Category: Climate Advocacy (AAP/Climate Reality/ClimateHealthNOW)

February 19, 2021

by drplasticpicker

It’s totally out. It’s totally out in my HMO and physician group. I gave a podcast interview on physician wellness and I talked about Dr. Plastic Picker. I know it sounds odd since I’ve been out there already all over the blogsphere and Instagram for almost two years, but it was an oddly anticlimatic moment. I guess I’ve gone up the middle-management ladder so far already, that I realize that pretensions are silly and it’s the subtance of the person and their work that is the most important. I have no fear anymore of being ridiculed or looking silly. I’m totally out there now. And the reason I am out there is I need to make real changes from within and green our healthcare sector.

Everything is decomposing in my former “guerilla gardening” project up on the HMO parking lot. It’s not really guerilla gardening anymore since everything has decomposed, and I’m going to actually put real compost into those planters. There is an aloe tree and a bunch of succulents, but I’m just going to plant some bluberry pushes and a lemon tree soon. Why not. I even told the head of engineering (I think he is the head of engineering? It might be an imaginary person). And he was okay with it.

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February 16, 2021

by drplasticpicker

Yesterday was an epic climate advocacy day. Yes it was. Do you know what I did? [DRAMATIC PAUSE] I sat in front of my computer and sent emails. Yes I did. And it was an epic climate advocacy day. I am not being facetious.

Back in January, I had been invited to attend the National Children’s Health and Leadership Forum. The AAP National Leadership had signed the local chapter climate advocates up, and registered us. I just virtually showed up. But it was a very useful conference, as I was able to virtually meet person after person working on climate issues. There was a panel of speakers from the youth climate movements, who had organized the climate marches two years ago. What struck me is when they were asked about how they were able to mobilize and their activism, they were open and said that the reality of activism is that it’s a lot of sitting in front of the computer.

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February 10, 2021

by drplasticpicker

It’s Wednesday and I haven’t blogged at least for a day or two. When I give up blogging for the day, it’s because work has been too demanding or there is a vital climate project that needs to be done. Yesterday was both. We had a middle management meeting where we are meeting with the Nutrition Department to help them and us change to offer better education on plant based diets, and also I am pushing personally to make sure offerings make sense for my patients who are predominantly part of Environmental Justice communities. The more vegetables and plant-based meals all of us eat, the more we will heal the planet and as a community. The other project that is taking some of my precious headspace (which we should all think of precious and not waste on things that are hurtful or hurtful people) is leading our American Academy of Pediatrics author group in writing our opinion piece. It was accepted and everyone is excited. Now comes the real part, we have to write the 8000-12000 word piece. I see it is an opportunity and I’ve done similar things before. It is due in 3 months, but we have to start on it now. The abstract is essentially done, our amazing premed intern has created the common google doc and we are working on the bilbiography. This is important because it is a major academic journal and we are writing about active transportation and changing the built environment to reduce both carbon emissions and address the active transport needs of children. Being able to walk around neighborhoods, bike to school in natural settings improves mental health and physical health, and wards off chronic diseases that are now occuring in adolescence.

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February 2, 2021

by drplasticpicker

Who knew saving the earth would include discovering new foods and making them? I was already Financially Independent https://drplasticpicker.com/the-road-to-fise-financial-independence-to-save-the-earth/, as I was born super frugal. But now with my culinary adventures and misadventures, I’m having a super fun time in the kitchen trying new fancy recipes. I thought I wasn’t a “foodie” and our tween daughter actually hates that term, as she thinks it’s very elitist. But I do love good food, and truly good food can lead to a good earth for all of us. Maybe if I end up writing my first book, I’ll just call it Good Food Good Earth???? I’ve thought about a book on and off, but honestly I’m having too much blogging to myself in the mornings.

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February 1, 2021

by drplasticpicker

I never expected Dr. Plastic Picker to be a rediscovery of my love for good food. We started the project at work called #kpkidsgoodfoodgoodearth and that is the crux of the issue, we need both. To save the planet, we have to change our food systems and our food supply. But the byproduct is that our food will become delicious, wholesome, plant-based and we’ll be healthier for it.

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January 26, 2021

by drplasticpicker

I was completely overwhelmed last night. There is a bit of political tussel at work about committee responsibilities. It’s easy being Assistant Boss because that’s the title I have, and I’ve reached a point in my career where I realize the titles are not that important. The important part is that I have specific responsibities in areas of our organization that actually mean money. I have to make sure we meet certain metrics, state required projects need to be completed, clinical quality measures reached. And if we don’t meet these metrics or get these state required quality projects completed, it means millions of dollars in fines. We are also a bonus driven organization, so when the physician group meets certain metrics than there are certain calculations to our compensation that happens. Sometimes I look out at departmental meetings and a fellow physician will be spouting nonsense about appointment times slots and 15 minute this and 30 minute that or why they aren’t included in certain meetings, and I’ll go into a trance and stand there and nod but I retreat into my own inner universe. I’ll think to myself “penny wise, pound foolish” and think about my networth or about the plastic pollution crisis or about my EMR inbox and the patient results I need to respond to. So much of the world is penny wise and pound foolish. I need to retreat into my inner universe at a lot of meetings, so I can just stand there, keep my mouth shut and move our department painfully forward.

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January 24, 2021

by drplasticpicker

GATHER was featured in the New York Times and a critically acclaimed film on Indigenous Food Systems and Indigenous Food Rights. It explores the connections between restoring ecosystems and food systems. (Peds Chief) , (CATCH Peds Obesity Clinic) and I are proud to invite limited interested members of our medical group to a free virtual film screening of Gather, and panel discussion with Chef Nephi Craig (Western Apache Nation and professional chef) and our own Dr. Dana Patton (Pediatric GI) and Dr. William Pfeiffer. Target audience is primarily the AAP-CA, Kaiser SD Peds Department, and San Diego Area Pediatricians, but we will have room for some interested in our medical group outside of pediatrics. This is funded by a generous grant from AAP-CA3 San Diego. You will be emailed a link to view the movie for free, and panel discussion for CME will be on March 5, 6pm. Please comment below or email Mr. Hakim Tokhi to RSVP AAPCHILDRENSARTCOUNCIL@GMAIL.COM

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January 22, 2021

by drplasticpicker

I just wrote this great post that I won’t publish. I needed to work through some emotions and a work situation. I feel a lot better now, but I don’t want to create more waves than I need to – so I’ll keep it to myself. Writing is ever therapeutic for me. I’ll instead try to be productive and get stuff done for the environment today.

1. Movie Screening “Gather.” Wrote to Director Sanjay again to try to nail down a date and time for a film screening. I’m wondering if professional creative types and their email response times. Maybe he has a lot on his plate. Maybe he’s working an another fantastic movie. This is my first time interacting with a director!
2. CleanMed 2021 Abstract Submitted: Possible Conference May 2021

Climate Activism from A Middle-Managers Perspective: How Do I Engage The Department?

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January 20, 2021

by drplasticpicker

Hello Climate Change & Health Committee Members,

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January 8, 2021

by drplasticpicker

Sending appropriate work emails is really exhausting. When you send an official work email that is some part of an official correction of workflow for the department, it has to be worded well. It has to have appropriate workflow departmental content. It has to be sent and endorsed by the right people. It needs to be written in a way that most should want to read. And then one has to forsee the nit-pickers and what they might say or reply, and try to avoid certain booby traps that the departmental nit-pickers or debbie downers will deploy. I had Dr. Dear Friend proofread my email yesterday and had read it to two different people before I sent it. It was better for the combined input. There is email silence since sending that work departmental official email, which is a good thing. Just one humorous reply of someone who likes to make me laugh.

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