Seattle’s Innovation and Leadership in Climate Equity Panelist Q&A: Howard Frumkin, M.D.
By Yordanos Tesfazion
Howard Frumkin, M.D. is currently a Professor Emeritus of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington School of Public Health, where he previously was the Dean from 2010-2016. Before his time at the University of Washington, he worked at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2005-2010, first as the Director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR) and then as the special assistant to the CDC Director for Climate Change and Health.
In between his countless academic and federal public health endeavors, he has authored, co-authored and edited over 300 pieces of literature. Most recently, Dr. Frumkin and his colleagues made national news when they announced they would move forward with publishing the country’s first National Nature Assessment after President Trump signed an executive order terminating the study just days before their draft deadline.
Dr. Frumkin is on the panel for our upcoming Earth Day event at Town Hall Seattle! Learn more about his research and ideas ahead of the April 22nd event:
The book you co-authored, Planetary Health: Protecting Nature to Protect Ourselves, delves into the harsh realities of human impact on our earth’s wellbeing, and how the decline in our planet’s health is putting its inhabitants’ health at risk. What kind of environmental challenges, benefits, and health risks do we face in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest and how do they differ from other parts of the country?
Each place is unique, and we’re lucky that our corner of the world is not only unique but also uniquely beautiful. We have plentiful access to nature, both within our cities and in neighboring rural areas. Our nature is diverse, from forests to mountains to rivers and coasts. We have inspiring fauna, from bald eagles to orcas, and awesome flora, from mushrooms to Douglas firs. This nearby nature delivers an astonishing range of health and well-being benefits. Some are physical, such as lower blood pressure and better birth outcomes. Some are mental and behavioral, such as reduced stress, depression, and anxiety. Some are spiritual—the sense of awe and reverence that nature triggers in many of us—and some are cultural, especially for our region’s tribes. Of course we face challenges too. Nature-based activities bring risks, from sunburn to falls, ‘though most of these risks can be effectively managed. Another challenge is that we’ve not always been good stewards of our natural endowment—think of the pollution of the Duwamish River or the over-harvesting of some of our forests. Some of those legacies threaten health today, especially for fenceline communities. And climate change is threatening many elements of the natural world. In fact, climate change brings health risks, from wildfire smoke to newly invasive infectious diseases. Happily, some of the solutions—both in building resilience to climate change and in reducing carbon emissions—rely on nature, as I mention below.
While Seattle is known for its gloomy and rainy weather, the sun brings millions of people to the city each year, especially in the summer. As much as we enjoy the warmer weather, each summer seems to be hotter than the last. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau’s biannual housing survey revealed that for the first time, more than half (53%) of homes in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties have air conditioning. What other changes can residents in the region expect to make in the near future as temperatures continue to rise?
Rising temperatures are just one of the impacts of climate change. We’re also seeing more chaotic weather including more severe storms, rising sea levels, catastrophic fires, and ocean acidification. These are all intensifying. We need to practice primary prevention—reducing our carbon emissions and enhancing the planet’s ability to store carbon in vegetation and soil—and our state is a leader in this respect. We also need to adapt to what’s unavoidable and become more resilient. As one example, adapting to extreme heat means not only air conditioning, but also early warning systems, neighborhood cooling centers, neighbor-to-neighbor check-in arrangements, changing our outdoor recreation schedules, hospital preparedness planning, and more. As another example, adaptation to more severe rainfall means rethinking some of our building and zoning practices, upgrading our stormwater management infrastructure, and more. And as a third example, adaptation to more severe coastal storms and rising sea levels means rethinking what and where we build near coastlines, moving some vulnerable communities inland, and creating more resilient coastal defenses. Importantly, for each of these climate-related threats, nature offers solutions—a sweet spot for Seattle Parks Foundation and allied groups. Increasing tree canopy in our cities both helps keep them cool and manage stormwater. “Living shorelines” help stabilize coastal areas, reduce erosion, and enhance habitat. These “nature-based solutions” are great investments, because they offer collateral benefits—recreational venues, quality of life, health and well-being. As a health professional, I especially appreciate the health co-benefits. One of these benefits that’s important to flag is this: getting into nature is a great way to lift your spirits and deal with anxiety and depression—including climate anxiety.
Our strategic priorities at Seattle Parks Foundation emphasize the connections between equitable access to thriving parks, health, and the environment. In your contributions to The Power of Parks to Promote Health: Special Report, you mention that hospital systems should contribute to efforts dedicated to the upkeep of public parks. Beyond healthcare institutions, what other sectors do you believe could play a key role in enhancing and sustaining the impact of our parks and green spaces?
Parks are one of those social goods that call on us to be systems thinkers. As the First Law of Ecology reminds us, “everything is connected to everything else,” and parks are no exception. Health professionals and hospitals ought to care about parks and actively promote and support them, because parks are a proven health strategy. Transportation agencies ought to prioritize good transit service and bike/pedestrian access to parks, because members of the public need to get there. Educators ought to weave outdoor education and environmental curriculum into their teaching, from pre-K on up (including developing green schoolyards), because of the many developmental, cognitive, and social benefits nature-based education provides to children. Social service agencies ought to collaborate closely with parks departments, because parks are ideal venues for bringing people together, delivering recreational programming, hosting volunteering, and offering classes and services. Private businesses ought to view parks as ideal opportunities for community engagement—say, workdays for their employees—and for community donations. Food advocates and parks are natural partners, because parks can be sites for community gardens, for healthy food concessions, and for farmers markets. Law enforcement needs to be involved, working closely with local communities, to be sure parks are safe—and are perceived as safe—for everybody, with special emphasis on those who have reasons to feel unsafe, such as members of minoritized groups, immigrant communities, seniors, and people with disabilities. The list goes on. Great parks are everybody’s responsibility!
Thank you for sharing more about yourself and your work, Dr. Frumkin! Learn more from Dr. Frumkin and other local leaders in climate and equity at our Earth Day panel at Town Hall Seattle on April 22.