PSR chapters continue to make powerful strides to get the U.S. off of coal and onto clean, healthy, renewable energy sources. Just in the past week, PSR activists in Oregon, Iowa and Michigan conducted an impressive series of public events, media visits and Grand Rounds presentations.

PSR Board President Dr. John Rachow, a native Nebraskan and physician in Iowa, is featured talking about the impact of the pipeline on Nebraska.

"Worst of all about the pipeline is it will deepen our dependency on oil, contributing to ever-worsening climate chaos," said Peter Wilk, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility.

The global output of heat-trapping carbon dioxide jumped by the biggest amount on record, the U.S. Department of Energy calculated, a sign of how feeble the world's efforts are at slowing man-made global warming.

A profile of Tucson's Climate Change Committee, of which PSR Arizona coordinator Dr. Barbara Warren is a member.

"What we have found with our trainings is if clinicians are given more information about these topics....."

Arizona PSR President Dr. Barbara Warren urges the adoption of solar power.

As the number of coal fired power plants worldwide has increased, so too has the demand for coal. A coal export facility has been proposed for Longview, Washington, and health experts and environmentalists are expressing grave concern.

Thanks to a negotiated agreement, Washington State’s only coal-fired power plant is now scheduled to slash its generating capacity in half by 2020 and close entirely by 2025.

Chicago PSR was among public health and environmental groups that spoke at a Chicago City Council meeting recently in favor of a proposed Clean Power Ordinance.

PSR Executive Director Dr. Peter Wilk urges Congress to consider the public health impact of pollutants and to protect the Clean Air Act.

Leading public health organizations announced today that 1,882 physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, certified asthma educators and other health and medical professionals from all 50 states and the District of Columbia sent a letter to President Obama, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives urging them to uphold the protections established in the Clean Air Act.

A bill introduced Thursday in the state House will protect Washington families from the harmful health effects of burning coal for electricity and help build the economy of the community now hosting the state’s lone coal-burning power plant.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week denied ten petitions challenging the EPA’s 2009 “Endangerment Finding” that greenhouse gases are a threat to human health as well as to the environment. Petitioners included the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Peabody Energy Company, State of Texas, Commonwealth of Virginia, Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Ohio Coal Association. Many have ties to the coal industry, whether as coal producers, industry fronted think tanks, or large-scale coal consumers. They had sought to discredit the scientific evidence marshaled by the EPA to support its findings.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson announced today that after several months of careful review the agency will deny 10 petitions calling for the agency to reconsider its determination that six greenhouse gases in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations.

Chicago PSR president Dr. Sarah Lovinger writes on the health effects of climate change and the need for a green energy economy.

The U.S. Senate defeated, 47 – 53, the Murkowski Dirty Air Act resolution, which would have tied the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) hands to control carbon pollution. By rejecting this resolution, the majority of the Senate voted to base U.S. climate policy on the burgeoning scientific evidence that climate change is underway, that human activity is a major driver of carbon pollution, and that urgent action is needed to protect human health and the environment.

The long awaited climate bill seeks to address the grave threat to human health posed by climate change. Significant concerns still must be addressed to make this the solution we need.

On March 25, WPSR members, new supporters, and old friends came together to meet with renowned nuclear weapons abolitionist and PSR Co-Founder Helen Caldicott, MD.

PSR Board President Jeff Patterson, DO, carried a strong health message to the White House today about the need for action on climate change to protect the health of all Americans. Attending the President’s Earth Day reception, Dr. Patterson stated that “The health of Americans requires that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the safest, most immediate way possible.”