Doctors for the Environment Australia Podcast

In this episode we chat to Emma Bacon, founder and Executive Director of Sweltering Cities- an organisation dedicated to advocating for and empowering communities most impacted by our heating climate.Find out more about Sweltering Cities: https://swelteringcities.org/

Join us on this new season of the Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) podcast. In this first episode, hosts Ludi Pillay and Devanshi Sahore chat to Dr Kate Wylie, executive director of DEA, about her path to climate activism as well as the DEA campaign 'Fossil fuels are a health hazard'.Links for DEA membership:Doctors: https://www.dea.org.au/doctor_membershipStudent: https://www.dea.org.au/student_membership

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/

In this episode we talk to Grace and Laura about the medical curriculum mapping project. It is imperative that educating the medical workforce to understand, address and mitigate the health effects of climate change is integrated into all levels of medical education. DEA medical students and doctors co-developed a curriculum resource that maps climate change and health to the classically used organ-system teaching structure. It is an easy-to-use tool for medical educators to locate clinically relevant teaching points in each major body system. Hear about how it was developed, what it covers, and how to use this fantastic resource.You can contact DEA at admin@dea.org.au 

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