11 September, 2017 - The Climate Change Show

Slow Living tackles a vital topic, climate change and global warming, with two distinguished guests, Drs Jan Kirsch and David Shearn.  Learn all about the causes, effects and what you can be doing to help preserve this beautiful and precious world for generations to come.


"Climate change isn't a distant, abstract problem — it's here now. People all over the world are feeling the impacts, from island nations that are going underwater, to indigenous land being exploited for fossil fuel extraction. The fight against climate change is a fight for justice.  That means listening to the communities who are getting hit the hardest, and following the leadership of those who are on the frontlines of the crisis." 350Org

Janice L. Kirsch, M.D., M.P.H.

Jan Kirsch is a medical doctor specializing in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology.   She received a master’s degree in public health and completed a fellowship in occupational and environmental medicine.  Her focus of study was environmental carcinogenesis and leukemia causation.  She has served as an investigator with the Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study of the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.

Since 1983, she has worked with Physicians for Social Responsibility, as a speaker on nuclear war and environmental issues.  She served has the president of New York City Physicians for Social Responsibility in 1987.

Dr. Kirsch trained with the The Climate Reality Project.  She is also the coordinator of the 350 Bay Area Speakers’ Bureau and serves on the Steering Committee for 350 Bay Area.  Dr. Kirsch is also the San Francisco Bay Area chapter leader for The Climate Mobilization. 

David Shearn

David Shearn worked as an Internist, Cardiologist and Healthcare Executive for over 30 years. He focused on driving change deep into organizations with the goal of simultaneously improving health outcomes, service quality and affordability. In retirement he volunteers with 350 SF, 350 Bay Area, and the Climate Reality Project, with the objective of lowering Greenhouse Gas Emissions through innovative public policy. He grew up in the East Bay and currently resides in SF.

Background on David’s work:

"All our work is aimed at California legislation that would decrease greenhouse gases or to oppose legislation that might increase them. Our highest priority has been SB100 which goes to the Assembly floor for a final vote next week. That bill is to set aggressive aspirations for the State to achieve 100% of our electric energy from renewable sources by 2045. We also worked on AB 1184 an EV incentive program, AB 17, a bill to provide free or inexpensive transit passes for students, for SB 71 a Solar Bill for new construction, SB 700, an electrical storage bill, AB 262, a bill to require the State to only hire  contractors whose products are clean and have small carbon footprints as well as SB 49, 50, and 51 which are intended to defend against the destructive efforts of the Trump administration to oppose California’s progress in reducing greenhouse gases. There have been others but that gives you an idea."

About 350 Bay Area

350 Bay Area are building a grassroots climate movement in the Bay Area & beyond that achieves deep reductions in carbon pollution and presses for socially equitable solutions and a just transition to clean energy. Their vision is that all who live in the Bay Area equitably share clean air, water and soil in a healthy, thriving and stable post-carbon future, benefiting all life.  Formed in 2012 as an all volunteer climate action group inspired by 350.org, 350 Bay Area has grown to the thousands strong group today!

About Climate Change

(referenced from 350org)

The climate crisis is the biggest problem facing the world. Unchecked climate change means more natural disasters, more outbreaks of disease, more food shortages, and more sea level rise.

We need to make large-scale changes. The climate crisis is so big that we can’t solve it with small, personal actions alone. We need to think bigger and bolder.

Large-scale change means changing policy. We need laws that rewire the way the world produces and consumes energy so that clean power is cheap, dirty power is expensive, and people everywhere can live sustainable lives.

Getting strong climate policy won’t be easy. It means fighting the wealthiest and most powerful group on the planet: the fossil fuel industry.

We can win with a people-powered movement. We’ll never have as much money as the fossil fuel industry, so we need to overpower them with our numbers and our determination instead. From the Civil Rights movement to women’s suffrage, social movements have changed the course of history—so we’re building a movement of people to solve the biggest problem in the world.

To preserve our planet, scientists tell us we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere from its current level of over 400 parts per million to below 350 ppm. But 350 is more than a number—it’s a symbol of where we need to head as a planet.

Learn more at 350 FAQs       

350.org is building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis via online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and leading mass public actions from the bottom up by thousands of volunteer organizers in over 188 countries. 350 means climate safety.

Part of the global network of local 350.org groups, 350 Bay Area takes action to stabilize and protect our climate through deep reductions in carbon emissions. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and seek information, and/or are concerned and want to be part of the solution, join our grassroots team.