Brian Drummond
Sep 1, 2025
Happy Labor Day to everyone, hope you enjoyed some down time and hopefully as we see the end to summer in Arizona we can hope for cooler weather.
Lot of items to share below and this Wednesday is our Steering Committee Meeting at 1200. Our Sustainability Committee Meeting is Sept 10 at 1200. Links at bottom of email.
I did a fun video shoot this past Friday with Plug In America as part of their storytelling about electric vehicles. I was their first medical person to share health effects from pollution from ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles. Will share it once it is edited. Â
Melanija is moving into her dorm at ASU so we gave here the month off. :)
Welcome Bright and Sara! Thanks for joining!
Stay cool out there and thanks for the work you all are putting in!
Brian
ACTION ITEMS:
 EXTREME HEAT Listening Session with Alliance for Heat Resilience and HealthÂ
 Two listening sessions for state-partner organizations on September 10th, 2025 at 12:00 PM EST and September 11th, 2025 at 03:00 PM EST. Â
please register here for one of these sessions
Goal: we want to hear directly from state partner organizations—whether already engaged or interested in this work or not—about their current efforts, the challenges they face, and the opportunities for collaboration and support they need. Your insights will directly shape how we seek funding and design future resources, partnerships, and advocacy to strengthen heat resilience across the country.
2.  How to Save Money While Adding Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience to Your Clinical Practice! next Thursday 9/4 @12:30-1:30p PT.
Register HERE-- everyone's welcome
ABOUT: Each of us would like environmental sustainability and climate resilience to be integral parts of our medical practice but getting started seems daunting. This workshop will be led by two experts from the My Green Doctor program (https://www.mygreendoctor.org). We’ll start off talking about the benefits of environmental sustainability for practices and communities, and resources that are available, including My Green Doctor. Next, we'll workshop together how to overcome barriers we have encountered in our own practices.
And we’ll close out with a discussion about how ANYONE (not just the c-suite) can make cost-saving changes in any health system you’re a part of– We hope you’ll join us!
3. Repealing the endangerment finding would ignore overwhelming scientific consensus and worsen the health impacts we are already seeing from climate change.
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That's why we're asking you to take three key actions:
Submit a unique, personalized comment by September 22. Our toolkit has resources to help you make your comment authentic, including specialty-specific examples.
Share our toolkit with five colleagues and ask them to take action.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
1. 2026 Climate & Health Equity Fellowship Application
The purpose of this fellowship is to increase the number of physician leaders in climate and health equity from racial/ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine. Join our sixth cohort—apply by November 15!
Applications are open for the 2026 class of the Climate and Health Equity Fellowship until November 15, 2025.
medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org
2. Diploma in Climate Medicine
The Diploma in Climate Medicine equips healthcare providers to lead in climate and health policy, environmental justice, health system decarbonization, workforce training, and research dissemination. Learn more and register here-  .
3. Back to School Night: Raising Resilient Kids in an Age of Disasters
September 11, 2025
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At this interactive event, you will hear from speakers who are advocates, researchers, authors, and medical professionals about addressing the emotional impacts of challenges like climate change and healing through collective action.
4. The AAC 19th Annual Arizona Asthma & Allergy Clinical Conf, Wheezing & Sneezing in the Desert,
-I will be presenting and hope to see some of you there.
 The flyer is attached.
5. The Governor’s Workplace Heat Safety Task Force has held their first meeting and has a second scheduled on September 30th. The purpose of this effort is to develop practical, evidence-based recommendations that Arizona employers can implement during periods of extreme heat to protect workers from heat-related illnesses. Further, recommendations must be practical and economically feasible, provide measurable worker protection, be supported by data, research, or industry evidence and consider a range of controls, including environmental modifications and operational best practices, education and training, and administrative and engineering controls.
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There are three health ‘experts’ on this taskforce: Dr. Theresa Cullen (Pima County Health Director), Dr. Ladd Keith (UA Heat Resilience Initiative), and Pat VanMaanen (AzHPCA Steering Committee Member and Chair, AZNA Health & Climate Workgroup). Between now and the next meeting, we are collecting data, research articles, and recommendations to inform the development of guidelines and recommendations to address heat safety. Please submit information you believe should be used by the Task Force in developing the final report and recommendations to Pat VanMaanen at pat@pvhealthsolutions.com.
NEWS on CLIMATEÂ AND HEALTH:
Dr. Amelia Gallitano, Steering Committee Member, was interviewed by the KXCI Radio Community Wellness Beat to discuss what people should know about heat related illness, how to decrease risks, and also provided links to resources, including the Heat & Medication Taskforce website and info. The brief community wellness reports ran on the radio periodically this month.
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July 2025 - Interviews for KXCI Radio Community Wellness Beat:
Amelia Gallitano MD, PhD – Heat Related Illness Pt. 1
Amelia Gallitano MD, PhD – Heat Preparedness Pt. 2
Methane Risk Map
Grounded in peer-reviewed science and satellite-based emissions data, the #MethaneRiskMap is the first tool to calculate and visualize how hazardous air pollutants released alongside methane affect air quality and public health.
https://mrm.psehealthyenergy.org/
PSE’s Methane Risk Map — Actionable, Scientific Data Explore methane plumes detection in real time with our interactive Methane Risk Map. Visualize emissions, analyze exposure risks, and support climate and public health research with actionable data. |
Article from AZHPCA Steering Committee Member and Flagstaff EP-Â Â Dr. Nico Hawbaker!!
Spotlight on Climate: Climate change is harming our health -- even in Flagstaff | Columnists | azdailysun.com The science is clear: climate change is harming our health. Arizona now sees hundreds of heat-related deaths and thousands more heat-caused emergency room visits each year. Air pollution causes ... |
Upcoming Events at AZHPCA (anyone is welcome to attend):
AZHPCA Steering Committee (at 1200pm):
AZHPCA Sustainability Committee Meetings (at 1200pm):
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-If these topics interest you please join AZHPCA
Brian