Whether we're immersed in cold weather or hot, our climate has a direct connection for most of us to how we're feeling in our environment. We'd like to explore in a little more depth how changing climate is impacting public health and well-being.

To assist us, we've invited Dr. Mona Sarfaty, the Executive Director Emeritus and Founder of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, to join us. Dr. Sarfaty's research on physicians' experiences with climate change led to her founding this Consortium as a project within the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. Under her leadership, the Consortium has grown into a nationwide alliance of member societies, state-based health groups, and affiliated public health organizations with the mission of education and advocacy for equitable policies to lessen and prevent the health impacts of climate change.

Dr. Sarfaty has been engaged in communication and policy development regarding the impact of climate change on health for nearly 2 decades.   She serves on a National Academy of Medicine Work Group on Decarbonization.  She is the author of Climate Change and Population Health: A Primer (JB Learning, 2021), peer-reviewed articles, reports, and two book chapters on climate change and health. 

If you'd like to read a short article from the EPA about this topic, here's a good primer for the discussion to get you in the mindset: EPA Article - Climate Change Impacts on Health.

During the webinar, Dr. Sarfaty recommended the following resources:

• American Lung Association - State of the Air Report  
• AirNow.gov