Melanija Simovich
Feb 24, 2025
★ February 2025 Newsletter ★ 02/23/2025
Author’s note:
Hello! My name is Melanija Simovich, a new helping hand here at AZHPCA. I will be working with future organizational tasks, such as this newsletter! A little bit about me: I am 18 years old, a senior in high school from Tempe/Ahwatukee, and starting this fall, I will be a student at ASU West majoring in biology with a focus on pharm/toxicology. I am a part of various environmental and service clubs, and am a member of the Arizona Youth Climate Coalition (AZYCC). I love the fine arts, have a fascination with sociology, and participate in Serbian folk dance in my free time! I am ecstatic to be involved with such a fundamental organization moving forward– especially during a period of uncertainty in our political environment.
New Members!
Give a warm welcome to new AZHPCA members Casey, Janay, Amelia, Sarah, and Rachel! Please encourage others to join by sharing the invite link here, the foot of this newsletter, or on the official AZHPCA website.
UPDATES
1) Energy Foundation Campaign:
Our video ad campaign with the Energy Foundation grant
launched on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn! This
campaign is to help preserve the IRA and encourage tax
credits for electric vehicles and solar power.
Videos:
We currently have over 126,000 views across all three videos, but we always need more– please share these on social media and/or with friends/family! Our goal is to get the message out as much as possible.
Note: Due to the freeze in IRA distribution funds, the actions in the second video have been paused.
2) Route Zero Press Conference:
Thank you to all who participated and supported the Tucson Route Zero Press Conference for Electric Vehicles, and the Physicians for Social Responsibility Arizona Chapter for sponsoring this event! This marks a step forward of consumer savings and a clean energy economy in Tucson.
Here’s some content you can use to support the press conference:
➔ Use the press release linked here and amplify the reach of the event by sharing it with reporters you know and post it to your organization’s websites.
➔ Event photos are uploaded here for your personal use.
➔ The press conference was attended by 5 media outlets, garnering 13 dierent clips and a feature in the Arizona Capitol Times. These are linked below.
◆ KOLD-TV – CBS 13 Tucson, 2/11: Electric vehicles charging station installation project along Interstate 10 put on hold
◆ KMSB-TV – Fox 11 Tucson, 2/13 (8 times): Tucson City Councilmember Kevin Dahl, Local Public Health Leaders, and Advocates Call on Congress to Defend Federal Electric Vehicle Incentives
◆ KGUN-TV – ABC 9 Tucson, 2/13: Tucson City Councilmember Kevin Dahl, Local Public Health Leaders, and Advocates Call on Congress to Defend Federal Electric Vehicle Incentives
◆ Tucson Sentinel, 2/13: Dahl & other Tucson leaders rally against Trump's push to repeal electric vehicle tax credits
◆ Arizona Public Media – KUAZ-NPR, 2/18: Tucson leaders push for support to expand clean energy - AZPM
◆ Arizona Capitol Times – The Yellow Sheet Report, 2/11: (behind paywall)
3) UofA Medical Student Course:
The University of Arizona Medical Student Course on Climate and Health is renewed for 2025! Dates are March17-28th. There are currently 16 students, last year 6. If you are interested, reach out to bsdrum@gmail.com. Dr. Drummond met with UofA’s Phoenix college to initiate working on the climate health curriculum for both medical campuses.
4)Southern Arizona Heat Summit:
February 1st was the 2025 Southern Arizona Heat Summit! There, we talked to local and state leaders on heat sharing data from the Heat and Medication working group. Despite being hotter, 2024 had a slight downtrend in heat-related deaths of Maricopa and Pima country! For those interested, the plenary session slide deck is linked below.
! LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HEAT SUMMIT !
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
1) CleanMed 2025:
“CleanMed 2025 will bring us together May 6-8 in Atlanta, Georgia. As the premier health care sustainability conference, CleanMed oers the strategies, tools, and connections you need to make progress toward your goals.”
! LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE !
2) Navajo Nation USA: The Film:
Recommended by steering committee member and Flagstaff emergency physician Nico Hawbaker, this film dives into the effects of uranium radiation on the Navajo nation’s health. “The intersection of health and environmental injustice. We had a screening of it at our hospital hosted by our oncologists who see it everyday. Definitely worth a watch.”
! LEARN MORE & WHERE TO WATCH !
3) ICCA & St. Luke’s Lecture Series:
February 19 - May 21, 2025
Virtual & In Person
St. Luke’s and Idaho Clinicians for Climate and Health continue their lecture series addressing health and climate change. All sessions are free and open to the public both virtually and through in-person attendance.
Upcoming session: March 12, Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting 12PM to 1PM MST
“Join Alan Heber, Manager of Facilities, Engineering and Energy Management at Gundersen Health System, as he shares the remarkable journey of Gundersen becoming the first health system to achieve energy independence. On October 14, 2014, Gundersen produced more energy than it consumed, thanks to a comprehensive strategy that included eciency improvements and clean energy projects such as dairy digesters, wind turbines, and geothermal energy. Alan, will discuss the strategies and innovations that led to Gundersen's energy
milestone, oering valuable insights into energy management and sustainability.”
! LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE !
4) 2025 Climate Action Convention:
Save the Date for the 2025 Annual Convention Meeting!
March 2 - 3, 2025 with visits to Congress on March 4. Location: Washington D.C.
In-person registration has CLOSED! However, there is still an opportunity to join the sessions VIRTUALLY!
Additionally, 3 members of our steering committee– Yvonne, Paloma, and Pat will be attending and advocating!
“Through a series of dynamic sessions — oered in person and online — we will examine the state of our planet’s health and the necessary steps to achieve a sustainable future. Attendees will gain insights into cutting-edge research on the links between ecological drivers and health outcomes, explore strategies for building resilience and equity in the face of climate challenges, and learn how to build capacity for science-informed policymaking. Up to 13.75 CME/CE credits are available.”
! LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE !
5) Climate Health Equity Day 2025:
March 1st, 2025: Climate Health Equity Day Medical Students for a Sustainable Future is hosting its first conference the day before the Medical Societies Consortium for Climate and Health's Conference, so make it a two for one!
Additionally, 3 members of our steering committee– Yvonne, Paloma, and Pat will be attending and advocating!
There are both virtual and in-person options!
“Our goal is to create a space for students in the health professions to build community and connect with leaders in the climate and health space. The conference will feature research sessions where students will present projects related to the health impacts of climate change, climate-smart health care, curricular development, quality improvement, educating decision makers, and creative works. We look forward to connecting with you all in the Spring!”
! LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE !
NEWS
1) ‘We have real lives at stake’: Trump impedes Arizona tribe’s energy lifeline:
President Trump’s sudden freeze on federal funding has had a detrimental eect on the Hopi nation after life-changing grants for renewable energy were cut o– one of the only lifelines to keep the power on after the closure of an economically beneficial coal plant in 2019. “We have real lives at stake. The funding freeze is truly having an impact on living, breathing individuals. I can’t even think of a strong enough word, this is so important for us. We had part of a solution come our way, and now it’s taken away.”
2) $485M grant benefits rural residents:
The USDA announced a $485M grant through its New Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, which will allow Arizona’s rural residents to have stable and updated electric assets. These new resources are expected to lower the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative’s (AEPCO) emissions by about 70%! “The New ERA program will enable us to make major new investments in renewable power, which will modernize our fleet, substantially lower emissions and help keep costs stable for years to come.”
3) Local opinion: A threat to Arizona public health:
Our very own co-founder, Dr. Brian Drummond, wrote an opinion article for the Arizona Daily Star. As an emergency physician, Dr. Drummond has seen the adverse eects of heat on Arizona residents. The rise of unnatural weather conditions paired with the new presidential administration is on the course for a climate & health calamity. It’s only February, and we’re already seeing temperatures in the 80s. What will the summer months look like? Oppressive, to say the least, especially for outdoor workers, young children in summer programs, senior citizens just trying to get to doctors’ appointments, communities of color located next to major thoroughfares with thousands of cars and trucks polluting the air, and other vulnerable populations.
ACTION ITEMS
1) Protect Clean Energy Investments:
Started by the American Lung Association, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, this petition engine allows you to send an automated, pre-written message to your regional lawmaker, urging them to support the investments under the IRA and protect the health of their constituents.
“In 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act – the largest investment in clean energy and climate change mitigation in history. We need your help to protect this progress for public health. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act's investments, the nation is making progress in reducing emissions. From helping school districts buy electric school buses to helping people upgrade their homes with heat pumps to spurring the production and deployment of clean, renewable energy, the IRA is making its mark across the country. The 119th Congress must ensure that this progress continues.
Please add your name to send a message to this Congress that investments in clean energy and climate change mitigation are health imperatives.”
UPCOMING DATES
Steering Committee Meetings (at 12:00pm):
Mar 5, 2025
May 7, 2025
July 2, 2025
Sept 3, 2025
Nov 5, 2025
Sustainability Committee Meetings (at 12:00pm):
Mar 12, 2025
June 11, 2025
Sept 10, 2025
Dec 10, 2025
Thanks!
Have a lovely rest of your February! Remember to keep a clear mind with so much doom circulating in today’s media :)
Don’t forget to share the AZHPCA invite to anyone interested!
Thank you for your passion; see you next month!
Melanija Simovich ★