One Health: The Ultimate Jenga Tower We Can’t Afford to Topple

Let me tell you something wild: Earth had a 4-billion-year streak of keeping everything in balance.

Then humans showed up with our ‘progress,’ and in just 400 years, we’ve got the planet looking like somebody’s project the night before it’s due.

But before you think this is another doom and gloom story, the PHuncle’s about to break down how everything’s connected AND how we can fix what we done messed up.

You ever played Jenga? You know, that game where you’re pulling pieces out of a tower, trying not to make it fall?

Well, One Health – the connection between human health, animal health, and environmental health – is the highest stakes game of Jenga ever played. Except this not a game.

Let me break it down for you…

See, in regular Jenga, if the tower falls, you just set it up again.

But with our planet? There’s no reset button.

No new game. No “my bad, let’s start over.”

Each piece we pull – whether it’s a species, a forest, or clean air – affects every other piece in ways we might not see until it’s too late.

And unlike Jenga, we can’t afford to find out what happens when it all comes down.

Let’s talk about why every move we make matters, and why your PHuncle stays up at night thinking about this stuff.

Understanding the Tower: How One Health Works

Let me tell you something about this tower we’re all living in. Just like in Jenga, every piece matters – not just the ones you can see, not just the ones you think are important, but every single one. We’ve got three main types of pieces in our tower:

• Human health (that’s us)
• Animal health (from pets to wildlife)
• Environmental health (the air, water, land – everything)

Now, here’s where folks mess up: they think they can just focus on “their” pieces.

Like, “I’m only concerned about human health; let me pull these other pieces out real quick.”

But check it – you start pulling pieces that affect animals or the environment, thinking it won’t affect you? That’s a dangerous though.

For example: Remember when COVID-19 hit?

That wasn’t just a human health crisis that came out of nowhere.

It’s a textbook example of could happen when we keep messing with the tower – pushing wildlife into smaller spaces, creating more contact between humans and animals, ignoring how our choices affect the whole structure.

The virus didn’t care that we thought we were separate from nature – it showed us real quick how connected everything is. The world had to shut down because of it.

Let’s talk about bees for a minute. We’ve been pulling their pieces out of the tower through:

• Pesticide use that kills them
• Destroying their habitats
• Climate change disrupting their patterns
• Industrial agriculture limiting their food sources

And now we’re seeing the tower wobble because those “little insects” were actually holding up way more than we thought. Without bees pollinating:

• 1 in every three bites of food you eat is at risk(bees pollinate A LOT)
• Farmers are losing billions in crops
• Food prices are skyrocketing
• Some plants might disappear entirely
• Entire ecosystems could collapse

And here’s something that’ll really blow your mind: even mosquitos, yeah, those annoying little blood suckers everybody hates, are crucial pieces in this tower.

Your first thought might be “can we just remove all mosquitos from the game?” I feel you – nobody’s out here being a mosquito fan club president, especially because they the world’s deadliest animal.

But pull that piece out, and watch what happens:

• Many birds lose a major food source
• Fish that eat mosquito larvae start declining
• Plants that depend on mosquitos for pollination struggle
• Arctic food webs (where mosquitos are a huge food source) start falling apart
• Even some chocolate production gets affected (yes, really – mosquitos pollinate cacao trees)

This is what I mean about every piece mattering.

Even the ones we don’t like are holding something up. Nature didn’t put these pieces in the tower for no reason – they’ve been part of the winning strategy for billions of years.

The Cascade Effect: When One Move Leads to Another

Listen, one of the trickiest parts about this One Health Jenga tower is that some moves look stable at first.

You pull a piece – maybe clear out a forest for development – and everything seems fine.

The tower’s still standing. But what you don’t see is how that one move forces riskier and riskier moves down the line.

Let me break down how these cascade effects work:

Say we clear that forest for new housing (pulling that piece). Looks good at first, right? But watch what happens:

• Wildlife lose their home
• These animals gotta go somewhere
• Now they’re moving into other areas, including human neighborhoods
• This closer contact means more chances for disease spread
• Meanwhile, that forest isn’t there to clean our air anymore
• Or to prevent soil erosion
• Or to absorb flood waters
• Or to keep the local temperature regulated

Suddenly, what looked like one simple move has us scrambling to deal with:

• New public health risks
• Property damage from floods
• Higher AC costs from heat islands
• Water quality issues from erosion
• More respiratory problems from poor air quality

And here’s the thing about cascade effects – once they start, they’re hard to stop, slow down, or reverse.

It’s like when you make a shaky move in Jenga, and now every move after gets more dangerous because the tower’s not as stable as it was.

But unlike Jenga, we can’t just laugh it off when things get shaky.

These cascade effects impact real communities, real lives, and real futures.

And usually? It’s the communities with the least resources that feel these effects first and worst.

Let me show you another cascade that’s happening right now – our oceans.

People think “I don’t live near the ocean, why should I care?” But watch how pulling these pieces affects the whole tower:

We dump plastics and pollution in the ocean (pulling pieces):

• Fish eat these microplastics
• We eat those fish
• Ocean temperatures rise
• Coral reefs start dying
• Fish lose their homes
• Coastal communities lose protection from storms
• Fishing communities lose their livelihoods
• Food security takes a hit
• Prices go up at your local seafood spot
• And those microplastics? They’re showing up in our blood, in breast milk, in rainwater

See how what seemed like “just ocean problems” ended up on your plate and in your body?

Here’s another one that’s hitting close to home – antibiotic resistance. Watch this cascade:

• We use antibiotics heavy in farming
• These drugs get into soil and water
• Bacteria adapt and get stronger
• Now our medical antibiotics don’t work as well
• Common infections become dangerous again
• Hospital stays get longer
• Healthcare costs rise
• And that’s not even counting the effects on the farm workers
• Or the communities living near these farms
• Or the animals themselves

Playing Smarter: Solutions We Can’t Afford to Ignore

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “PHuncle Dorian, you’re telling me everything’s connected and we’re pulling pieces out left and right – what are we supposed to do about it?”

First thing we gotta do is change how we think about “progress.”

Right now, we’re playing like amateur Jenga players – making quick moves, thinking short-term, and only counting certain kinds of wins (usually the ones with dollar signs).

We need to start playing like pros who understand the whole game.

What does that look like? Let me break it down:

Better Planning (Studying the Tower):

• Before we pull a piece (like developing land), we need to understand what that piece is holding up
• Stop pretending that “environmental costs” and “health costs” are somebody else’s problem
• Look at successful examples – some communities are already doing this right
• Learn from indigenous knowledge that’s kept ecosystems stable for generations

Policy Changes (New Game Rules):

• Support regulations that consider human, animal, AND environmental health together
• Stop rewarding moves that destabilize the tower
• Fund research that helps us understand these connections better
• Create incentives for development that preserves rather than destroys

Communities Getting It Right

Let me show you some real examples of people who understand you can’t just yank pieces out the tower without thinking it through:

Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center

Instead of just building another concrete jungle, they:

• Turned abandoned lots into living classrooms
• Created green spaces that work for both people AND wildlife
• Got kids connecting with nature right in their neighborhood
• Saw crime rates drop as community engagement went up
• Improved local air quality
• Created jobs in environmental education
• Started seeing wildlife return to urban areas

Portland’s Urban Planning

Installing green roofs that:

• Cool buildings naturally
• Provide habitats for pollinators
• Reduce stormwater runoff
• Improve air quality
• Lower energy costs
• Making sure new developments include wildlife corridors
• Creating policies that consider environmental impact before approval

Designing for All Life: The Cradle to Cradle Revolution

Here’s an idea that’ll blow your mind – Cradle to Cradle design.

Architect William McDonough asked a very insightful question: “What if we designed everything thinking about all children, all species, for all time?”

That’s not just some nice quote for your Instagram – that’s One Health thinking at its finest. Instead of the usual “take-make-waste” game we’ve been playing, Cradle to Cradle is about designing like nature does:

Think about it:

• In nature, nothing is “waste” – everything becomes food for something else
• A tree drops leaves? That’s nutrients for the soil
• A fallen log? That’s a home for other species AND future soil
• Everything has a purpose, even after its “first life”

The Ford Rouge Factory Transformation

Let me tell you about a glow-up that matters. The Ford Rouge Factory – yeah, Henry Ford Ford (who, let’s be clear, had some REALLY problematic views we don’t mess with) – went from being one of the world’s largest industrial complexes to becoming something its original owner probably couldn’t even imagine: a model for environmental sustainability.

Sometimes, the best revenge is proving how much better we can do than our predecessors(or, secondary to your paper, as per Beyonce.)

They took this massive 10.4-acre industrial complex – one that represented old-school manufacturing with all its problems – and transformed it into something that actually gives back to the environment. Talk about a redemption arc:

Transformed their massive roof into a living ecosystem that:

• Provides habitat for birds and insects where there was once just metal and concrete
• Naturally filters rainwater instead of contributing to stormwater runoff
• Keeps the building cooler without extra energy use
• Makes the roof last twice as long
• Shows how even the most industrial spaces can support life
• Turned a symbol of traditional industry into a blueprint for sustainable manufacturing

This transformation hits different because it shows we don’t have to tear everything down and start over. We can take what we inherited – even from folks who got it wrong – and make it work WITH nature instead of against it. Sometimes, the places with the darkest histories have the most potential for positive change.

Method Soap’s Chicago Factory

• Has the world’s largest rooftop greenhouse
• Uses renewable energy
• Creates zero waste
• Provides jobs in a neighborhood that needed them
• Shows how industry and environment can work together

This right here? This is how you play the game smart. You’re not just avoiding pulling pieces from the tower – you’re actually adding stability to it. You’re thinking about:

• What happens to materials after we’re done with them
• How buildings can give back to nature, not just take
• Ways to create systems that strengthen the whole tower
• How to make “progress” that doesn’t come at the expense of our future

Connecting the Dots: The Bigger Picture

See what all these examples have in common? Whether it’s Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center, indigenous practices, or Cradle to Cradle design – they’re all understanding something crucial about our Jenga tower: the goal isn’t just to avoid making it fall, it’s to make it stronger.

This is what One Health is really about. It’s not just about preventing problems – it’s about creating systems where:

• Human health improves BECAUSE we improved environmental health
• Animal welfare supports human welfare
• Progress doesn’t come at the expense of the planet
• Every move we make considers “all children, all species, for all time

What You Can Do: Personal Power Moves

Look, I get it. When we talk about big systems and global issues, it’s easy to feel like your moves don’t matter. Like you’re just one player in a worldwide game. But remember what I said about pieces being connected? That works both ways – positive moves can create positive cascades too.

Understanding Your Moves:

When you choose public transit or bike instead of driving(if applicable, which, is a problem on its own):

• You’re not just saving gas money
• Traffic? Near guaranteed going home from work, less likely for delays
• You’re reducing air pollution
• Which helps people with respiratory issues
• Which reduces healthcare costs
• Which affects community health
• Plus, you’re showing others it’s possible
• And creating demand for better transit options

Making Informed Choices:

When you support local farmers markets(once again, if able. There’s a lot of issues that feed into each other and bigger ones y’all):

• You’re reducing transportation emissions
• Supporting pollinator-friendly farming
• Keeping money in your community
• Creating demand for sustainable agriculture
• And yeah, getting fresher food too

Building Community Power:

When you get involved in local planning meetings:

• You’re having a say in how your community develops
• Which affects everything from air quality to food access
• Which impacts both human and animal health
• Which strengthens the whole tower

Game Plan Forward: More Than Just Staying in the Game

Listen, I know we’ve covered a lot here. But let me be crystal clear about something: in this whole One Health equation, humans are the ones with the controller. We’re the ones making the moves.

The environment? It was doing just fine for billions of years before we started “improving” things.

The animals? They’ve been playing their natural roles perfectly until we started changing the rules of their game.

Let that sink in – 4 billion years of balance, and then here we come with our “progress” which has us at catastrophe in 400.

See, that’s what makes this so different from a regular game of Jenga.

In actual Jenga, everybody’s taking turns making moves.

But in our One Health tower?

We’re the only ones choosing which pieces to pull, which ones to leave, which ones to stress.

The environment and animals aren’t volunteering to be removed from the game – that’s all us. And how they adapt? Which, is to say, how we effed them up, we deal with the consequences.

But here’s the flip side: if we’re the ones with the power to destabilize everything, we’re also the ones with the power to stabilize it. That’s both the heaviest responsibility and our biggest opportunity.

While any single move CAN topple the whole tower (we’ve seen how one environmental change can cascade into disaster), every single move also matters for keeping it stable. That’s both the scary AND empowering part of One Health:

• One bad move can start a devastating cascade
• BUT one good move can also start positive ripple effects(in fact, two people’s idea saved the O Zone layer and humanity bruh. I constantly reflect on that when pessimistic)
• And when enough players start making smart moves together:
  • Policies change
  • Markets shift
  • Communities transform
  • Systems adapt

Ready to make your next move count? Think about this next time you play Jenga.

Resource Guide (Bonus Content)

Official One Health Organizations

• Centers for Disease Control One Health
• Office World Health Organization One Health Initiative
• One Health Commission
• United States Department of Agriculture
• One Health American Public Health Association One Health Section

Environmental Action Resources

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Community Action Guide National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
• Environmental Justice Network
• Local Environmental Action Groups
• Climate Action Resources

Learn More About One Health

• CDC’s One Health Basics
• WHO’s One Health Framework
• One Health Institute Resources
• Environmental Health Education Materials
• Zoonotic Disease Prevention Guidelines

Get Involved Locally

• Find your local health department
• Community garden initiatives
• Local environmental advocacy groups
• City planning meeting schedules
• Sustainability programs in your area