Doctors for the Environment Australia Podcast

In this episode we discuss the health risk of indoor gas appliances to health with Dr. Ben Ewald and ways to minimise exposure. Find out more here: https://dea.org.au/newsgp-the-overlooked-health-hazard-lurking-in-many-homes-by-dr-ben-ewald/

DEA podcast hosts Dr. Kaiya Ferguson and Dr. Karin English meet with Dr. Forbes McGain, DEA member, anaesthetist, intensivist and hospital sustainability expert. This episode focuses on PPE waste and the structural and organisational issues that need to be overcome to reduce waste associated with single use PPE. 

In this episode hear about the new national network Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) with Professor Sotiris Vardoulakis and cohosts Kaiya Ferguson and Karin English.   The vision of the Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) Network is to catalyse research, knowledge exchange and translation into policy and practice that will bring measurable improvements to our health, the Australian health system, and the environment.  Hear about how DEA members can benefit and be a part of the network.   You can find out more about HEAL and find the content from the 2021 annual conference here: https://heal2021.com.au

In this episode you'll be updated on the latest key changes in climate change policy at an international and national level and how they relate to health.  In particular, hear about COP26, including a background on what the COP is, what the aim of COP26 was, and what Australia brought to the table with its net zero emissions policy.  Hosts, Dr. Kaiya Ferguson and Dr. Karin English, discuss how the changes relate to health and how DEA members can continue to advocate for effective action on climate change to protect human health.  Guests, DEA Executive Director Denise Cauchi and Dr. Beau Frigault, then provide DEAs take on COP26 and DEAs strategic priorities. 

In this episode, Dr. Kaiya Ferguson and Dr. Beau Frigault discuss the latest environment and health news, including the recent DEA and AMA open letter to Scott Morrison requesting Australia lift it's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, plus Josh Frydenburg's comments that addressing climate change is now influencing global capital markets. This episode's interview is with Dr. Kristine Barnden, Obstetrician/Gynaecologist in Hobart Tasmania, and DEA member. They dive into a lot of questions regarding environmental impacts on pregnancy, but in particular discuss RANCOG's recent information pamphlet for patients and doctors about the effects of air pollution in pregnancy. Take a listen and let us know if there's other topics you want to hear in future episodes!   Resources  DEA website dea.org.au  Air pollution and pregnancy information from RANZCOG https://ranzcog.edu.au/womens-health/patient-information-guides/patient-information-pamphlets/air-pollution-and-pregnancy Music credit: www.bensound.com

In this episode, Dr Kaiya Ferguson and Dr Beau Frigault discuss the latest IPCC report, before diving into an interview with Dr Lydia Birch and her sister and medical student Hannah Birch about the Tarkine native forest in Tasmania, and why its protection is a human health issue. Resources:   IPCC report summary for policy makers: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM.pdf   IPCC interactive atlas: https://interactive-atlas.ipcc.ch   Tarkine Media release by Dr Lydia Birch: https://www.dea.org.au/media-release-doctors-call-for-emergency-national-heritage-listing-for-takayna-tarkine-for-healths-sake/   Bob Brown Foundation & The Tarkine: https://www.bobbrown.org.au/takayna_tarkine   Music - Time for The Tarkine: https://listeningearth.com/tarkine/

Clearly you're listening to this podcast because you're concerned about climate change and health!  Even with a high level of concern, we all struggle at times to take action. If you've wondered why, listen to this episode!  We are discussing a paper by the Lancet Planetary Health that examines healthcare workers understanding of climate change and barriers to action.   Views of health professionals on climate change and health: a multinational survey study, Kotcher, John et al. The Lancet Planetary Health, Volume 5, Issue 5, e316 - e323 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00053-X/fulltext

Join us on this episode, as we'll help you feel very virtuous by learning how to change your diet (or your patients' diets) to benefit yourself and the planet! Karin, Kaiya and guest GP Michael Schien share some very simple tips for how to reduce your dietary impact on the environment and tips for talking or educating patients about diet, health and the environment.