to 71% of industrial greenhouse gas emissions (2). Large corporations are some of the top producers of emissions that add to climate change, ultimately contributing to wildlife displacement and the decline of biodiversity (3). With the dangerous impacts on animals and the environment, global disease spreads at higher rates. To combat this, more regulations can be implemented on how much emissions companies are allowed to produce, providing companies with incentives like tax reliefs for cooperating with regulations and fining them for disobeying. Corporations care about keeping as much money as possible; therefore, implementation of such a benefit would deter them from further contributing to climate change and the spread of disease. To further reduce the potential for disease spread, there can be initiatives specifically targeting the food industry - having more frequent routine check-ups of restaurants and their hygienic cleanliness. Instead of inspections being twice a year, according to the FDA, the number of inspections can be increased to every few months to promote clean spaces and decrease the transmission of bacteria from fecal-oral matter. Taking these measures can simultaneously promote positive changes in One Health and help decrease the negative human contributions to the environment and the rise of infectious diseases.

Overall, the profound effects of humans on animals and the environment underscores the critical impacts of One Health not being taken into consideration. We as humans must understand our role in society as the species responsible for the upkeep of the environment, animals, and human health. By understanding this, we can take collective action against the spread of disease; with the implementation of new laws, regulations, and education programs, we can build a healthier, safer world for future generations. It all starts with understanding the impact of our actions and fighting to create a change for the decrease of infectious diseases.

Endnotes
1. “About One Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,www.cdc.gov/one-health/about/index.html#:~:text=At%20a%
20glance,plants%2C%20and%20their%20shared%20environment.

2. “New report shows just 100 companies are source of over 70% of emissions.” CDP, 10 July 2017, https://www.cdp.net/en/article...
-are-source-of-over-70-of-emissions.

3. Cohan, Frederick M. A Journey Beyond Pandemics: Hope, Ethics, and Science. Wesleyan University, 2023.