Across the country, we’re seeing the growing impacts of extreme heat, and workers are among those on the frontlines. As temperatures rise, so do the dangers of heat-related illness, injury, and death on the job. Yet protections often lag behind, leaving millions of indoor and outdoor workers at risk.

Guest host Cheryl Holder sits down with Charlotte Brody, a registered nurse and the Vice President of Health Initiatives for the BlueGreen Alliance, and David Michaels, former Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, to talk about the dangers of extreme heat in the workplace, what solutions are needed to protect workers, and why a strong OSHA heat standard is vital.

Additional Resources:

Week of Action to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat: https://www.heatjusticenow.org/

Checklist For A Model Heat Illness Prevention Rule: https://www.bluegreenalliance.org/resources/checklist-for-a-model-heat-illness-prevention-rule/

Economic Benefits of a Workplace Heat Standard: https://www.bluegreenalliance.org/resources/economic-benefits-of-workplace-heat-standards/

Support our work and become a member of the Consortium by visiting http://bit.ly/member-mscch

Healthy Climate America is produced by Lucy Walker. Our podcast interns are Isaias Segui and Mathilda Tataw. Savannah Martincic is our manager of communication. A sincere thank you to Adam Karl for his support in the editing process. Our music was composed by James Harp.

On the first episode of our Summer Series, Lisa Patel sits down with Marc Futernic, an emergency medicine physician in California (and future Summer Series host!). Listen along as they lay the groundwork on the health harms of extreme heat and what health professionals and patients might need to know as temperatures rise.

Referenced this episode:

Heat and Learning: Evidence from 21 million PSAT Scores: https://ph.ucla.edu/news-events/news/hot-classrooms-us-negatively-impact-learning

Ambient outdoor heat and accelerated epigenetic aging among older adults in the US: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr0616

Support our work and become a member of the Consortium by visiting http://bit.ly/member-mscch

Healthy Climate America is produced by Lucy Walker. Our podcast interns are Isaias Segui and Mathilda Tataw. Savannah Martincic is our manager of communication. A sincere thank you to Adam Karl for his support in the editing process. Our music was composed by James Harp.

From Los Angeles to Lahaina, wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity. The destruction is evident: destroyed homes, devastated communities, lives lost. But the health harms firefighters face often go unseen.

As firefighters work day in and day out on the frontlines, they expose themselves to chronic health risks that rarely make headlines. At the same time, cuts to fire prevention funding threaten their ability to respond safely and effectively.

Host Lisa Patel sits down with Lazo Gitchos, a wildland firefighter and writer for The Nation, to talk about the hidden health risks of firefighting, and the resources crews need to better protect themselves and communities.

Misinformation spreads fast, and we've all witnessed the consequences. Vaccine misinformation, climate denialism, and a host of medical conspiracy theories aren’t just fringe ideas anymore; they’re all over our social media platforms and in the halls of government. When information moves as quickly as it does in this digital age, how can health professionals use their trusted voice to share the truth?

Lisa sits down with John Cook, a senior research fellow at the Melbourne Center for Behavior change, to talk about misinformation and disinformation and what health professionals can do to push back.

Join us for our first ever live episode, recorded at the Consortium's Annual Convention. We'll hear from four storytellers who shared what inspired their journey in climate and health. Listen to the stories of Zayna Salveter, Anusha Govind, Burcin Ikiz, and Trisha Dalapati, and learn more about the power of storytelling to shape climate action.

Host Lisa Patel sits down with Dr. Neil Vora for a conversation on the intersection of climate change and infectious disease. They explore how rising global temperatures and environmental disruption are fueling the emergence and spread of infectious diseases—including the increasing threat of spillover viruses jumping from animals to humans. Learn how nature-based solutions can bridge the gap between climate and health, and why addressing biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation is essential for our health.

Referenced this episode:

The Lancet: Nature-based solutions are essential for climate and health action

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01599-X/abstract

Annals of Internal Medicine: Beyond the Bedside: Pursuing a Nontraditional Career in Medicine

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/ANNALS-24-00765?af=R

Support our work and become a member of the Consortium by visiting http://bit.ly/member-mscch

Healthy Climate America is produced by Lucy Walker. Our podcast interns are Isaias Segui and Mathilda Tataw. Savannah Martincic is our manager of communication, and Riya Ghotra is our communication intern. A sincere thank you to Adam Karl for his support in the editing process. Our music was composed by James Harp.

In August 2023, a group of brave young Montanans took a stand for their right to a healthy environment—and they won. Join Lisa as she speaks with Drs. Lori and Rob Byron, who contributed their medical expertise to this landmark case. Together, they delve into the impacts of climate change on Montana, explore how these inspiring youth used their voices in the courtroom, and share how doctors can apply their unique knowledge to advocate for climate action.

Referenced this episode:

Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate: https://www.montanahphc.org/

Our Children’s Trust: https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/

Support our work and become a member of the Consortium by visiting http://bit.ly/member-mscch

Healthy Climate America is produced by Lucy Walker. Our podcast interns are Isaias Segui and Mathilda Tataw. Savannah Martincic is our manager of communication, and Riya Gohtra is our communication intern. Adam Carl supported the editing process. Original music by James Harp.

In the past eight weeks, we’ve seen cuts to the federal workforce, a rolling back of environmental protections, and a host of other threats to our democratic institutions. Host Lisa Patel sits down with Daniel Hunter, founder of Choose Democracy, to talk about what a path forward looks like. How do we resist effectively to better protect our communities? What are our next steps? And how do we move from overwhelm to action?

Referenced this episode:

You can find more resources on Choose Democracy’s website: https://choosedemocracy.us/what-can-i-do/

Healthy Climate America is produced by Lucy Walker. Our podcast interns are Isaias Segui and Mathilda Tataw. Savannah Martincic is our manager of communication, and Riya Gohtra is our communication intern. Adam Carl supported the editing process. Original music by James Harp