Month: February 2024

February 24, 2024

By Dr. Plastic Picker

Good morning dear readers!!! I’ve been so busy emailing that I haven’t had the need (because sometimes my emails are super creative!) or the time to blog. But I’m back this morning and super grateful to the blog readership for following along my journey here in written form which is always more authentic, or on Instagram where I’m really a bit too silly!

But in all seriousness, it continues to be an impactful life – filled with patients, family and climate work. I just came home from early morning walking the dogs (we have my brother’s corgi too this weekend) and going to Starbucks with Mr. Plastic Picker. My husband said that I’m his best friend? He’s always called me that and I’ve never accepted the offer. I’m honestly still thinking about it LOL. Of course I’m his wife and he is the love of my life. But best friend? I’m not sure about that one.

I spoke at Protected Roots Integrative Treatment Center https://pritreatmentcenter.com/. How I happened upon that speaking spot was circuitous and a year ago. I had met one of the psychologist at Love Your Wetlands Day a year ago, and we kept in contact via Instagram. And I finally agreed and we found a time for me to physically come. But then I realized that on a Friday and missing clinic was going to be too much for me. Sometimes I tend to try to give too much. But I ended up being able to do a virtual talk for an hour yesterday during Friday lunch. And honestly knowing that they really wanted to hear me talk, and giving me the freedom to craft whatever talk I thought appropriate – it just made the entire day flow. Does that make sense? I got up early on Friday to prepare an almost new talk. I talked about my climate and health journey, but I felt it was this open forum to discuss some new ideas I had been thinking of. My climate and health journey and this meaningful work has led to better parenting and doctoring for myself, and I approach mental health issues for my patients in a more creative way.

So it was mostly new images, but the thought processes and discussions were really good with this group. I spoke from my place as a front-line pediatrician, as someone who has cared for children over their lifetime. It was really meaningful to me, and I ended the discussion with “if I made you smile and I made you think a bit more, than I’m happy.” And honestly they made me think and they made me smile, so it made me so happy yesterday and it’s still spilling over to this morning.

So I’m up and it’s not too busy of a weekend! I need to write a letter of recommendation, write our SDPCA newsletter, organize a new PHAC Climate Actions Campaign Council for Orange County/Riverside, and send a lot of emails today. But it’s a kind of catch up weekend which is the best kind of weekend! Have a sustainable weekend dear green friends. Remember that it’s systems change so don’t stress over the little stuff.

February 17, 2024

by Dr. Plastic Picker

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged and updated the readership. It’s been nice to be able to document this climate and health journey on Instagram, because I can essentially make my own music videos. I think everyone is enjoying it, and I am trying to moderate how much I share and how much I post on that platform. I am writing a lot of emails these days, and doing general writing – so I haven’t needed the blogging outlet as much. But I wanted to be here and let the blog readership know that I’m still here. I’m still plugging away at decarbonization.

I was sitting at San Diego City Council Chambers last Thursday. I’ve testified many times virtually, but I had never been in the actual city council chambers ever before. It was a very interesting day. I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it, since I had a full morning clinic and the City Council Environmental Committee meeting started at 1pm. But I was able to make it, and find parking in ever crowded downtown. I sat next to my good climate friend Andrew Meyer from San Diego Audubon, as Rewild was there as well to make comments about the DeAnza plan. I was really there to support the SanDiego350.org Youth Vs Oil group, as they brought forth a city resolution to defend SB1137. They had asked me to support and I came because the kids asked. This is one of our top legislative priorities from the AAP California anyway. I feel honestly humbled by these youth activists. As I was telling some of my friends, it takes a lot for teenagers to trust adults and to have that trust means a lot and I take that trust seriously. So I made comments, after their presentation and I think they were impactful.

I more importantly need to do my part as an adult. SB1137 is an oil and gas setbacks bill, and indeed I’ve been advocating for this for the last four years. Our group San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air actually formed partially from a former defeat of a similar gas and setbacks bill, back when our state senator was Ben Huesos. Lets just say he was never a good friend of this particular pediatricians especially since he was getting so much fossil fuel money to fund his political career (at least that is what some of my climate friends told me). Well, Ben Huesos is gone and Dr. Plastic Picker is still around! And SB 1137 did pass and was signed by the governor, and now we are part of a statewide coalition to defend this win.

I’m continuing to focus on decarbonization, and have various projects deployed with many students. My good friend Dr. Anne-Marie Birkbeck Garcia and I were at UCSD AMSA speaking. OMG, that night was so fun! We were just talking about random things, and mostly about our lives and motherhood and being young doctors coming up the ranks together. I think our story resonates because we are both mothers with children the same age as many of the students that were sitting in the audience.

So just wanted to let the blog readership know that I’m around. Working on so many different projects, but it all seems to interconnect and make sense. But wanted to share a big one, which is defending SB1137. Thank you to all that have linked virtual and real arms with me, to try to fundamentally address this existential crisis of climate change and global heating.

Will try to turn off most of it this weekend, because my own college freshman is home. We picked him up at the airport yesterday and I’m about to drop him off at a central location so he can join high school friends for an esports tournament in LA. His baby sister made him homemade cinnamon rolls. It’s a sweet life we have, and that sweetness makes me even more desperate to save it from big oil.