Global health and policy implications of dust storms: A disease transportation system [Government Affairs]

Global warming and climatic change go hand in hand. Many areas where it used to rain do not experience it anymore. Many agricultural areas have become desert areas. With increases both in frequency and strength, dust storms containing many types of bacteria as well as plant pollens, fungal spores, dried animal feces, minerals, chemicals from fires and industry, and pesticide residues will bring more pollutants to areas around the world. The potential risks (i.e., environment and food) may be addressed by different governmental agencies and/or Congressional Committees. However, all the global concerns and challenges discussed make it impossible for any nation to resolve them by themselves. This article is not about dust, harmful algal blooms, or the U.S. local, state, and federal agencies, or the products that they produce; it is not about the UNESCO or the UN; it is about the way we currently work and solve the problems. The emphasis on the required strategic, holistic (big picture) systems thinking should not be ignored by the reader in modern problem-solving. The information age, cyberspace, and globalization bring us information in huge amounts and faster than ever before. With faster and bigger systems, this problem seems to worsen, almost on a daily basis. Most individuals and organizations, however, try to quickly address the operational challenges without truly understanding the complexity, interdependencies, long- versus short-term effects of decision-making, and the results of stovepiping. All of these failures result in undesired and often unmanageable consequences. Integrating the many islands of excellence into usable information is perhaps our major challenge. Data, information, knowledge management should be a major concern for all of us.