S5E4: Health and Environmental Justice with Anne Mellinger Birdsong

When we talk about climate change, a lot of people picture melting ice caps, heat waves, or rising sea levels. But one major piece of the puzzle often gets overlooked—our health. The same pollution that’s driving climate change is also impacting our bodies in ways we might not even realize. From lung disease to learning disabilities, from asthma attacks to mental health.

In this episode we’re talking with Dr. Anne Mellinger Birdsong, Health Advisor with Mothers & Others for Clean Air, about how pollution is affecting public health, why the South is particularly vulnerable, and what we can do to protect ourselves and push for change.

“The same greenhouse gases that impact the climate include dirty air and pollution. Air pollution affects people of all ages, and causes health effects such as learning disabilities, lung/asthma problems… and even mental health problems.” – Dr. Anne Mellinger Birdsong

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