Planetary Health NewsStrengthening community and restoring the health of our planet.
Future Doctors Learn About Planetary Health
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!
Mould, lead paint, asbestos, silica dust from engineered stone bench tops and a wide range of chemicals, are amongst some of the many hazardous substances entering our environment and negatively impacting our health. Asbestos is found in over 3000 products including textured paints, moulded garden pots, brake pads and clutch linings in older cars, floor and ceiling tiles, lino, fibro, roofing, pipes and gutters, hot water systems, backing for switchboards and insulation boards in air-conditioning ducts, insulation, sealants, fillers, caulking and adhesives, gaskets for industrial and lab equipment and more. We’ll have information to take away and Blue Mountains City Council and the Asbestos and Hazardous Materials Consultants Association (AHCA) will be running free workshops on how to identify and manage these hazardous substances at the Planetary Health Centre`s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. Find out more and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Are you ready for the next bushfire, heatwave or flood? Why not take steps to prepare at the Planetary Health Centre`s Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 Nov. Award-winning Hempcrete designer Kirstie Wulf from @shelter.building.design will share 10 steps to build or renovate for sustainability and resilience; engineer Mark Liebman will share how you can build a green roof to reduce stormwater runoff and cool your building; Dr Agnieszka Wujeska-Klause will share research results on the most appropriate actions to lower heat in summer and help you use a thermal imaging camera to identify which surfaces retain the most heat; Frank Inzitari will introduce you to the @firehalo.au which can help reduce ember attack; and a team from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will work with you to use the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit to design your own personal bushfire plan. We`ll also be launching Firecoat`s new Bushfire Home Protection Kit. Learn more and register to attend here: https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
There are so many extraordinary volunteers keeping us and wildlife safe all year round! Come along and meet them at the Expo and Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on Saturday 22nd Nov. Learn what you can do to be ready for emergencies, and how you can volunteer or help in some other way. Together we can be more prepared and reduce the risk of disaster. There`ll be a free sausage sizzle so help give us an idea of numbers by registering here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Thank you Blue Mountains community for the generous donation of 11 sewing machines which we`ll be using for our free sewing workshop with Boomerang Bags at the Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 November at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. It`s an opportunity for the whole family to make free Christmas presents that `don`t cost the earth`! Register here if you`d like to attend (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J (and you`ll get a free fire retardant plant from Santa while you`re there!)
Did you know that Australia has the world`s highest incidence of asbestos-related diseases per capita in the world, killing more than 4,000 Australians every year - three times more than the annual road toll; and that asbestos-related deaths are predicted to rise! Asbestos isn’t just in fibro homes and sheds - it was used in the manufacture of more than 3000 asbestos containing products with many of these products remaining in any brick, fibro, weatherboard, clad home or apartment built or renovated before 1990. Asbestos was used everywhere in homes - lurking under floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, home extensions, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even in dog kennels. Exposure to asbestos fibres during home renovations has been linked to 51% of mesothelioma deaths. There is no cure for mesothelioma. The average survival time following diagnosis is just 10-12 months. Homeowners, renovators and tradies are most at risk of exposure if they disturb asbestos containing materials. On Saturday 22 November, “Betty – The Asbestos Education House” will be a prominent feature of the Blue Mountains City Council’s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo to help educate local homeowners and tradies about the dangers of asbestos that remains lurking in 1-in-3 Aussie homes including many throughout the Blue Mountains region as part of National Asbestos Awareness Month (November). There will also be workshops and stalls on asbestos and a range of other hazardous materials and how you can manage them to protect youreself, your family and your community. Find out more and register here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Emily from @handsheartfeet will be leading a free drumming workshop at the Planetary Health Centre Expo and Family Day in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. It`s suitable for all ages and so much fun! Places are limited so reserve your spot here: https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J (link in profile)
The Planetary Health newsletter is now out! Read it here: https://bit.ly/4o1FflK (link in profile)
It includes: • Expo and Family Day on Nov 22 • A Story of Purpose & Mental Health with Rotarian Peter Joseph AM from the Black Dog Institute on Nov 29 • How to Use a Sewing Machine Workshop on Nov 29 • Qigong, Upper Mountains Seed Saving & Gardening Group and Planetary Health Bushcare on Dec 6 • Legalising human composting as a sustainable death care option in NSW • The Climate Risk and Adaptation Plan for the Blue Mountains
We are so excited to be launching revolutionary new fire protection coatings that can stop your home burning down and slow the spread of fire. Learn more and pick up a sample pot at the Planetary Health Expo on Sat 22 Nov at 10am. FIRECOAT interior and exterior undercoat has been developed by scientists at UNSW and is already available for this fire season but new products will also be shared at the Expo, including a flexible fire-protective covering designed for temporary use on windows, doors, poles, fences, vehicles, equipment and other small assets. There is even a product that can create a fire-protective barrier around your home and these assets. FIRECOAT is waterproof, non toxic and game changing. Register here to attend the launch (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J and PLEASE SHARE. This breakthrough technology can help make our communities safer.
We’re thrilled that engineer Mark Liebman, who built a green roof in Blackheath, will be giving a free talk at the Planetary Health Centre Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 November. Green roofs cool buildings, reduce stormwater runoff and increase biodiversity. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and get tips on how to do it yourself. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Are there native bees and insects in your garden? Today is the first day of Australian Pollinator Week and native bee ecologist and musician @amelie_ecology has just released a new single with Costa Georgiadis @costasworld called ‘Not all Pests’. We’re thrilled that Amelie will be performing her songs and running a free interactive workshop on what we can do to support our native pollinators at the Planetary Health Expo and Family Day on Saturday 22nd November. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
and you can stream ’Not all Pests’ here (link in profile): https://amelieecology.bandcamp.com/track/not-all-pests
There are so many ways to have a greener healthier Christmas! Ever thought of giving a voucher for Tai Chi and Qigong classes? You can try out one of our Qigong classes at the Planetary Health Centre this Saturday at 9am. Tutor Virginia Field is currently introducing Qigong`s 5-Animals Play, an ancient practice which developed from observing animals and mimicking their behaviour. Reserve a spot here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3JlOAXh Find other ideas for a greener Christmas on Council`s website here: www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/greenchristmas
Or come along to our Expo and Family Day on 22 November and try out some other great options like drumming classes, sewing and fashion upcycling! Register to attend here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/disaster-risk-awareness-expo-or-full-cycle-2025
We’ve had some great news! Santa is coming to the free Community BBQ at the Planetary Health Centre Expo in Katoomba on Saturday 22 November. He’s arriving early to help us celebrate Christmas in a way that’s safer and healthier for us and the planet, and he’s let us know that he’ll be giving everyone who comes a free fire-retardant plant for their garden. We’re so thrilled we’re putting on fun family events for the day: from a fabulous free drumming workshop with Emily from Hands, Heart and Feet, to live music and a pollinator hunt with Amelie Ecology, and workshops to create plastic-free Christmas presents. There’ll also be an opportunity to meet the RFS, NSW Fire & Rescue, Red Cross and other emergency services. Come and learn ways to keep the family safe while also having fun, enjoying a coffee, sampling some plant-based sweets and a free BBQ lunch, and taking home lots of useful information about hazardous materials and preparing for extreme weather events! Register here to attend (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/disaster-risk-awareness-expo-or-full-cycle-2025?
There is a little bit of magic happening on Wednesdays at the Planetary Health Centre as young volunteers from Kindlehill School, and Council staff, work together to create a demonstration site for the wider community. This hands-on program is inspiring all involved, including teacher Sarah Daniel.
