Green Wind is in the Air

The excitement in the air was palpable as I showed my children a new book to read during nightly story time. The book was about the wind farms like the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm, the oldest wind farm in the United States, which we saw on top of the hills as we drove east from San Bernardino towards Palm Springs and the deserts in the Coachella Valley. The children’s book was a gift from a patient who worked in the energy industry and knew all about the giant windmills which glistened in the sunlight swirling around like giant pinwheels. He saw the choregraphed motions of the huge wind turbines sending power to communities and understood the injury risks to the windfarm workers. The book for my children reminded me of how thoughtful our patients are and how fortunate we are as Family physicians to hear about the details of our patients’ home and work lives, how those details help us care for them and how much we learn from our patients. In turn, that book stimulated many conversations about renewable energy, ideas for school science projects and Scouting experiences for my children and friends in the years that followed, fostering a keen sense of responsibility for our Earth.

In California, our family physicians, staff, residents, medical students, patients, populations, and pets know too well the impacts of climate change such as the fires and floods which have damaged or destroyed homes, medical clinics, residency teaching sites and equipment, businesses, towns, food supplies and livelihood in Santa Rosa, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino and San Diego to name just a few. Our hearts grieve for our friends, family members, patients, and other individuals we have lost in these environmental disasters. Throughout these devastating events, our California family physicians have used our comprehensive medical training to respond to the needs of our communities. Our CAFP members have shared our experiences and lessons learned with Family Physicians in other states to help them prepare for such events and care for their communities.

The California Academy of Family Physicians has policy which addresses the environment, our impact on it and medical issues which also affect the environment. CAFP members have diligently testified at the American Academy of Family Physicians Congress of Delegates on these topics and, fortunately, AAFP has adopted some of our CAFP policies as its own. One example of CAFP policy which AAFP adopted is regarding fire preparedness. In 2022, the CAFP Board of Directors adopted policy that the CAFP “distribute educational materials to prepare members for wildfires, such as creating evacuation and meet-up plans, preparing fire preparedness kits and prevention of wildfires” and as other states also face wildfires, directed CAFP to send our resolution to AAFP where AAFP adopted this resolved clause. Additional portions of CAFP policy include that the CAFP support both local and state legislation that addresses wildfire prevention” and that” the CAFP continue to support and advocate for legislation that overall decreases the effects of climate change, including the impact of the healthcare system on carbon emissions."

As I thought about the impact CAFP and its members have on our environment, I was struck by some of the factors outlined in “Project Drawdown” (working toward a point in future when the atmospheric greenhouse gases will stop climbing and start reducing thereby stopping catastrophic climate change) which affect us in our personal and professional lives. Some of these factors include information we routinely provide to our patients promoting more plant-based food consumption (fewer animal proteins) and increased physical activity such as walking and cycling in our patients and populations to improve health and reduce risk for noncommunicable diseases, and reduction of fossil fuels (such as use of energy efficient public transportation) which can help improve air quality and reduce lung disease. The photos pictured here from Redlands, California which include the new Arrow commuter train line and the bicycle at the Herngt ‘Aki’ Preserve, part of the green space surrounding Redlands (named the “Emerald Necklace”) reflect these lifestyle suggestions in my home region.

As we move forward, some of our CAFP plans to reduce environmental impact include the installation of rooftop solar at the new CAFP headquarters in Sacramento, with decreased staff commuting days with utilization of remote technology and more use of shared space; plus reduction of food, paper and plastic waste at our professional and educational meetings and meeting venues. Working together with our Academy, our California Family Physicians, are taking steps (aiming for at least 10,000 steps per day per individual) towards a “healthier” and “greener” future for all.

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Jeff Luther, MD, FAAFP Chair, Legislative Affairs Committee