Our News
October, 2024
Children’s Environmental Health Day Celebration in Rochester
NH Healthy Climate spent Children’s Environmental Health Day hosting an event at Rochester Child Care Center in Rochester, NH, where our CHICKs program is being implemented this fall. Maria Finnegan, Director of CHICKs at NH Healthy Climate, and Cora-Lynn Hoppe, Executive Director of the Rochester Child Care Center, hosted this event to highlight the great work being done in Rochester on children’s environmental health.
“New Hampshire Healthy Climate has done great work, particularly through their CHICKS Program, to educate young Granite Staters on climate change and the health risks it could cause. They also look at health through both an emotional and physical lens. Supporting the mental wellbeing of young people is just as important as their physical wellbeing.”
- Chris Pappas, Member of Congress
Find letters of support from NH elected officials below:
A letter from Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
Children’s Environmental Health Day Proclamations
A proclamation from the City of Rochester.
Rebecca O’Brien, Portsmouth resident, sustainability advocate, surfer and mother of four is seen here accepting a Portsmouth Children’s Environmental Health Day proclamation on behalf of NH Healthy Climate and the people of Portsmouth. Thank you so much Rebecca and the city of Portsmouth!
“How will NH mark Children’s Environmental Health Day?”
October 10th is Children's Environmental Health Day and NH Healthy Climate is gearing up to mark the day throughout the State. Be sure to read this Op-Ed by our Board Chair, Dr. Paul Friedrichs, emphasizing the importance of environmental health for the future of our children.
Climate Change and Children
Concord Pediatrician and NH Healthy Climate Advisory Board member, Dr. Patricia Edwards describes how climate change has affected her practice and the health of her patients here in New Hampshire.
"Pediatricians deal with these issues every day in our practices. It is impossible for us not to notice the effects of climate change. Our job is to protect the health of children and that gives us an obligation to call attention to what is happening to the climate, and to demand we act."
September, 2024
261 Nursing Students Educated So Far on Climate and Health
NH Healthy Climate is proud to be a collaborator with Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences on the development of climate-related course curricula for nursing education throughout New England.
Two hundred and sixty-one students have participated in the program so far. A huge thank you to Cynthia Nichols, Carla Smith, Kaitlynn Liset and all nurses working to increase climate and health education!
Read, "‘It’s About Being Prepared’: Educating Nurses on Climate Crisis":
August, 2024
Back to School Clean School Bus Event with Senator Shaheen
On Wednesday, August 14th at the Christa McAuliffe School in Concord, Senator Shaheen and EPA Regional Administrator Cash hosted a Back to School Clean School Bus event celebrating all of the funding New Hampshire has received thus far to transition school buses to electric. Dr. Pat Edwards, a Concord pediatrician and member of NH Healthy Climate’s Children’s Health Working Group, spoke about the children’s health benefits of e-buses including cleaner air, less noise pollution, decreased greenhouse gasses and improved efficiency for our buses.
NH Climate and Health Survey Report
NH Healthy Climate and the UNH Survey Center collaborated on a survey of healthcare workers across NH, on their knowledge and experiences on climate and health.
Read the survey report below.
NH Healthy Climate volunteer’s piece on the Supreme Court’s Chevron ruling published in NH Bulletin
Hear from Michael Cohen on, “Supreme Court’s Chevron ruling means people of NH must work harder for the environment” published in the NH Bulletin.
July, 2024
NH Healthy Climate Featured in the NH Charitable Foundation 2023 Annual Report!
NH Healthy Climate is honored to have been featured in the NH Charitable Foundation's 2023 Annual Report! Thank you so much to NHCF for your support of our Climate and Health Initiative for Caregivers and Kids, making events like the climate cafe featured in this article possible.
Thank you as well to Dr. Thomas Walsh, a pediatric resident and NH Healthy Climate volunteer, for taking the time for this interview. Read more about why we as health care workers are speaking up about climate change below!
Read about the other thoughtful and important work being done in our state in the full annual report below.
June, 2024
CHICKs Project Hosts Family Nature Day at Sunset Hill Education Institute
Read, “A Family Nature Day, a place for parents and caregivers to share concerns about climate” in the Concord Monitor.
NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action is Rebranding to NH Healthy Climate!
On June 2nd, our Board of Directors met in person for a long-range planning retreat to discuss our goals and strategies for the organization going forward. We are approaching our 3rd birthday as an organization, and wanted to make sure we have a clear vision of where we have been, what we have accomplished, and most importantly, how we plan to grow.
One very exciting piece of news came out of this retreat. The Board of Directors voted, and we will be officially changing the name of our organization to: NH Healthy Climate!
We have heard your feedback over the years that NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action and its acronym, NH HWCA, are far too hard to remember. We are therefore really excited about this change, and have received enthusiasm from community partners already!
We will be the same trusted organization, utilizing the healthcare voice to educate and mobilize the Granite State on climate and health solutions, and look forward to all we will accomplish as NH Healthy Climate.
May, 2024
Webinar Series with NH Association of Conservation Commissions
NHACC hosted a three part webinar series with members of NH HWCA featuring “Climate and Health 101” with Dr. Bob Dewey, “Environmental Justice and Health” with Dr. Semra Aytur, and “Preserving Open Space: Promoting Spiritual and Mental Health” with Drs. Christine Tappan and Bob Feder.
Book a Speakers Bureau presentation for your organization or community below!
April, 2024
Earth Week Event at Rochester Child Care Center Joined by Representative Chris Pappas
We had a wonderful time this week celebrating Earth Week at Rochester Child Care Center, and we were thrilled to be joined by Representative Chris Pappas!
The children of RCCC enjoyed nature based programming, and learned about climate and health in a fun and engaging way. We are so excited to continue working with these children this summer as we implement our CHICKs: Adventures in Climate and Health curriculum at RCCC.
Thank you to all involved in this wonderful celebration of our home, happy Earth week!
NH HWCA Provides Testimony for NH House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs Committee
Several members of NH HWCA, the NH Nurses Association, and the US Forest Service had the opportunity to testify in front of the House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs Committee at the hearing of SB 496, our proposed legislation with Senator Shannon Chandley, directing the department of health and human services to establish a climate and health protection program.
NH CHAT (NH Climate Health Action Talk)
Reach the April, 2024 version of the NH CHAT here.
March, 2024
A Day Not to Waste!
This Leap Day, members of NH HWCA had fun participating in A Day Not to Waste! This was a waste reduction and recycling awareness day at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, hosted by the Dartmouth Hitchcock Alliance for Climate and Health's Sustainability Working Group.
Press
This legislative session, NH HWCA proposed SB 496, directing NH DHHS to reestablish an office of climate change and health, sponsored by Senator Shannon Chandley. Read about members of NH HWCA's testimonies here.
Community Talks
Dr. Paul Friedrichs, Board Chair presented our Climate and Health Speakers Bureau presentation to members of the UNH Active Retirement Association.
February, 2024
MSCCH Annual Conference
We are proud to be a state affiliate of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, and had a wonderful time participating in the 2024 Annual Meeting: From the Clinic to the Capitol, and educating elected officials on the health benefits of strong pollution standards.
NH CHAT (NH Climate Health Action Talk)
Read the February, 2024 version of the NH CHAT here.
January, 2024
NH HWCA Provides Testimony on SB 496
Members of NH HWCA, Matt Cahillane, Paul Friedrichs, Cynthia Nichols, Bob Feder, and Bob Dewey, provided testimony to the NH Senate Health and Human Services Committee in support of SB 496: directing the department of health and human services to establish a climate and health protection program.
View their testimonies in the recording of the hearing from the time, 2:43:22 - 3:07:50.
December, 2023
New Hampshire Family NOW Podcast
Listen to NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action on the New Hampshire Children's Trust Family NOW podcast:
"On the Season 3 Finale of the podcast, co-host Jasmine Torres Allen and Nathan Fink discuss parenting during the holly jolly holidays by expecting less from their children and taking the memory-making long game. And later executive director of NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action Joan Catherine Widmer joins the show to talk about our changing environment, what it means, and what Granite Staters can do. New Hampshire psychiatrist Dr. Bob Feder, pathologist Dr. Deborah Gerson, and a handful of New Hampshire families add to the conversation."
NH CHAT (NH Climate Health Action Talk)
Read the December, 2023 version of the NH HWCA newsletter: NH CHAT, here.
November, 2023
NH HWCA’s Wins 2023 Sustainability Slam
NH Businesses for Social Responsibility held the 2023 Sustainability Slam, recognizing the efforts of local businesses and nonprofits. Congratulations to members of NH HWCA Paul Friedrichs, Joan Widmer, and Pat Edwards for performing a skit at this event and winning the nonprofit category!
Dr. Bob Feder Elected to the MSCCH Executive Committee
NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action is the New Hampshire state affiliate of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. Dr. Bob Feder, the chair of our Behavioral Health Working Group, has recently been elected to the MSCCH’s Executive Committee, highlighting the impacts of climate on mental health in their work.
October, 2023
Climate & Health 2023 Conference
Drs. Bob Dewey and Deb Gerson, leaders of NH HWCA’s Speakers Bureau, presented, “Utilization of a Volunteer “Speakers’ Bureau” Can Raise Awareness of the Health Impacts of Climate Change” at the Climate & Health 2023 conference in New York.
NH CHAT (NH Climate Health Action Talk)
Read the October, 2023 version of the NH HWCA newsletter: NH CHAT, here.
Read this month’s Letters to the Editor
“It’s Time to Listen to the Pope” By Dr. Paul Friedrichs, published in the Union Leader.
Urging Bipartisan Support of Climate Action, By Dr. Darla Thyng, published in the Concord Monitor.
September, 2023
Radically Rural Annual Summit
Speakers from NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action participated on a Radically Rural Public Health and Climate Panel in Keane, NH in collaboration with our affiliate organization, League of Conservation Voters. The group discussed the impacts of climate on human health, with a focus on those most vulnerable.
Connecting with New Affiliate Organizations
Joan Widmer, Executive Director, NH HWCA participated in the Granite Outdoor Alliance’s 2023 GRANITEER: NH’s Outdoor Lifestyle Festival. The Granite Outdoor Alliance is one of NH HWCA’s affiliate organizations.
August, 2023
NH CHAT (NH Climate Health Action Talk)
Read the August, 2023 version of the NH HWCA newsletter: NH CHAT, here.
Keep NH Green Environmental Summit
On August 12, the NH Network for Environment, Energy, and Climate hosted, “Keep NH Green Environmental Summit” in Laconia, NH. This was an opportunity “to facilitate communication among groups concerned about New Hampshire’s environment, energy future, and climate”. Several NH HWCA volunteers were in attendance to collaborate with organizations around our state and bring the perspective of healthcare workers into the conversation. Read more here.
“Climate-Informed Health Care: Another Reason for the 'E' in ACOEM”
Read an article by Robert McLellan, MD, MPH, FACOEM, FAAFP, in an issue of American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Quarterly, “Climate Change: The Biggest Health Threat Facing Humanity: How OEM Providers Can Help Shape the Future of Medicine”.
July, 2023
Plastic Free July
Read, “Limit plastic for our health and planet” by Patsy Beffa-Negrini, published in The Keene Sentinel.
June, 2023
Professor Carla Smith, MSN, RN, NCSN presented her work aligning climate and health curriculum with the new AACN essentials and the 2023 NCLEX text plan at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 30th Annual Conference for Nurse Educators.
May, 2023
NH CHAT (NH Climate Health Action Talk)
Read the May edition of the NH HWCA newsletter: NH CHAT, here.
2023 UNH Sustainability Awards
Several members of NH HWCA are proud to have been recognized as 2023 UNH Sustainability champions for their collective work on climate change, food systems, environmental justice, blue space/ocean health, tree equity, and many other sustainability issues. Among those being recognized are: JoAnne Burke, Mary Stampone, Kaitlyn Liset, John Bucci, and Semra Aytur. Read more here.
Congratulations to all!
Dr. Robert Feder is the Featured Grand Rounds Speaker for The University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Robert Feder, Chair of NH HWCA’s Behavioral Health Working Group and member of the Board of Directors is the featured grand rounds speakers for the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Cultural Diversity Day, presenting “Climate Change and the Psychiatrist”.
April, 2023
NH HWCA Participated in Several Wonderful Earth Day Events
NH HWCA celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd with an event, Learn to Live & Play Tick Free, with Tick Free NH and the NH Nurses Association at Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, as well as a CHICKS event at the Windy Hill School on the Colby-Sawyer College campus focusing on children’s health and connecting with the outdoors.
March, 2023
Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health Annual Meeting
Dr. Paul Friedrichs, Board Chair, and Emily Thompson, Director of Operations, participated in the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health’s Annual Meeting and Hill Day. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with climate and heath leaders across the country, and advocate for stronger air quality standards to protect human health.
February, 2023
CHICKS RECEIVES FUNDING FROM THE DARTMOUTH CENTER FOR ADVANCING RURAL HEALTH EQUITY
CHICKS, the Climate and Health Initiative for Children in Kearsarge & Sunapee, is a new program of the NH HWCA Children’s Health Working Group.
The goal is to build climate and health awareness, knowledge, prevention and resiliency in children ages 0-10 and their parents. If this community-integrated and cross-sector program is successful, it will be a model for other regions of the state. The primary focus of CHICKS in its first year will be to design, implement and assess “Supporting Community Collaboration to Address the Impact of Climate Change on Allergies and Asthma in Children in Rural NH”. The target audience will be elementary school children and their parents at 5 sites of the Boys & Girls Club of Central NH. This program will be funded by the Dartmouth Center to Advance Rural Health Equity.
January, 2023
Healthcare Workers Testify in Support of an Updated Climate Action Bill in NH
Read more about Joan Widmer, MS, MSBA, RN, testifying on the health impacts of climate during the House Committee hearing on HB208.
December, 2022
National Association of Social Workers NH Chapter 2022 Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Conference
“Building Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Planetary Health, Equity, and Climate Justice” was presented by Semra Aytur, PhD, MPH, Co-Chair of NH HWCA’s Climate Justice Working Group, Suzanne Gaulocher, PhD, MPH, Co-Chair of NH HWCA’s Climate Justice Working Group, Christine Tappan, MSW, CAGS, CWMF, NH HWCA Advisory Board, Rebecca MacKenzie, LISCW, NH HWCA Volunteer, Jennifer O’Brien, PhD, MSW, and Martin Bernstein Graduate Student.
Hear stories from Andrew Gersten and Kaitlynn Liset on why they are involved in NH HWCA:
November, 2022
Semra Aytur Accepts American Public Health Association Award for NH HWCA
Semra Aytur, PhD, MPH, Advisory Board, NH HWCA accepts an Excellence in Climate Leadership Award at the American Public Health Association annual meeting for her presentation, “Leading the path toward planetary health: New Hampshire Healthcare Workers for Climate Action”.
Hear stories from Jessinta Palack and Judith Saum on why they are involved in climate and health:
Paul Friedrichs, MD presents at the NH Environmental Health Conference
Paul Friedrichs, MD, Board Chair, NH HWCA presented in Concord, NH on NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action on NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action and the intersection of climate and health.
October, 2022
Speakers Bureau gives Climate and Health Presentations to Nursing Students
Cynthia Nichols, MS, BSN, RN, member of NH HWCA’s Speakers Bureau presenting to a group of Colby Sawyer Nursing students on the health impacts of climate change.
“Opinion: It all comes back to climate”
Read an Op-Ed from Patricia Edwards, MD FAAP, NH HWCA Volunteer, published in the Concord Monitor.
Read an Article from our Vice Chair
Bob Dewey, MD, Vice Chair of NH HWCA reflects on life after retirement, what drew him to climate and health, and his work with NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action since the formation of the organization, in New Hampshire Physician Happiness, a publication of the NH Medical Society.
September, 2022
NWCA Launches Second Project ECHO Course on Mental Health and Climate Justice
NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action, NH Citizens Health Initiative, Southern NH Area Health Education Center, and the UNH Institute for Health Policy and Practice collaborated to create “Project ECHO: Connecting Mental Health, Climate Justice, & Nature” to be run from November - December, 2022.
“Solutions for Pollution: For Clean Air and A Healthy Climate” campaign launched in NH
NH HWCA is proud to have signed onto the Solutions for Pollution: For Clean Air and A Healthy Climate campaign, urging for climate action to advance environmental justice and transition to clean energy.
August, 2022
“Case Study: The Rapid Growth of an Interdisciplinary Statewide Climate and Health Movement” published in The Journal of Climate Change and Health
Paul Friedrichs, Emily Thompson, Maia Madison, Semra Aytur, and Darla Thyng of NH HWCA wrote this case study about the formation and growth of NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action, and it has been published in The Journal of Climate Change and Health.
NH HWCA Signs Petition to Protect Communities from “Advanced Recycling”
NH HWCA joined the Conservation Law Foundation and Union of Concerned Scientists in signing a Petition for Rulemaking to Adopt Rules Pertaining to “Advanced Recycling”, that has been sent to the NH Department of Environmental Services.
“For decades, the oil industry has intentionally misled the American public about the recyclability of single-use plastics,” said Paul Friedrichs, MD, Board Chair of NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action. “Now, as we struggle to deal with this onslaught of plastic waste, it is critical that we do not allow ‘advanced recycling’ facilities to spew toxins into our environment. They must be strictly overseen, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services must take action to regulate them.”
NH HWCA Sponsors Press Conference urging Senators Shaheen and Hassan to pass the Inflation Reduction Act
On August 5th, NH HWCA sponsored a Press Conference alongside Climate Action Campaign, urging Senator Shaheen and Senator Hassan to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 would make historic investments in climate, justice, clean energy + jobs & slash climate pollution in the US by 40% by 2030.
Speakers included Dr. Deborah Gerson, Board Member of NH HWCA, Dan Weeks, VP of Business Development, Revision Energy, and Advisory Board Member, NH HWCA, Donna Soucy, Minority Leader, NH State Senator, Will Stewart, Alderman, City of Manchester, and Manny Espitia, Democratic Floor Leader, NH State Representative.
July, 2022
NH HWCA launches next campaign for NH Hospital and Health System Sustainability
We support the goals for health system environmental sustainability established in April, 2022 by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and urge all NH hospitals and health systems to join the over 650 private and public hospitals and health centers who have so far joined more than 200 federal hospitals and health facilities in the HHS pledge.
Introducing New Board Chair of NH HWCA, Dr. Paul Friedrichs!
After Dr. Bob Friedlander, founder of NH HWCA, concluded his incredibly impactful and extensive year as Board Chair, Dr. Paul Friedrichs was elected to be Board Chair for NH HWCA’s second year.
Paul Friedrichs, MD is a family doctor, poet, and lover of the earth. He lives with his family in Exeter, NH. He is drawn to climate action in order to pass along a vibrant, healthy and sustainable earth to future generations, and out of respect for all life here on earth. His proudest moments include the birth of his three children, being named New Hampshire Family Physician of the Year, and winning Yale University’s award for best essay on the history of art.
We are thrilled to see all that Paul does for NH HWCA over the next year. He can be reached at paul@nhclimatehealth.org
NH HWCA to Present at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Expo this November
NH HWCA is honored to have the opportunity to present, “Leading the path toward planetary health: New Hampshire Healthcare Workers for Climate Action” on November 8th, 2022 at 4:30 PM at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting & Expo in Boston, Massachusetts.
June, 2022
NH HWCA presents at the NH Network Annual Summit
Dr. Bob Dewey, Vice Chair of NH HWCA, and Co-Chair of the Speakers Bureau presents, “Health For Our Bodies” at the NH Network Annual Summit, “Networking for a Sustainable New Hampshire: What We Can Do Together”. Find the presentation here.
Warming climate and the coat of pollen on your car
Read a Letter to the Editor posted in the Union Leader from Dr. Bob Dewey, Vice Chair, NH HWCA.
May, 2022
NH HWCA Gives Climate and Health Presentation to Climate Action NH
Drs. Bob Dewey, Deborah Gerson, and Bob Feder from NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action presented a Climate and Health presentation, with a focus on mental health, to Climate Action New Hampshire. We hope to spread this information across the state in similar venues. Any group interested in hearing our presentation can contact our program coordinator, Emily Thompson. ethompson@nhclimatehealth.org
The Launch of NH HWCA’s Bookclub, Climate Health Bookworms, Featured Surprise Guest
NH HWCA’s Climate Health Bookworms held their initial meeting to discuss the book Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe. The meeting featured a surprise guest appearance from the author of the book herself, Katharine Hayhoe. For more information on this club and how to get involved please contact, ethompson@nhclimatehealth.org.
“Why your next doctor visit could include a conversation about climate change”
Read the NHPR article on NH HWCA and the ongoing Climate & Health Project ECHO.
April, 2022
Press Conference Presenting the Sign-On Letter to Elected Officials
NH HWCA held a press conference in front of the NH Medical Society in Concord during Earth Week, to celebrate the end of their first direct action, sending the sign-on letter to senior NH elected officials calling for climate action featuring sign-ons from 20 NH Healthcare Associations and 1,000 individual NH healthcare workers.
“Health impacts of climate change are already upon us, climate advocacy group says” - Concord Monitor
NH HWCA Launches Project ECHO Course on Climate and Health
Read the perspectives of Seddon Savage, MD, Board of Directors, NH HWCA, and Bob McLellan, MD, Advisory Board, NH HWCA on climate change and human health, and the six session Project ECHO course through Dartmouth Health that addresses this. Read more.
NH HWCA Leaders Participate in NH Public Health Association Annual Meeting
Dr. Semra Aytur, member of the Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the Climate Justice Working Group, gave the keynote address about planetary health and transformational resilience, and Dr Bob Friedlander, Chair, BOD, received the Friend of Public Health Award.
Dartmouth College Student to Coordinate NH HWCA Undergraduate Volunteers
Maia Madison, Dartmouth ’23, will assist NH HWCA in coordinating the participation of undergraduate students from all colleges and universities in NH in our educational and advocacy opportunities. Maia is also assisting us with our social media outreach. She has recently formed a Student Climate Health Alliance at Dartmouth.
NH HWCA Joins Climate Collaborative of the National Academy of Medicine
NH HWCA has been accepted as a network organization of the Climate Collaborative of the National Academy of Medicine. This is a public-private partnership of organizations around the world committed to mitigating climate change and protecting human health. Here is the current list of network organizations and their expected role. Dr Deb Gerson, Co-Chair of the NH HWCA Communications/Education Working Group and Secretary, BOD, is the contact person for this partnership.
March, 2022
NH HWCA Speakers Bureau is getting out our message
The Speakers Bureau at NH HWCA has been giving our 30 minute Power Point Presentation to service clubs, libraries, garden clubs, and faith groups. Dr. Bob Dewey, Vice Chair of NH HWCA, recently spoke to the Bedford Rotary Club about the health impacts of climate change. The talks have been well received and are creating a wide ranging discussion. We hope to spread our message across the state in similar venues. Any group interested in hearing our presentation can contact our program coordinator, Emily Thompson. ethompson@nhclimatehealth.org
“Leading on Climate Change: How Healthcare Leaders Stop Global Warming” by Neal Hogan, Now Available for Sale
Leading on Climate Change: How Healthcare Leaders Stop Global Warming, by Neal C. Hogan, an Advisory Board member of NH HWCA, and the Chairman of the Healthcare Climate ActionWorks is now available for sale on Amazon. The book shows healthcare leaders how they can drive a community wide transition to net zero emissions. They begin by working with their own local hospitals and health systems to lower their emissions, and then by developing programs through those health systems to lead local communities in the journey to sustainability. The book shows examples of how other industries are taking climate action, provides a detailed roadmap for health systems to achieve net zero emissions, and offers a strategy for reducing emissions across the community.
February, 2022
“Vote for Candidates Who Will Address Climate Change” in the Laconia Daily Sun
Dr. Deborah Klein Walker, public health expert and member, NH HWCA Advisory Board and Policy & Advocacy Working Group, has a LTE in the Laconia Daily Sun entitled “Vote for Candidates Who Will Address Climate Change”.
"Climate Action is Worth Your Time” in the Valley News
Dr. Miriam Osofsky, a clinical psychologist in Hanover, NH, and member of our Behavioral Health Working Group, has a LTE published in the Valley News entitled “Climate Action is Worth Your Time.”
NH HWCA Receives $20,000 Opportunity Grant
New Hampshire Healthcare Workers for Climate Action Receives $20,000 Opportunity Grant from the NH Endowment for Health To Educate Healthcare Workers about the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health. Please see the Press Release for details.
December, 2021
MSCCH Steering Committee Appointment
Robert (Bob) Feder, M.D., (our NH HWCA Behavioral Health Work Group Chairman) has recently been selected as the American Psychiatric Association (APA) representative to the Steering Committee of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health (MSCCH). The MSCCH is the parent organization of NH HWCA, and has member organizations from various States. Although Bob will formally be representing the APA, he will also ensure that New Hampshire concerns are well represented at the MSCCH.
Public Launch
The Public Launch of NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action took place under sunny skies in front of the State House in Concord on December 4th. Please see the Press Release for details.
Here is the media coverage for the event:
NH HWCA Volunteers stand with Gov. John Lynch after delivering their remarks at the Dec. 4th Public Launch.
“NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action launched this weekend” - Concord Monitor
“New group of health care workers to factor in climate change for diagnoses, treatment” - Concord Monitor
“Climate action group plans events in Concord” - Conway Daily Sun
“A new group of healthcare workers wants you to know how climate change could impact your health” - NHPR
“Granite Status: Just here for support” - Union Leader
“NH Primary Source: Former Gov. Lynch to appear at NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action event” - WMUR
NH HWCA Open Letter to Elected Officials Referenced in Op-Ed
The open letter from NH HWCA to senior NH elected officials is referenced in an Op-Ed appearing in both the Concord Monitor and Seacoastonline. This letter supports the associations between climate change and health and makes the case for urgent climate solutions. Over 600 healthcare workers and 20 healthcare associations have signed the letter.
Sage Palmedo, Medical Student and BOD Member, Joins Seminar on Climate Anxiety
Sage Palmedo, a first year student at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and member of the NH HWCA BOD, participates in a seminar at The Dartmouth Institute on “Unresolved Tensions: Climate Change and Climate Anxiety."
Dr. Robert Dewey Completes Climate for Health Ambassador Training
Dr Robert Dewey, Vice Chair of the NH HWCA BOD, and co-chair of the Communications Working Group, has completed Climate for Health Ambassador Training. He is just the second NH resident to do this. This comes at an opportune moment as he will be giving our first powerpoint presentation on climate and health to the Hopkinton Rotary Club on January 5th, 2022. He and Dr Deb Gerson, Secretary of the NH HWCA BOD, and co-chair of the Education Working Group, developed this presentation specifically for community organizations.
October, 2021
NH HWCA Becomes NH State Affiliate of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health
NH HWCA is now the NH state affiliate of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. We join Massachusetts and Vermont as the other two affiliates in New England. There are currently 24 state affiliates across the country. The Medical Society Consortium provides extensive support in education, advocacy and networking that will be critical to our development as an effective grassroots, independent and nonpartisan organization.
Champion of the Month
Bob Friedlander was surprised by the October 2021 Champion of the Month recognition from the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health less than two months after founding NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action. He says ‘this award is clearly a reflection of the tremendous energy and accomplishments by so many healthcare workers on our team’.
Read More
Signatory on the Healthy Climate Letter
NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action is one of over 450 organizations that has signed the Healthy Climate letter, representing over 45 million health workers, to Heads of State around the world, calling for urgent climate action to protect our health. This letter has been generated in advance of the UN climate negotiations in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2021 (COP 26). Click here for more information and to sign on as an individual healthcare worker.
Policy Proposal to the NH Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Wendy Gladstone, MD
Carl Cooley, MD
Drs Wendy Gladstone and Carl Cooley, members of NH HWCA’s interdisciplinary Children’s Health Working Group, will propose a policy on climate action to the Executive Committee of the NH Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics on December 8, 2021. With this policy, the NH AAP would join nearly twenty other state chapters with official positions on climate and health. Drafted by Dr. Gladstone, the proposed NH AAP policy is adapted from several existing state chapter policies including those of Montana and Georgia. The national AAP was among the first national professional organizations to publish a climate action policy in 2015. At the same December meeting, NH AAP will consider signing NH HWCA’s letter to our most senior elected officials.
Invitation to Speak at NH Nurse Practitioner Association Annual Conference
Our Children’s Health Working Group, led by Dr. Carl Cooley, will help develop a presentation on the impact of climate on the physical and mental health of children for the annual conference of the NH Nurse Practitioner Association in April 2022. This will be a collaborative effort with the Vermont Climate and Health Alliance, the Vermont state affiliate of the Medical Society Consortium.
September, 2021
Participation in our First Press Conference
NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action participated in our first press conference on September 14, 2021 in Manchester. The League of Conservation Voters hosted the event in conjunction with The Climate Action Campaign which is running a $10 million national grassroots campaign to advocate for ambitious investments in clean energy, environmental justice, and climate solutions. Two of the speakers, Dr. and State Senator Tom Sherman and Dr. Bob Dewey, are members of NH HWCA. They both discussed the severe health effects related to climate change and encouraged aggressive action to develop a clean energy infrastructure. The other speakers were Rob Werner, the NH State Director of The League of Conservation Voters, and Madison Britting, a climate activist from Londonderry. The purpose of the event was to encourage our NH congressional representatives to support aggressive climate legislation in Washington.
"Following the latest United Nations IPCC report, I was looking for a way to become involved in the climate community. I was so happy to find this organization to help educate healthcare workers and the public about the devastating health effects of climate change. The energy and dedication of this group is palpable."
— Bob Dewey, M.D.