What Neurologists Can Do and Links to Resources
Quick Advocacy Links: Opportunities with Single Actions or More
| Interest | Actions | Resources |
| Civic Engagement | Sign petitions, meet locals engaged in climate advocacy from different sectors, engage policymakers, use your trusted voice as a healthcare professional to protect people and communities. | Citizens Climate Lobby – Nonpartisan Climate Activism |
| RepublicEn – Conservative Climate Activism | ||
| Physicians for Social Responsibility | ||
| Interfaith Power & Light | ||
| Climate Reality Project | ||
| Patient Education | Talk to patients about how they can protect themselves against heat waves and air pollution. | Climate Change and Your Health (American College of Physicians) |
| How To Survive a Heatwave (Climate Psychiatry Alliance) | ||
| Miscellaneous Patient Resources (Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health (MSCCH)) | ||
| Medical Education | Integrate climate & neurology content into curriculum of students, residents, fellows; assess school sustainability efforts; or offer to create new climate and brain health modules in your area of expertise. | Climate Resources for Health Education plug and play modules |
| Global Consortium on Climate & Health Education (free office hours on implementing climate change in med ed) | ||
| Planetary Health Report Card for Medical Schools | ||
| Research | The Neuroscience Climate Working Group that meets monthly with a speaker and opportunities to collaborate and network. | Neuro Climate Working Group |
| Health System Leadership | Advocate system-wide emission reductions; raise awareness of health care’s carbon footprint. Join a network of +1500 member hospitals in reducing hospital emissions. | Practice Green Health |
| Medical Societies | Encourage your medical society to take a stance on climate, educate members, and advocate fossil fuel transition. MSCCH can give advice on starting a working group or position statement in your medical society or state neurological society. | Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health (MSCCH) |
| State Level Advocacy | The MSCCH has 29 state chapters. You can work with existing chapters, create a new state chapter, or find state-level advocacy resources. | Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health (MSCCH) State Affiliates |
What can neurologists do about climate change? We can actually do quite a lot:
- We can educate our patients that air pollution is a modifiable risk factor for stroke and dementia; a plant rich diet and active or public transport can reduce stroke risk and have climate co-benefits; and that precautions against extreme heat danger can reduce health harm.
- We can involve our professional societies, requesting that they issue position statements and promote education as well as advocating a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.
- We can incorporate the neurological and other health associations of climate change and air pollution into our training programs.
- We can work within our health systems to reduce the large, often unaddressed magnitude of their greenhouse gas production. In the US, health care accounts for 8.5% of the total US greenhouse gas release and 25% of the world health sector greenhouse gas release.
- We can take steps in our own lives to reduce our carbon footprint through electrification and in our diet and transportation choices. For many physicians, reducing air travel for conferences and leisure might have the greatest impact.
- Perhaps most importantly, we should speak up about this problem – to each other, our trainees, our communities, and our political leaders. We are deservedly trusted as messengers, and we can use this platform to educate about climate change and air pollution with the goal of protecting and improving the health of our patients and our communities.
- We can start with first steps. Sign on to a letter, connect with a climate organization. Success starts with working together.
Links to Resources on Climate Health Actions and Advocacy
Medical Societies
The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health (MSCCH) [Excellent organization to join as an individual. They also have links to state climate health affiliates you could explore]
Other Organizations
There are many organizations working on climate change and air pollution. Even being on a mailing list permits you to participate in letters and petitions as a first step. Here are some organizations to consider that typically have local chapters:
- Affiliates of MSCCH (click affiliates)
- Citizens Climate Lobby Building bipartisan climate policy, inclusive for conservatives
- republicEn Pursues pricing policies as a conservative answer to climate change
- Physicians for Social Responsibility Works towards climate smart policies that protect health
- Interfaith Power and Light Inspires and mobilizes people of faith and conscience to take action on climate change
- Climate Reality Project Diverse group started by Al Gore working on climate change policy including electrification
Medical Education
Climate Resources for Health Education ( Columbia University School of Public Health sponsored units/resources on climate effects to organ systems including neurology)
Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (Resources with focus on global climate health education)
The Planetary Health Report Card (Student-driven metric-based tool that evaluates health professional schools curriculum and actions on climate and sustainability) 2024 PHRC Report (This year’s report from 126 institutions in 17 countries)
Patient Education
Potential information to discuss with your patients to decrease risk of neurological or health consequences:
- Indoor air pollution and safe practices: when gas cooking, use outside ventilating hood if available, open windows, use induction plate or other electric options instead as possible.
- Outdoor air pollution safe practices: avoid heavy exercise when air quality poor, and indoor filtration with higher MERV or HEPA . [eg DIY Air Filter (Corsi-Rosenthal Box) Guide uses MERV13]
- Extreme heat: hydrate, staying cool at home, cooling center options if needed.
- Health and climate benefits of eating less meat (more vegetables) and driving less (public transport/biking/walking)
Climate Communication
Potential Energy, Climate Communication and Talk Like a Human PDF
Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University
Katherine Hayhoe, PhD: Communicating About Climate Change
Carbon Footprint
Calculators for Flight Footprint
Carbon Footprint Calculators: carbonfootprint.com, Nature Conservancy, terrapass.com
Social Cost of Carbon (SCC): The EPA recommends a nearly 4 fold increase in the SCC from $51 to $190/mt (metric ton) CO2 EPA SCC Report 11/2023; For equity, estimates are even higher University of California System Uses Equity Weighted SCC
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