HEALTH, WEALTH, DISASTERS AND ECOLOGIC FOOTPRINTS: TECHNOLOGIC FATIGUE?

Background and Aims: The catastrophic effects of the Japanese nuclear disaster in 2011 and the British Petroleum disaster in the Gulf of Mexico raise two questions: 1. When does the quest for more energy jeopardize health and wealth? 2. Is a role for epidemiologists in prediction and prevention of such disasters sufficient in the light of the concept of the ecologic footprint? Methods: We review the lessons learned from these disasters as to the role and adequacy of epidemiologists in prediction, prevention and precaution and protection in the light of the concept of the ecologic footprint. Results: These disasters, like all others, were rare, but not random, and had their warning signs, including ignoring worker complaints, lessons from past failures and anticipating linked probabilities from multiple failures. Both Japan and the USA are in the upper quartile of countries in measures of wealth, public health and quality of life as measured by the Human Development Index. But their ecologic footprints are...