It's Not Just Polar Bears! The Climate Crisis And Your Health With Dr. Barbara Erny, MD

Climate change has been declared the biggest global health threat of the 21st century by the World Health Organization. Already it is having significant negative effects on human health--and is set to worsen. How can we best understand the health effects, prepare and advocate for our loved ones, and protect our communities?

This is the topic for Barbara Erny, a Cornell graduate, Stanford-trained physician and a founding member of the Stanford Task Force for Climate, Health and Equity. She will be sharing the latest research and recommendations.
Extreme weather events linked to global warming are worsening.  Droughts, deadly wildfires like we witnessed in Hawaii and California, killer hurricanes and flooding along the Gulf Coast all constitute a direct threat to life and limb. They also generate long-term health issues—both physical and psychological. 
Air pollution from out-of-control fires in Canada pushed smoke deep into the eastern United States. 
These stressors contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Flooding may also bring water-borne diseases. 
Not everyone is equally at risk. Important considerations include age, economic resources, and location.
Those in less prosperous communities and people of color are disproportionately affected—but really, nowhere is completely safe now—so being well informed and prepared is a necessity.
Dr. Erny will also discuss what we need to tackle NOW-- both individually and together-- to mitigate the effects of climate change on planetary health. 

Barbara Erny, MD, was Phi Beta Kappa at Cornell University School of Arts and Sciences. She graduated in 1983 cum Laude in Biology with a concentration in Neurobiology and Behavior.

Dr. Erny completed her medical school and residency training at Stanford before working at Sutter Health as a board-certified ophthalmologist for 26 years. She has been volunteering in global health throughout her career and served for the past five years as the ASCRS (American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery) Foundation Medical Liaison for International Programs, and she is a Faculty Fellow at the Stanford Center for Innovation on Global Health. Dr. Erny was a founding member of the Stanford Task Force for Climate, Health and Equity and is their Director of Education, leading efforts to integrate climate change education into medical school curricula and all levels of physician training. As an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Erny teaches a yearly course on climate change, toxins and health.  She shares her experiences as a steering committee member with The Global Consortium on Climate Change Education, as an editorial board member of the Journal of Climate Change and Health, and serves on the Physicians for Social Responsibility Environmental Health Committee.  For ophthalmology, she is a representative on the Steering Committee for the Medical Societies Consortium on Climate and Health. Dr. Erny co-founded and is on the advisory board of EyeSustain, an initiative, website and app for decreasing waste in ophthalmology and is also a member of the Climate Action Working Group of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. Dr. Erny serves in her Bay Area community on a local board, helping underserved youth restore native habitats.

6:00pm Reception, 6:30pm Lecture gratis.  Advance Registration required by Monday, March 31st.