Conversations about climate change and emissions levels are taking place all over the country by people of all age groups.

However, from where I sit, the biggest gap is the lack of discussion around the bigger issue - that the failure to reduce carbon emissions will spell a health catastrophe.

Perhaps this sounds dramatic to some, but a recent article in the New Zealand Medical Journal argued for a much tougher climate change policy than our Government has adopted. These members of our medical profession suggest that mitigating climate change will have positive effects on public health such as significant reductions in heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Cleaning up the air quality will have an immediate effect on our largest city. Poor air quality caused by high levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are particularly bad for asthmatics, and can result in respiratory disease, cancer and other illnesses.

The air quality in Auckland causes more than 400 people to die prematurely every year and the associated costs for treating these illnesses across the region equates to $1.3 billion a year.

New Zealand has the second highest prevalence of asthma in the world, after Britain, with one in six people suffering from the condition. Asthma medications account for around $60 million of the $803 million annual pharmaceutical budget and asthma is the most common reason for people going to hospital.

Consider too that these rates of hospital admission have doubled in the last 30 years and it doesn't take much to see the sheer scale of this issue.

Surely these figures demonstrate the opportunity that exists for each and every one of us to take charge of our own health footprint. It's about doing what we can and realising that small steps count. We can all make an effort to reduce air pollution by getting out of our cars and walking to work or encouraging our children to take the walking school bus.

Talking of commuting, the recent Auckland bus strike forced many to walk or bike to work and I'll bet they are feeling better for it. If all those who live less than 5km from work or school walked more often, we would save the equivalent of 22 million litres of petrol a year. A healthier heart, planet and bank balance.

What is good for the climate is good for our health - using our cars less and getting more exercise, with a low carbon diet of less meat, will amount to less cancer, obesity and heart disease.

There are many other solutions that we can implement to strengthen our immune systems and this can start in our backyard by growing our own organic veges and composting - back to the basics in effect.