AZHPCA's July 2025 Newsletter

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the delay in July's newsletter.  I was on vacation and working when home with  Melanija getting ready to start university!  I am giving her this month off.

Welcome to our new members Jeffery and Bright!  

Lot has happened this summer and a lot negative for people working in climate health.  The repeal of many provisions of clean energy tax credits hurts our transition to clean energy and transportation.  All while the truth of climate change is being systematically scrubbed from our federal institutions.  It just sucks and is depressing.  I personally need some time away because facing reality filled me with sadness, and that is not what any of us should feel about our future.

The Energy Foundation grant work AZHPCA has done with spreading the word about rebates and incentives seemed to be under cut.  We participated in campaigns and press conferences to rally leaders to keep these benefits to society, but sadly the powers of party/lobbying/greed took precedence over a healthy society.  We are doing our last push with ads on Google.  Attached are the images you may see and if you are able to share on your social media pages that would be great.

Though these times are going to be challenging to move anything big forward we can all focus on activities in our small spheres of influence- friends, families, communities and workplaces.  

I have been working on woodworking using fallen trees/old lumber to make pieces of little carbon capture.  Plus, the mindfulness is great after working in the ER :)  

Another sustainability project at home has been re-plastering my son's room now that he is gone to college to create a space for my wife to escape.  American Clay plaster is what I have used, natural components and no petrochemicals to offgas in your house.  What is great is after 12 years of three boys making scratches/holes in the walls, all you need to do is wet some of the leftover plaster (yes it lasts for years!), fill the holes, then compress it with a sponge and the wall is all new!  

Joy is found in these small creations.  What ones do you enjoy?  We must continue to find these joys to avoid burnout.  Maybe it is a hug from a loved one, a rainbow, or a good conversation, our connections to each other will help us weather the storm.  This too shall pass.  

Some positive news stories that are happening despite the Trump Administration insanity are:

A huge $2 billion solar + storage project in California powers up

500+ big-box rooftops are about to be covered in US-made solar

This 50% recycled glass solar panel performs like brand new

This new Texas battery storage project runs on used EV packs

Stories like these remind me that the transition to a cleaner grid and transportation system is happening because of market demand with worldwide trends in the right direction.  There is hope!

Nico Hawbaker, one of our steering committee members, spoke at a recent Flagstaff Extreme Weather Emergency Tour press conference, about the impacts climate change is having in Arizona.  

Many of you are working through a variety of organizations doing great work, for that we are all so thankful!

Here are last year's climate health tips I shared with my department. If you can use any of those where you work/live, I hope they are helpful.

July:    -Vote, Encourage others to Vote, Help others to Vote!!!

August:      -Use ODT Ondansetron instead of IV Ondansetron as your first line antiemetic

September:  -The IPAT formula is a great basis to view all climate and sustainable health actions.

 -What a formula?  This one covers all the levers that could be pulled to solve climate change.

Impact= Population x Affluence x Technology

October:        -Use oral rehydration strategies if possible instead of being dependent on IVF which have a higher carbon footprint. 

November:  - Consider using oral antibiotics for hospitalized pneumonia patients who are Pneumonia Severity Index 4 or less or who can swallow pills  & not in respiratory distress 

December/January:     -Take time to be present for and address your mental health by doing nothing/take a break

February:    -Glove sustainably when at work

March:      -Consider using the CHILL'D-Out heat and health risk screening tool this upcoming heat season 

April:     -Use Long-acting Beta Agonists/Steroid inhalers instead of Albuterol for patients with Asthma, COPD, or Reactive Airway Disease, and consider Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI) to reduce carbon emissions 

May:   -Consider limiting usage of C Collars for patients undergoing evaluation for traumatic mechanisms who arrived to the ED without a collar

So in summary, look to use oral meds, less gloves/C-Collars, DPI inhalers, vote often and CHILL out both for the heat and your mental health.

For the upcoming end of Tax credits here is a list.

Highly recommend if you are thinking of any of these to act now and not wait!  Share with others.

ACTION:

Survey to take from Ed Maibach- one of the leaders in our community:

Greetings climate and health colleague,

Climate and health advocacy messages can only be effective if we—trusted health professionals—are willing to use them. My colleagues at the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication and I are currently testing climate and health advocacy messages with members of the US public; we will soon know which are potentially most effective.

We now request your input—and that of all health professionals who are associated with the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health—to determine which of those messages you would be most willing to use.

To that end, I am asking you to participate in a research survey. The survey should take under 10 minutes and is anonymous. Your feedback will be invaluable as we strive together to protect human and planetary health. Please find the link below.

Take the survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:

https://gmuchss.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6ndjqdPDrwrmiRo?Q_DL=dEkBIFtb4bsNI47_6ndjqdPDrwrmiRo_CGC_m8GA4tclRDMQ67q&Q_CHL=email

Thank you in advance for your time, and please feel free to contact me at emaibach@gmu.edu with any questions. The study reference number is STUDY00000188.

Sincerely,

Ed Maibach, MPH, PhD

Mason Distinguished University Professor (Emeritus)

Founding Director (Emeritus), George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication

Member, National Academy of Medicine

Member, Board of Directors, Global Climate and Health Alliance

FOR REFERENCE - TAX CREDIT END DATES

Courtesy of Rewiring America

Upcoming Events at AZHPCA (anyone is welcome to attend):

AZHPCA Steering Committee (at 1200pm):

Sept 3, 2025

Nov 5, 2025

AZHPCA Sustainability Committee Meetings (at 1200pm):

Sept 10, 2025

Dec 10, 2025

Thanks for listening and hope you find your joys.

Brian

azhpca.org