Professor Lynne Madden from The University of Notre Dame presenting on the connection between human health and a healthy environment.
Last week around 160 first year medical students were introduced to Planetary Health and Dharug culture at the Planetary Health Centre, with presentations by Professor Lynne Madden from The University of Notre Dame Australia, Lis Bastian from the Planetary Health Centre and Dharug man Chris Tobin.
Key Points:
The Rural Clinical School of The University of Notre Dame in Lithgow and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre have been introducing first year medical students to rural medicine, Aboriginal Health and Planetary Health for three years.
In Australia, heatwaves kill more people than all other natural disasters combined, and we need a whole-of-community response to reduce the impact of heat on public health and biodiversity.
A healthy biodiverse environment supports human health.
Increasingly, medical practitioners are recognising the impact of the environment on human health and that we need to protect the health of our planet to safeguard human health.
For the last three years, The University of Notre Dame Australia has been bringing first year medical students to the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre and Notre Dame’s Rural Clinical School in Lithgow, to deliver its Rural Indigenous Immersion Program.
The focus is on rural medicine, Aboriginal Health and Planetary Health.
Chris Tobin discussing Dharug culture with medical students in the Planetary Health Centre Gallery
Last week around 160 students were introduced to Planetary Health and Dharug culture at the Planetary Health Centre, with presentations by Dharug man Chris Tobin, Professor Lynne Madden from Notre Dame, and Lis Bastian from the Planetary Health Centre.
A slide from Professor Madden’s presentation
With 2024 being the hottest year on record, within the hottest decade on record, assisting future doctors prepare for heatwaves has become an important focus area of these programs. Heat waves kill more people than all other natural disasters combined. For example, in 2024 the WHO estimated that 175,000 people die annually from heat stress in the European region.
“They are all preventable deaths,” stressed Professor Madden. “You can prevent unnecessary morbidity and mortality if you’re aware. Some drugs you are going to prescribe,” she explained to the students, “are going to make people more heat sensitive. You’re going to have to be factoring this into your care.”
Professor Lynne Madden highlighted that a large section of the population, that includes babies, pregnant women, people on certain medications (including some anti-hypertensives), and people over 65, are more vulnerable to the effects of heatwaves because of a reduced capacity to thermoregulate.
“We actually know a lot more now about the physiology of thermoregulation. And some of that work has been done at Sydney University by Professor Ollie Jay, Professor of Heat and Health. Anything that Ollie writes is worth reading,” said Lynne.
Professor Madden shared these simple evidence-informed solutions to help people cope with heatwaves:
Jay O, Capon A, Berry P, et al. Reducing the health effects of hot weather and heat extremes: from personal cooling strategies to green cities. The Lancet 2021.
You can watch Professor Madden’s full presentation here:
Through Lis Bastian’s presentation, and group exercises using thermal imaging cameras, the students learnt how surface temperatures can be dramatically higher than air temperatures (think about when you try walking barefoot on an asphalt road on a hot day!) and that a strategy to reduce impacts of heatwaves, and the ‘heat island effect’, is to ensure we use more natural surfaces which contain water.
Water cools areas in summer and warms them in winter. Grass, for example, is much cooler than pavers and woodchip or artificial surfaces. Colour is also important: light roofs and surfaces are cooler than dark surfaces.
Saskia Everingham demonstrating how to use a thermal imaging camera.
Students experimenting with thermal imaging cameras (NB. Blue Mountains Library has thermal imaging cameras available for loan and they can also be used to identify where cold air is entering your house in winter.)
Lis highlighted how children’s playgrounds, built with artificial surfaces, become dangerously hot in heatwaves, as this thermal photograph indicates: with hot artificial surfaces red and yellow, and grass and shade much cooler as indicated by blue.
The students broke into groups to address strategies to moderate temperatures both inside and outside the building.
Designing ‘Cooler’ Bus Stops
Six groups of students over the two days were given the task of designing a bus shelter for the Planetary Health Centre that would be accessible and provide a safe cool place to wait for public transport during heatwaves.
Discussing the bus stop outside the Planetary Health Centre
The students took this further and considered all weather conditions, coming up with a range of suggestions the Planetary Health Centre now hopes to use to apply for funding to build a bus shelter.
Together they addressed many aspects of what should be considered in designing better bus stops: providing shelter by adding a roof (and even roof garden), with surrounding trees for natural cooling shade, seating, water fountains, walls for protection from wind and rain, solar panels for electronic timetables and lighting to provide security for people waiting at night, emergency call services, information in braille, garbage bins, grassed areas and water for guide dogs, and ramps to improve accessibility.
‘The Shak’ could be the ultimate bus stop, a destination in itself!
At the end of the day one group took the concept of ‘cooler’ literally and amused everyone with their design for ‘The Shak’. Made out of recycled timber it included seating using recycled movie theatre seats and recycled sofa beds from Event Cinemas, as well as a Netflix screen to entertain people while waiting. The shelter was covered in solar panels to power the Netflix screen and fairy lights, and a dual electronic bus timetable that would indicate to bus drivers if people were waiting. The shelter also included an accessibility ramp, a water fountain, a bathroom, and a coffee shop!
In May last year a group of local women launched Homes for Older Women Blue Mountains to address the housing crisis locally. They have now successfully secured affordable accommodation for 50 older women! Writer Julie Nance helped set up the program as a volunteer and recently finished a challenging but rewarding year as Program Manager. She shares the experiences of women involved with, and impacted by, the grass-roots initiative. Read more in Springwood Area Local News here (link in profile): https://springwoodlocalnews.com/gaining-hope-and-a-home/
What glorious weather for our Skill Share Saturday today! We had a fabulous day of sharing: T`ai-chi, Fashion Upcycling, Cool Climate Edible Gardens. and then a very enjoyable and productive Bushcare Session, in which we made real progress making a dint into the massive wall of invasive weed. It`s exciting to see beautiful bushland revealed when the weed is removed! And thanks Amanda for this photo of the little frog that leapt out of the rhubarb during our Cool Climate Edible Garden workshop. #skillshare #taichi #upcycling #coolclimategardening #bushcare #planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains...
After a very wet week it looks like it will be the perfect day to enjoy our Skill Share Saturday tomorrow at the Planetary Health Centre: sunshine is predicted! Start the day with gentle calming exercise in our T`ai-chi class at 8am, view our Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition, get hands-on experience building a Cold Climate Winter Edible Garden from 9.30 to 12.30, then join us to help restore habitat for wildlife with our Planetary Health Bushcare Group and afternoon tea in the bush from 1.30-4.30. Bookings for T`ai-chi here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4iF9bkD Bookings for Build a Cold Climate Winter Edible Garden here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4jqRerw
Contact Karen if you`d like to join our Bushcare Group via email at khising@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or call the Bushcare Office on 4780 5623.
The Planetary Health Centre was buzzing all day today as we welcomed over 100 first year medical students from the University of Notre Dame to learn about Planetary Health. We`re looking forward to more groups coming tomorrow! #medicine #planetaryhealth #medicalstudents #universityofnotredameaustralia #healthyplanethealthypeople...
Our Bushcare Group meets this Saturday 3 May from 1.30 to 4.30 pm. Join us! We`re restoring habitat for wildlife and `dreaming of a time when the land might give thanks for its people`. Our Bushcare group is part of the Planetary Health Centre`s Skill Share Saturday which starts at 8am with T`ai-chi and Qigong and is followed by different workshops each month, then Bushcare and a delicious afternoon tea in the bush! No experience is required. You`ll receive training on identifying native species, and invasive weeds, and training on how to treat/remove those weeds. All tools, gloves and training will be provided by Blue Mountains City Council’s Bushcare Officer. If you have any enquiries or are interested to attend, please contact Karen Hising (Bushcare Officer) via email at khising@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or call the Bushcare Office on 4780 5623. Full information as to what to wear and bring, where to meet and what to expect during the work session will then be provided. If you`d like to learn more about other Planetary Health Centre activities email planetaryhealth@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or ring 0407 437 553 #bushcare #planetaryhealth #wildlife #habitat #katoomba #bluemountains #biodiversity #robinwallkimmerer...
We`re looking forward to our next Saturday morning T`ai-chi and Qigong at 8am this coming Saturday 3 May. It`s the most beautiful gentle exercise to start the day (and the month!), and Virginia Field is a fabulous trainer with over 30 years` experience. Numbers are limited so book in here (link in profile):
Over 80 people gathered in Peace Park Katoomba today to reflect on all victims of war: those who died in battle; those who were maimed physically and/or psychologically; the suffering of loved ones and relatives on the homefront; and those who opposed conscription and war. It was an opportunity to reflect on the causes of war and call for a future of peace and reconciliation. @bm_peace_collective #peace #anzacday #peacenetwork #planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains...
‘The resistance’ to the destructive forces at play in our world is alive, well and spreading infectiously in the welcoming and inclusive zine community. Zines are small, handmade independent `magazines` that are not-for-profit and made for love. Read about the recent inspiring Blue Mountains Zine Fair in our Katoomba Area Local News here: https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/blue-mountains-zine-fair/ (link in profile) and go along to the Mtns Zine Club`s monthly meet-up for making, swapping and sharing zines this Sunday 27 April at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre from 1.30 to 3.30pm (usually on third Sunday of each month) @mtnszineclub #zines #independentpublishing #resistance #planetaryhealth #club #bluemountains #katoomba #artmaking #creative...
Do you have food growing in your garden over winter? At our next Skill Share on Saturday 3 May you can find out which edible foods grow well over winter in a cold climate, and get hands-on experience building and planting out a no-dig garden bed with a winter crop at the Planetary Health Centre. Through this process you will be given an introduction to permaculture and learn more about seed saving, seed germination, composting and cold climate gardening strategies. Seeds and seedlings will be shared to help you get started at home! Places are limited so bookings essential here: http://bit.ly/4jqRerw (link in profile) #coldclimategardening #wintergardens #ediblegardens #bluemountains #katoomba #planetaryhealth #permaculture #skillshare...
At the Blue Mountains Interfaith Gathering on the 30 March, 97-year old Sister Jacinta Shailer from the Sisters of the Good Samaritan urged us to respond to the increasing challenges facing us by `joining heroic communities’. Read more about what she said and all the other inspiring contributions on the day in our Katoomba Area Local News here: https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/create-heroic-communities/ (link in profile) #interfaith #heroiccommunities #bahai #brahamkumaris #quakers #unitingchurch #catholic #bluemountains #planetaryhealth #katoomba @planetaryhealthalliance...
Our Planetary Health newsletter is now out! Read about the Trainee Administration Position available with the Planetary Health Centre, our upcoming workshops, and the Heroic Communities of the Blue Mountains who are finding housing for older women; creating inclusive and creative alternative media with zines; sharing their faith in the value of compassion, love, kindness, gratitude and joy; and sharing skills for improving physical and mental health and restoring habitat for wildlife, reducing textile waste and growing seeds and edible gardens.
Follow the link here: https://bit.ly/42l8W9O (link in profile)
Skill Share Saturdays, held at the Planetary Health Centre on the first Saturday of every month, are a way to re-set and put aside a few hours each month to have some fun and learn something new: from Tai’chi to fashion upcycling, bushcare and more.
