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

Yep, it is done. This has been a dream that I’ve had since I first watched “Gather” three months ago. The movie, it’s imagery, the music, the real characters – challenged my thinking about the environment and how to approach restoring this world. As I mentioned in the KevinMD podcast, at my environmental awakening I realized that I needed to try and declared to the world that I would save the earth, along with everyone else. And that’s the key, right? I can’t do this alone. I’m going to go to the beach this morning and plog, but my 1-2 bags of ocean plastic pollution as mostly symbolic. I understand that. Just like my trash art piece yesterday.

I realize that we are not going to make toys out of all the plastic in the ocean. But each figure I make, does make people pause. “What in the world is she thinking?” “What is it?” “Has my pediatrician gone crazy?”

No Dr. Plastic Picker hasn’t gone crazy. I’m sitting at my kitchen table at 520AM. I’m looking at my trash art piece from yesterday that looks like a cross between a jedi knight but I was trying to make an angel. It just all came to me, as I was in between climate meetings yesterday. And now I’ve positioned her next to my organic vegan soy candle I bought from my farmer’s market friend in LA.

I really love this figurine, so I may have to keep her at home so that no kid asks for her. I’ll probably change my mind though. But I’m sitting here happy with my trash, my candle at 522am because a lot of coordinating and talking, and the movie screening is going to happen. We can have up to 500 people view the movie. All the involved people are involved, and I just connected the pieces. Up to 500 people who may be moved into climate action as well.

So today I will start on UCSD FP Grand Rounds Presentation on Creativity and Climate Action. I agreed to author an opinion piece in the “Journal of Applied Research on Children” with two other pediatric climate advocates. And I need to talk to SDPCA student co-founder on how to complete the Take Action Project for our Cadette Troop. But as soon as the sun rises and there is enough light, I will go to the beach and do a clean. It was raining yetserday and there is always a lot of plastic at the outlet of the storm drains. The beach and the ocean needs me, and I need the ocean to tell me what to do next.

Thanks for following along. This is Dr. Plastic Picker trying to figure out life, and figure out how to save the earth.