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September E-News |
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PSR Maine Presents: Healthy Energy, Healthy Homes, Healthy Maine. Connecting Climate Solutions to Better Health in Maine |
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In collaboration with the Hanley Center for Health Leadership & Education and co-sponsored by the Alliance of Maine Health Professionals for Climate Action, PSR Maine presents our free webinar series this fall.
Join us for session 1: Fossil Fuels and Health - The Medical Case for Electrification on Wednesday, October 29 from 12-1pm ET. Register HERE!
Presenters for this session are Susan Racine, MD and Andee Krasner, MPH. Dr. Racine works in internal medicine and serves on the board of Greater Boston PSR. Andee is a public health consultant and volunteer with Greater Boston PSR.
In this session, participants will identify key pollutants produced by fossil fuel combustion in homes and businesses, understand how these pollutants contribute to diseases, and articulate the public health case for transitioning to all-electric buildings. Together, we’ll connect the dots between everyday energy use and community health and explore how bold changes can create cleaner, healthier futures. CME is available. |
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You can also register for the next two sessions now! See below for details.
Session 2: Talking with Patients About Fossil Fuels, Health, and Home Choices Wednesday, November 19, 12-1pm. Register HERE.
Session 3: Health Professionals Leading the Way: How the Healthcare Sector Can Protect Staff and Patients Wednesday, December 3, 12-1pm. Register HERE. |
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Come Visit Us at Upcoming Conferences! |
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PSR Maine will be tabling this fall to share important information about environmental health and nuclear abolition, and to invite health professionals to join us in building a healthier, safer Maine. If you’ll be at any of these conferences, we’d love to see you!
Stop by our table to say hello, learn more about our work, and pick up resources on the health impacts of climate change and fossil fuels.
Maine Medical Association’s 172nd Annual Session
Maine Primary Care Association 2025 Conference
Maine Public Health Association 2025 Annual Meeting
Bring a colleague by, and join us in strengthening the health and climate voice in Maine. We look forward to connecting with you! |
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SAVE THE DATE! PSR Maine's Annual Virtual Gathering |
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PSR Maine invites all Maine health professionals and advocates to join us for our Annual Gathering— a statewide event to celebrate, connect, and galvanize our shared commitment to protecting health through advocacy and action. Register here!
Event Highlights
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Coal Free Portland Celebrates the Unanimous Passage of An Act to End Fugitive Coal Dust |
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Coal Free Portland celebrated the unanimous passage of their Citizens' Initiative by the Portland City Council on August 25. The initiative protects public health, safety and property in Portland by eliminating coal dust by (1) requiring that any delivery, handling and storage of more than 1 ton of coal occur under a permanent covering starting January 1, 2027, and (2) prohibiting the delivery, handling and storage of more than 1 ton of coal in the City of Portland after January 1, 2030.
PSR Maine, as well as the Sierra Club, Conservation Law Foundation, and dozens of local advocates and concerned citizens collected over 1800 signatures in support of this effort. The act addresses an industrial-scale coal terminal on the Portland waterfront as described in an Op-Ed in the Portland Press Herald.
Even when not burned, coal storage is dangerous to public health due to fugitive coal dust. Coal dust exposure is linked to increased rates of cancers as well as lung and heart disease. The economic harm to public health and property from open air coal piles is substantial. Estimates suggest that coal deliveries, handling and storage on Portland’s waterfront results in approximately $11,000,000 in health and property damages annually ($20 per month per ton delivered). There are no local, state or federal laws regulating fugitive coal dust to effectively protect surrounding communities from exposure to these risks and damages. Further information about the Portland City Council’s adoption is available here. |
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Tell EPA: Keep The Endangerment Finding! |
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One of the most important foundations of U.S. climate policy, the Endangerment Finding, is under attack. Issued by the EPA in 2009, this critical ruling determined that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. It has been the legal backbone for policies that reduce climate pollution, protect communities, and safeguard our children’s future. Now, fossil fuel interests, the Trump administration, and their allies are trying to dismantle it. If they succeed, our nation’s ability to respond to the climate crisis and protect health could be severely weakened.
The EPA is accepting public comments, and voices from health professionals are especially powerful. These comments become part of the public record and even if the Endangerment Finding is repealed, they may help form the basis of future legal challenges.
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Honoring the 80th Anniversary of the Hiroshima & Nagasaki Bombings |
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Thank you to everyone who attended our August 6 commemoration. Mainers Ending Nuclear Dangers honored the lives lost, lifted up the voices of Hibakusha, and reinforced the urgent call for a future free from nuclear weapons. The event included a special screening of "Silent Fallout", a discussion of the film, plus an action directed at Senators King and Collins to support S.Res.323, urging the United States to lead the world to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race. Members of MEND delivered these cards and peace cranes to the Senators' offices the following week. You can find a short video from the event here. |
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Accelerate Environmental Sustainability This Fall with My Green Doctor Experts |
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The American Medical Association (AMA) has declared climate change a public health crisis and has repeatedly pointed to My Green Doctor as the best resource for creating environmentally sustainable and climate resilient practices. My Green Doctor helps practices become greener, healthier, and more cost-efficient. MGD does this with customized support for practice managers, administrators, and clinicians. |
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Their Summer Newsletter has tips for green travel and explains how to accelerate sustainability this Fall with My Green Doctor. Use this link or simply email their sustainability experts to start a conversation at member.services@mygreendoctor.org
My Green Doctor is a money-saving membership benefit provided by Physicians for Social Responsibility Chapters. With the help of the MGD team, practice managers and clinicians find it easy to save resources, address the health threats of climate change, and help create healthier communities. Everyone in your practice or organization can register at https://www.MyGreenDoctor.org as Partner Society members with the discount code MGDPSR for free access to My Green Doctor. |
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Give to PSR Maine |
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Thank you for your generous support of PSR Maine! To mail your contribution to us, please send a check to our mailing address: PSR Maine, 126 Western Ave #1012 Augusta ME 04330 Or point your camera at this QR code and you’ll be taken directly to our secure donor page: |
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