Physicians For Social Responsibility Inc

Programs: Climate change: believing that climate change is a public health crisis, we work to reduce use of greenhouse gas emitting fuels, to support clean energy, and to advocate for policies that reduce the threat of climate change. We educate both the public and members of the medical community to better understand the links between climate change and human health, and we engage in advocacy with decision makers to mitigate climate change in washington state. In 2017 we held a variety of advocacy trainings, including a three-part series of advanced communications trainings for our health professionals who wanted to sharpen their public speaking skills. We testified at numerous public forums and hearings on proposed coal, oil, and fracked gas projects, as well as in support of land use rules that would prevent new fossil fuel projects in our region. Wpsr members supported the next generation of health activists by speaking about climate change and health at the university of washington, uw-bothell, and seattle university.

nuclear weapons abolition: we understand the use of even one nuclear weapon would have disastrous consequences, so we work to prevent the use and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Our efforts in 2017 focused on directly impacting decision makers (our members of congress) and on building a grassroots movement calling for nuclear weapons abolition. Our coalition, washington against nuclear weapons, grew to 30 organizational members. We held a number of meetings with our members of congress and their staff members, to educate and urge them to support legislation that would restrict the president's ability to launch nuclear weapons, including in north korea. Our staff and volunteers secured a number of earned media appearances, including in print, radio, and television. We hosted 20 educational events across the state, including a speakers' training.

economic inequity: in 2017, we partnered with the washington work and family coalition to support an effective, mandated, statewide family leave act which would provide paid leave for new parents. The washington state legislature passed the nation's most comprehensive paid leave policy, which will provide 12-18 weeks of paid leave for new parents, beginning in 2020. After passage of the paid family and medical leave act, we began to turn our attention to other issues connected to economic inequity, including tax reform, homelessness, and drug use. Our economic inequity and health task force has grown considerably, and now includes students, public health professionals, and practicing clinicians. We are working to support policies that would reduce economic inequity in washington state, as well as improve the health of individuals who are already suffering the health consequences of extreme inequity.