Summing Up Our Second Year: 2020

Zoom board meetings can still be fun - look at our smiling faces!

Just as we got up and running... BOOM! Covid-19 threw a wrench in everybody's plans. We stayed busy writing letters to Congress, giving lectures on Zoom, and launching a major effort to write op-eds for local papers to spread the word about climate and health. This archive post details our actions in 2020, from latest to first.

2020.12.18      Stat News. New pediatrician network puts spotlight on climate change’s effects on children, Lori Byron interviewed 

 2020.12.17      Big Horn County News Lori and Rob Byron and others 

 2020.12.16      Daily Interlake: Climate-change report details potential health impacts in Montana with Rob Byron and others 

2020.12.15 Clark Fork Weather Forecast Facebook Live Event. Dr Nick Silverman presented on the long term climate projections.

 2020.12.15      2020 Bitterroot Valley Climate Resilience Primer. Rob and Lori Byron were contributors.
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2020.12.15     Clark Fork Winter Weather Forecast Facebook event  w Nick Silverman and others
 
2020.12.14 OpEd Helena Air Strengthen EPA's pollution standards  Beth Schenk, Lori Byron, Robert Byron, Charles Fitts, Kathleen Masis, Robert Merchant, Tom Roberts, Julia Ryder, Paul Smith, Lora Wier. Read here 
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2020.12.13 OpEd Billings Gazette Beth Schenk, Lori Byron, Robert Byron, Charles Fitts, Kathleen Masis, Robert Merchant, Tom Roberts, Julia Ryder, Paul Smith, Lora Wier
“Strengthen EPA's pollution standards”. Read here

2020.12.13 OpEd Missoulian “Strengthen EPA's pollution standards”
 Beth Schenk, Lori Byron, Robert Byron, Charles Fitts, Kathleen Masis, Robert Merchant, Tom Roberts, Julia Ryder, Paul Smith, Lora Wier. Read here.
 
20.12.11 OpEd Billings Gazette,  Faith-Based Healing: Past, Present, Future Rob and Lori Byron and others  Billings Gazette. Read here 
 
20.12.11 OpEd Missoulian Faith-Based Healing: Past, Present, Future Rob and Lori Byron and others. Read here. 
 
20.12.10 Sidney Herald OpEd Lori Byron “America, and Americans need healing, faith communities can help”. Read here. 
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20.12.10 NPR Radio Story: Montana Report links CC to mental, physical health impacts, with Rob Byron and others noted. Read here.  ​
2020.12.09 Press Video at CAIRHE, Montana Climate Change and Human Health Report. Watch here. 
 
2020.12.09 Montanans’ health interwoven with climate change, Explore Big Sky, Bella Butler. Read here. 

2020.12.09 The Worm, Montana Climate Change and Human Health Report.  Read here. 

2020.12.08 New report highlights health impacts of climate change for Montanans, By Helena Dore  Bozeman Chronicle. Read here
 
2020.12.08 VIDEO: New climate change report in Montana, Station KHQ. Watch here.

2020.12.08 Montana report examines climate change impacts to public health, Tom Kuglin. Read here. 
 
2020.12.08 MSU Press Release, Montana Climate Change and Human Health Report. Read here. 
 
2020.12.08 Press Conference, Climate Change and Human Health Report: Rob and Lori Byron and Mari Eggers, authors, Montana Climate Change and Human Health Report. Download here.  

2020.12.03 The Lancet Countdown US Brief 2020 was released and is available here.   Along with the broader, global Lancet Countdown 2020 report it highlights health impacts of climate change and updates progress and actions toward addressing it.

2020.11.30 Podcast at Stories for Action with Drs. Rob and Lori Byron: Standing up for our Health: the impacts of climate change on human health

2020.11.24 Podcast with Dr. Beth Schenk: The ANHE Student Committee Speaks!https://envirn.org/podcast/season-4-3-the-anhe-student-committee-speaks/
 
2020.11.24 Dr. Lori Byron presented to the Fort Peck medical community on COVID and Climate.
 
2020.11.21 Drs. Rob and Lori Byron presented at the Northern Plains Annual State Meeting https://northernplains.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/AM_schedule_only_2020.pdf
 
2020.11.20 Drs. Pam Hiebert, Rob Byron, Paul Smith, Lori Byron, and Marian Kummer presented at a special session to the Office of Management and Budget re: proposed changes to Cost: Benefit Analysis at EPA

2020.11.11. Dr. Lori Byron’s Johns Hopkins Earth Day Series Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvXbVKxmxkM
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2020.11.01 Dr. John Cole OpEd “Dear Patient” Daily Interlake Daily
https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2020/nov/01/election-mail-bag-nov-1/
 
2020.10.28 Dr. Lori Byron presented at the National Children’s Health and Climate Leadership Forum
 
2020.10.27 Dr. Lori Byron provided written testimony to DEQ re: the Rosebud Mine Expansion
 
2020.1023. Sustainable Agriculture Podcast, MSU, Drs. Lori and Rob Byron
 
2020.10.22 Big Horn County News, and 10/19/2020 Miles City Star: Dr Rob Byron OpEd “All elections (and all votes) matter”
https://www.bighorncountynews.com/content/all-elections-and-all-votes-matter
 
2020.10.22 Drs. Jennifer Robohm and Hayley Blackburn presented  “Climate Change and Health in Rural Montana” at the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana-sponsored Rural Retreat
 
2020.10.13 Dr. Marian Kummer testified at the Montana PSC Public Hearings on Northwestern Energy’s proposed Colstrip purchase. Dr. Lori Byron provided written testimony
 
2020.10.12,26 Podcasts by Beth Schenk:
https://envirn.org/podcast/
 
2020.10.12 Drs. Rob and Lori Byron presented to the environmental health class at MSU.
 
2020.10.09 Dr. Lori Byron presented Clinical Practice and Climate Change to the Frank Netter Medical School
 
2020.10.07 OpEd by Dr. Lori Byron and pediatricians from 50 states
https://medium.com/i-heart-climate-voices/pediatricians-rx-vote-for-climate-leaders-95455d369c98
 
2020.10.01 Blogpost Dr. Lori Byron
https://climateforhealth.org/a-pediatricians-journey-into-climate-advocacy/
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2020.09.28 Health Voices Project
Dr. Lori Byron created a video   on clean air, pregnant moms, and the need to choose leaders who support action. Share on social media to encourage voting for climate action this year! 
2020.09.14 Environmental Health Week.
 Julia Ryder talked on climate and health with MSU nursing students.
2020.09.25-26 Montana Faith Science Climate Action Conference: Cultivating Soil, Soul, and Health 
Rob and Lori Byron presented on "Climate and Health: a Montana Perspective." Recordings will be available soon.118 attended.
2020.09.12 Montana Chapter of the American College of Physicians
Dr. Robert Byron presented on Climate and Health.
2020.09.01 EPA Ozone Hearings
These Montanans testified before EPA: Cari Kimbell of MEIC, Michelle Uberanga of Mt's Moms' Clean Air Froce, Lori Byron of MontanaHPHC, Melissa Hornbein of Helena'sWestern Environmental Law Center, Hannah Fisher - a Helena Mom and Andres Haladay - a Helena City Commissioner. 
​2020 August: Climate Reality Training
Drs. Beth Schenk (Missoula) and Marian Kummer (Big Sky) attended
2020.08.19              12-1  SPECIAL EVENT: Montana Panel Discussion and Documentary Viewing 
 The American Lung Documentary Unbreathable, commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the Clean Air Act, was shown (virtually) August 19 with a Montana Panel following. Panel members included:

• Kenneth Smoker, Jr., MBA, Director of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Wellness Program, Fort Peck Tribes
• Gwen Lankford, Climate Change and Energy Policy Specialist, Gros Ventre Tribal Member, and president and owner of Sapphire Strategies, Inc.
• Margaret Cook-Shimanek, MD, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Specialist
• Wilmot Collins, Mayor of Helena, MT
• Samantha Francine, Black Lives Matter Community Leader, Whitefish MT

Beth Schenk of Missoula moderated the panel.  Link coming soon. Mark your calendars!
2020.07.22               Testify at OMB hearing on EPA Rollbacks of Methane Standards
Rob Byron testified at a virtual meeting of the Office of Management and Budget representing Montana
2020.07.22                  Presentation to Mt-Pacific Quality Health
Rob and Lori Byron presented virtually to the MPQH group: Impacts of our Environment on Physical and Mental Health
2020.06.23 .                Missoula Approves Climate Adaptation Plan
Beth  Nick Silverman, board member of MtHPHC, is also on the Steering Committee for theMissoula Climate Adaptation Plan
2020.05.21                  6 Montanans testify at EPA hearings
Paul Smith, Tom Roberts,  Julia Ryder, Beth Schenk,  and Rob and Lori Byron testified to EPA re: Particulate Matter air quality standards
 https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/registered-speakers-public-hearing-proposal-retain-air-quality-standards-particulate
2020.05.20                  EPA Children’s Health Advisory Committee
 Lori Byron reappointed to the EPA’s Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-appoints-new-members-childrens-health-protection-advisory-committee
2020.05.19                 Congressional visits
Tom Roberts, Rob and  Lori Byron, and  Julia Ryder lobby our members of Congress for the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health and the American Lung Association 
2020.05.11                  Student Board Member of MontanaHPHC
 New board member Sarah Lorch is appointed
2020.04.24                  OpEds
Dr. Rob Byron's OpEd appeared in the Missoulian, the Billings Gazette and the Big Horn County News    Climate Solutions can be Pandemic Solutions https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/registered-speakers-public-hearing-proposal-retain-air-quality-standards-particulate
2020.04.23                  Meeting with Helena Healthy Communities Coalition
Doctors Rob and Lori Byron met with the Healthy Communities Coalition of Helena
2020.04.22                  Advancement of Sustainability of Healthcare
Dr. Beth Schenk was promoted to Executive Director of Environmental Stewardship for the entire Providence Healthcare System.
https://www.providence.org/news/uf/616679600  
2020.04.22                  OpEds
Lori Byron’s OpEd “Montana People of Faith and Earth Month”  appeared in the Missoulian, Bozeman Chronicle, Big Horn County News, Lewistown News-Argus, and Helena Independent
https://missoulian.com/opinion/columnists/montana-people-of-faith-and-earth-day-2020/article_710f01f1-b8b7-509a-9592-06f9acc97790.html
2020.04.22                  Climate talk at Sigma Tau
Julia Ryder and Sarah Lorch presented a health and climate talk to the Sigma Tau nursing fraternity in MSU
2020.04.22                  Pediatrics Webinar on Climate and Health
 Lori Byron presented on the AAP National Webinar on Pediatric Climate Advocacy https://climateforhealth.org/childrens-health-climate-change-a-moment-of-reflection-on-earth-days-50th-anniversary/
2020.04.13                  MontanaHPHC sign-on to Letter to Congress
MontanaHPHC signed the  Letter to Congress on COVID-19, Climate, and Health
https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/statements/letter-congress-covid-climate-health/
2020.3.6 | CLIMATE AND HEALTH WEEK MISSOULA
April 6-12 is designated climate and health week in Missoula with multiple events occurring. More details will be forthcoming on this site as the dates approach!
2020.3.4 | Carbon Pricing from a Health Care Perspective
The details of carbon pricing and an update on where in the world this is now occurring were presented at this event sponsored by the League of Women's Voters featuring Drs. Rober and Lori Byron
2020.2.26 | Struggling to breathe in Montana
A Montana mom tells her child's asthma story and gives thank for the Clean Air Act
2020.2.25 | Climate and Health for Nurses
Julia Ryder presents to the Senior Nursing Students, MSU Bozeman
2020.2.20 | Dr. Rob Davies on YPR
Interview on the climate events in Bozeman and Missoula
2020.2.19 | The Big Climate Change Event
An evening lecture by Dr. Rob Davies from University of Utah, a physicist and climate change communicator
2020.2.18 | Climate Change: Now What?
Dr.Rob Davies, physicist from Utah State U will present a lecture about how the climate crisis is changing our world today at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, in Inspiration Hall in Montana State University’s Norm Asbjornson Hall.
2020.2.14 | Climate and Health: Opportunity for Intervention
Drs. Byrons present to the Environmental Health class at Montana Tech
2020.1.29 | Climate Change is Affecting our Health Today
Letter to the Editor by Julia Ryder of Bozeman MT
2020.1.23 | Health Professionals Advocating for Energy Policy: Success Stories
MontanaHPHC board member Dr. Lori Byron discusses how health care providers have begun to advocate for clean energy policies and highlights efforts by these pioneering professionals.
2020.1.22 | Understanding the Health Impacts of Climate Change
MontanaHPHC board member, Dr. Robert Byron, sits on a panel at the ACEEE Conference featuring medical professionals describing successful interventions that have addressed ambient temperatures and air quality to produce a health benefit.
2020.1.17 | Real-world adaptation and mitigation solutions to climate change
Board member Dr Nick Silverman is guest lecturer for this senior-level course, part of the Climate Change Minor at the University of Montana.
2020.1.13 | Missoula Climate Resiliency Plan formally released
Dr. Nick Silverman, MontanaHPHC board member, has been actively involved in developing this plan.