Healthy Climate America

The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Earth Sciences
  • Updated Biweekly

Hosted by Dr. Lisa Patel, a pediatrician and Executive Director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, this podcast focuses on how health professionals, policy makers, advocates, communicators, and activists are working to tackle the different sides of the greatest health crisis facing us today—climate change. The movement for climate and health justice is a broad one, and there are so many ways to fight for a healthier future. On Healthy Climate America, we'll talk with infectious disease experts, mental health clinicians, labor advocates, and many others from all different sides of the climate movement. We'll discuss what got them started, what keeps them motivated, their biggest challenges, and most importantly, how they stay hopeful. Whether you're a seasoned advocate, or just starting in your climate journey, this podcast is for you.

  1. 2d ago

    Extreme Weather Explained: The Cost of Insuring a Warming World

    Across the country, extreme weather is putting enormous pressure on the insurance system.  To help us understand what's driving the crisis and how we can respond, we're excited to welcome Yvette Martinez to the final episode of our Extreme Weather Explained series. Yvette works with Extreme Weather Survivors, serving as the campaign director and senior advisor for the Affordable Insurance Now Coalition. We'll talk about the growing insurance crisis, efforts to protect homeowners and hold polluters accountable, and how health professionals can show up for their communities.  Mentioned in this episode:  Learn More About Extreme Weather Survivors: Visit our website to learn more about our work, resources for survivors, and ways to get involved. www.extremeweathersurvivors.org/      Join the EWS Community: Connect with fellow extreme weather survivors, share where you are in your recovery journey, and find support from people who understand. https://ews.circle.so/     Follow EWS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extremeweathersurvivors   Follow EWS on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/weathersurvivors.bsky.social    Follow EWS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extremeweathersurvivors   Join or support the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/   Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our music was composed by James Harp.

  2. Aug 6

    Extreme Weather Explained: Building Resilient Healthcare Systems

    What does it take to create a healthcare system that's ready for a changing climate? And how do we help patients stay safe outside of the clinic and hospital walls? To help us explore these questions and more, we're excited to welcome Nate Matthews-Trigg to the fifth episode of our Extreme Weather Explained series.  Nate is the Americares director of climate and disaster resilience for the Americas. We'll talk about  the challenges extreme weather poses to healthcare, what resilience looks like in practice, and how health professionals can help strengthen the systems their communities depend on. Mentioned in this episode:  Americares: https://www.americares.org/  Climate Resilience Toolkit for Health Clinics: https://www.americares.org/what-we-do/community-health/climate-resilient-health-clinics/  Heat-Health, Wildfire Smoke, and Flood Resilience Action Plans: https://www.americares.org/what-we-do/community-health/climate-resilient-health-clinics/action-plans/  Join or support the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/   Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our music was composed by James Harp.

  3. Jul 23

    Extreme Weather Explained: Incarceration in a Changing Climate

    For people who are incarcerated or detained, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and extreme heat can become life-threatening events shaped by isolation, limited resources, and systemic failures. On the fourth episode of Extreme Weather Explained, host Dr. Lisa Patel sits down with Faith Taylor, a doctoral candidate at the Yale School of the Environment whose research examines disaster risks in carceral facilities. Faith shares what disasters reveal about inequities in safety and protection, why preparedness plans must include incarcerated communities, and how health professionals can help advance more equitable disaster response.  Join or support the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/   Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our music was composed by James Harp.

  4. Jul 9

    Extreme Weather Explained: Psychological First Aid and the Path to Recovery

    Content warning: This episode discusses mass violence, disasters, and their psychological impact. Some listeners may find these topics distressing. Please take care while listening and feel free to pause or skip this episode if needed.  Disasters affect more than homes and infrastructure. They can also have lasting impacts on mental health and well-being. What can we do to help people recover? On the third episode of Extreme Weather Explained, host Dr. Lisa Patel sits down with April Naturale, a nationally recognized traumatic stress specialist who led New York's mental health response to 9/11. April shares how psychological first aid helps people recover, why community connections are essential, and what health professionals can do to support healing.  Mentioned in this episode:  Psychological First Aid online training from the National Center for PTSD:  https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/continuing_ed/psych_firstaid_training.asp    Psychological First Aid online training from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network:  https://nctsn.org/resources/psychological-first-aid-pfa-online   Psychological First Aid for Schools: https://www.nctsn.org/resources/psychological-first-aid-schools-pfa-s-field-operations-guide   Stress First Aid: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/disaster_events/for_providers/stress_first_aid.asp   Join or support the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/   Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our music was composed by James Harp.

  5. Jun 18

    Extreme Weather Explained: A Weakened FEMA in the Eye of Danger Season

    From firing staff and freezing recovery grants to rolling back resilience programs, recent changes to FEMA have left it unprepared to deal with worsening extreme weather. What does that mean for our communities? On the second episode of Extreme Weather Explained, host Dr. Lisa Patel sits down with Shana Udvardy, a Senior Climate Resilience Policy Analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Shana breaks down recent changes to the agency, what they mean for our ability to prepare for and respond to extreme weather, and how health professionals can help people stay safe this Danger Season.    Mentioned in this episode:   Union of Concerned Scientists: https://www.ucs.org/   UCS Blog: https://blog.ucs.org/   NPR Hurricane Katrina Series: https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-84645/hurricane-katrina-anniversary   Join or support the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/   Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our podcast intern is Isaias Segui. Our music was composed by James Harp.

  6. Jun 4

    Extreme Weather Explained: El Niño, Climate Change, and the Science Behind the Headlines

    Welcome to our 2026 summer series, "Extreme Weather Explained." To kick things off, host Dr. Lisa Patel sits down with Shel Winkley, the Senior Engagement Specialist and Meteorologist at Climate Central. Shel breaks down what a "super" El Niño could bring, the ways climate change is reshaping extreme events, and how health professionals can help people cut through the noise to understand these complex realities.  Mentioned in this episode:   Climate Central: https://www.climatecentral.org/   Billion Dollar Disasters Database: https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-services/billion-dollar-disasters   Join or support the Consortium here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/   Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our podcast intern is Isaias Segui. Our music was composed by James Harp.

  7. May 21

    Cooling Our Communities: A Policy Playbook for Extreme Heat

    Extreme heat is already the deadliest weather-related hazard in this country. The good news is that this is preventable. Saving lives starts with preparing before heat hits while laying the foundation for more resilient communities.   Our guest is Grace Wickerson, senior manager of climate and health at the Federation of American Scientists. In this special Heat Safety Week episode, we talk about how heat resilience efforts are evolving, promising solutions emerging across the country, and a new state and local heat policy agenda that's in the works.  Federation of American Scientists: https://fas.org/  State and Local Heat Policy Agenda: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15gJpL7D4OVP8tWAuTNpY6JC6MHPPFVXIKzxffSuxnbo/edit?usp=sharing  Support the State and Local Heat Policy Agenda: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPmAHymTNfQ2hrgIHwX9ccTXgzopsGtYXYDETBTJj773m_RA/viewform  Join or support the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/    Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our podcast intern is Isaias Segui. Our music was composed by James Harp.

  8. May 7

    Who Profits and Who Pays: The Fight for Climate Accountability

    From Big Tobacco to the gun industry, we know what happens when powerful industries avoid responsibility: Communities pay the price with their health and their lives. Now, a similar effort is underway. The fossil fuel industry is currently working to secure immunity from laws and lawsuits that could hold them liable for fueling the climate crisis, and running a campaign of denial, disinformation, and deception. In this episode, Iyla Shornstein, political Director at the Center for Climate Integrity, shares what a push for immunity could mean, where we've seen this playbook before, and how health professionals can respond.  Center for Climate Integrity: https://climateintegrity.org/   Join or support our movement here: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/   Healthy Climate America is produced by Savannah Martincic. Our podcast intern is Isaias Segui. Our music was composed by James Harp.

See All (43)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Hosted by Dr. Lisa Patel, a pediatrician and Executive Director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, this podcast focuses on how health professionals, policy makers, advocates, communicators, and activists are working to tackle the different sides of the greatest health crisis facing us today—climate change. The movement for climate and health justice is a broad one, and there are so many ways to fight for a healthier future. On Healthy Climate America, we'll talk with infectious disease experts, mental health clinicians, labor advocates, and many others from all different sides of the climate movement. We'll discuss what got them started, what keeps them motivated, their biggest challenges, and most importantly, how they stay hopeful. Whether you're a seasoned advocate, or just starting in your climate journey, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Healthy Climate America

You Might Also Like