April 22: Earth Day with Drs. Jeremy Theal & Joyce Lee

“A pessimist is somebody who complains about the noise when opportunity knocks.”-Oscar Wilde

 

During these chaotic times, it is hard to maintain an optimistic attitude, especially when multiple catastrophes are occurring simultaneously. We may be soon done with the worst of the COVID crisis, but the climate emergency marches forward.

The Lancet Commission on Health and Climate Change states: "Tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century."

The Doctors’ Lounge invites you to explore your role in that opportunity.

Climate change affects our health, locally and globally, through direct effects (extreme weather, wildfires, air pollution, flooding, droughts, storms) as well as indirect effects (nutrition, food insecurity, cardiac and respiratory conditions, infectious diseases, allergies, and mental health).  As well, downstream effects of climate change include political and economic instability, climate refugees, as well as intergenerational socioeconomic inequity and injustice. 

You are invited to consider concrete steps that you, as a physician, can take to address climate change in your life, your practice and your communities.

Our guides for the evening are Drs. Joyce Lee and Jeremy Theal, who trained under Nobel Laureate Al Gore in March 2018 to become Climate Reality Leaders.  Dr. Joyce Lee is a Care of the Elderly physician at North York General Hospital.  Dr. Jeremy Theal is a staff Gastroenterologist and the Chief Medical Information Officer at North York General Hospital. Their goal is to share the scientific certainty, the immediacy, and the impacts of the climate crisis, while inspiring people to act on this important issue.

Please join us as we explore of the greatest health challenge of our time.  Please also consider visiting the OMA webpage, opening your profile, and under Groups adding your name to the membership of the Green is Health Medical Interest Group to keep up to date on this important issue, or follow them on Twitter at @greenishealthmd.