Acknowledging climate change as a public health threat that will affect everyone (interview with dr. Mark vossler of physicians for social responsibility)
Dr. Mark Vossler (@vosslerm1) is a full-time cardiologist in Seattle, Washington and serves as the President of the Washington chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (@psr_washington). As the President of the Washington PSR chapter, Mark regularly visits Washington, D.C. to talk with the U.S. Congress about climate policy.
In this podcast episode, Mark sheds light on how our nuclear arms race is tied to climate change and social inequity; how environmental injustice plays out within the field of medicine and healthcare; and more.
To start, get a glimpse below into the conversation between Mark and Green Dreamer Podcast's host, Kamea Chayne.
Musical feature: Trust The Sun by Power to Change by Luna Bec
“We put a ton of our military resources into protecting the fossil fuel supply, and we yap about energy independence as an excuse to increase fracking in our own communities with all those health risks.”
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This is a conversation on Green Dreamer with Kamea Chayne, a podcast and multimedia journal illuminating our paths towards ecological balance, intersectional sustainability, and true abundance and wellness for all. This preview has been edited for clarity. Subscribe to Green Dreamer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or any podcast app to stay informed and updated on our latest episodes.
On how the U.S. has been ‘subsidizing’ the fossil fuel industry through military activity:
"When you think about areas where there are, say, dictators oppressing their own people, we cherry-pick the ones we want to go after, and we don't necessarily go after the most oppressive dictator. We go after the ones that have access to oil.
So it shouldn't strike us any mystery why there were wars in Iraq, why there's a threatened war with Iran, or why we're giving military aid to a completely immoral Saudi royal family pushing the killing in Yemen. And by the way, I don't think there are any good guys in that war, but we shouldn't be promoting it. It's a humanitarian disaster.
We put a ton of our military resources into protecting the fossil fuel supply, and we yap about energy independence as an excuse to increase fracking in our own communities with all of those health risks.
We are willing to put people in our own country at risk, people worldwide at risk, and create war just to protect oil. It's a huge subsidy to the fossil fuel industry through the military that we are giving.
If we withdrew that subsidy, look at the money we would have to actually solve the climate crisis.”
On acknowledging that climate change will affect all:
"I'm choosing my words carefully here: The danger of the climate movement only focusing on frontline communities is that wealthy white folks will decide that it doesn't affect them and they don't need to care or get the message.
Actually, [climate change] is going to affect everybody; it's going to hurt everybody.
The longer you wait, the more people it's going to affect. You're not immune just because you're rich, but it's going to affect poor people first, and it's going to affect them harder.
In my messaging, I struggle every day: How do I get this through to people? Do I have to tell the truth?
I have to say that vulnerable, low-income communities, and people of color are at higher risk.
On the other hand, I don't want anybody out there to think that they're not at risk, too. If you wait long enough, your kids and your grandkids are going to be suffering because of climate change.”
Final words of wisdom:
“Focus on the positive. Focus on how we will win because focusing on how we could lose is just too depressing.
Take action. Take small steps and take them collectively. The biggest thing you could do if you have no time is just to talk to your friends, neighbors, and relatives and say I care about the climate.”
