Polluting our Air: WPSR joins Airshow Climate Action Coalition in calling on Seafair - no more Blue Angels!
Washington health professionals join coalition opposing Blue Angels at Seattle Seafair due to air pollution, noise damage, and PTSD triggers for veterans.
Image courtesy of 350 Seattle.
Seattle’s Sefair can be a fun, enjoyable and safe time for all.
However, the environmental and health impacts of the Blue Angels is something our community can no longer ignore.
Military airshows burn massive amounts of jet fuel during test flights and performances, spewing air pollution directly into our communities. The aircraft produce 110-decibel noise that can permanently damage hearing, especially in children. For some combat veterans and refugees, the sounds and sights of military jets can trigger PTSD and traumatic memories.
The financial costs run into the millions, using taxpayer dollars that could support community health, instead of an endless war machine that promotes militarism.
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility has a long history of anti-militaristic and pro-health organizing. That’s why we’ve joined the Airshow Climate Action Coalition and its members to contribute to the campaign to Say No to Blue Angels and push for a calmer, quieter, safer and healthier Seattle Seafair.
On August 2nd, health professionals joined the coalition for a day of organizing and show of support for this campaign, marching to Genesee Park in Seattle, offering earplugs to protect attendees’ hearing while educating the public about the health impacts of military airshows.
The movement is gaining momentum. Climate and Health Task Force Co-Chair Dr. Breck Lebegue, authored an op-ed in the Seattle Times in 2024 on the issue, "Let’s honor the past but bid farewell to the Blue Angels". Since then, thousands have signed a petition calling on for a reimagined Seafair-doubling in just one year.
It’s time for Seattle to align its values with its actions. We encourage mode shift of transportation away from planes and lanes toward rail, bikes, and walking, we cannot simultaneously celebrate fossil-fueled military spectacles.
WPSR advocates for transitioning away from practices that perpetuate the fossil fuel industry, while reminding our community that growing military budgets fund the nuclear weapons that threaten our survival.
Join the thousands calling for a sustainable, healthy Seafair that celebrates our community without harming it. Sign the petition below!
Health Groups Urge Governor Ferguson to Address Microplastics Health Crisis
WPSR joined a coalition of 50+ Washington health and environmental groups calling on Governor Ferguson to petition the EPA for microplastics monitoring in drinking water. The initiative would leverage a rarely-used Safe Drinking Water Act provision requiring federal action when seven governors petition for contaminant monitoring.
July 22, 2025 - Seattle, WA
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR) joined over 50 Washington environmental, climate, and public health groups in calling on Governor Ferguson to petition the federal government to monitor microplastics in our drinking water. The coalition, led by Food & Water Watch, is urging the Governor to leverage a provision in the Safe Drinking Water Act that requires EPA action when seven governors petition for monitoring of a specific contaminant.
Growing Health Evidence Demands Action
Emerging research reveals that microplastics pose serious threats to human health. These tiny plastic particles - smaller than 5 millimeters - have been detected throughout the human body, including in vital organs.
"Microplastics are contributing to an increased burden of disease in our state and across the country," said Adam Lough, MHA, of WPSR’s Climate and Health Task Force. "That increase in disease burden drives up the cost of healthcare for all players in the industry. Tracking microplastic contamination in our water is a necessary first step in limiting exposure. Governor Ferguson can help us lead the nation in doing so with this effort."
Recent scientific studies have linked microplastics exposure to multiple health concerns:
Cardiovascular damage: Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found microplastics in arterial plaques and linked their presence to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes
Organ infiltration: Studies have detected microplastics in the kidney, liver, brain, and placental tissue
Systemic inflammation: Laboratory studies show microplastics can trigger oxidative stress and inflammatory responses throughout the body
Endocrine disruption: The chemical additives in microplastics may interfere with hormone function
Climate and Health Connection
The microplastics crisis is intrinsically linked to climate change. Approximately 98% of single-use plastic is made from petrochemicals derived from oil and gas, making plastic production a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions. As plastic waste accumulates in the environment, it breaks down into microplastics that contaminate water, air, and food systems.
"This is both a public health emergency and a climate crisis," Lough noted. "By addressing microplastics, we're tackling two of the most pressing challenges facing our generation."
Washington Waters Already Contaminated
Local research confirms widespread microplastic contamination in Washington's waterways:
Puget Soundkeeper found microplastics in all 69 water samples collected across Puget Sound between 2019-2020, with an average of 13 particles per sample
University of Washington research documented plastic microfibers as common on Puget Sound beaches
Seattle Aquarium studies revealed microplastics pollution along Seattle's waterfront
What is WPSR doing to address microplastics?
We're seeing the early warning signs of a public health crisis. Microplastics represent a new class of environmental health threat that requires immediate attention. We cannot wait for the health consequences to fully manifest before taking action.
We’re working with our partners at Food and Water Watch on letters like this, to ensure that Washington leads the way on calling for federal action in monitoring microplastics in our drinking water. Currently, microplastics remain unregulated and unmonitored at the federal level, despite their ubiquitous presence in drinking water systems nationwide. California recently became the first state to require microplastics testing, but comprehensive federal oversight is essential to protect public health.
The petition leverages a rarely-used provision in the Safe Drinking Water Act: when seven governors petition the EPA to monitor a specific contaminant, the agency must add it to the national monitoring list. This would be the first step toward eventual federal regulation of microplastics in drinking water.
WPSR is also conducting its own learning and work. Interested in helping us tackle the health and climate impacts of microplastics? Sign-up for WPSR’s climate updates and consider joining our microplastics and waste working group, which meets monthly to discuss these issues.
For more information about WPSR's work on environmental health issues, visit wpsr.org/climate.
Why heatwaves are a mental health emergency we must address
Mental health and members of WPSR professionals reveal how extreme heat drives psychiatric emergencies, climate anxiety, and depression. Learn why heat preparedness must include mental health support.
Larry Freeman, MD, McKenna Parnes PhD, and Robert Berley, PhD, are mental health professionals who have been concerned about the emotional and psychological toll of climate change, and members of the Climate and Health Task Force at Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility.
With summer upon us, heat and smoke are once again looming threats. Among these threats is a quieter, equally as serious crisis: the mental and emotional impacts of our changing climate.
Climate change is driving a wave of emotional distress, especially among young people. A 2023 global survey found that over 85% of people around the world report some form of anxiety about climate change and their futures. The severity of distress increases as respondents indicate that they do not feel governments have addressed this problem effectively. Roughly two thirds of young adults report climate distress, but less than half of that group believes others share their fears - worsening feelings of helpless concern and isolation. A majority of adults over 30 worry about the emotional effects the younger generations will face. Chronic worry and feelings of isolation and powerlessness have not only psychological harms: physical health and interpersonal relationships suffer as well.
Even here in the Pacific Northwest where many don’t consider it to be “too hot”, excessive heat has specific mental health effects: irritability, anger and conflict; domestic violence and resultant PTSD incidents; apprehension and feeling trapped; sleep loss which undermines physical and psychological well-being. The groups most at risk, i.e., young people, outdoor workers, the elderly, and people without air conditioning deserve particular concern.
We see elderly patients who become housebound during heatwaves, developing depression from isolation. We hear stories of workers, of whom mom or dad is one, at risk in the hot weather. Children share their concerns about the future, seeing an orange sky and worrying that the apocalypse is happening. Outdoor workers wrestle with the decisions between safety and a paycheck.
A 2022 study in Environment International shows for every 1 degree celsius increase in temperature, emergency psychiatric visits increase and heat-related mental health deaths increase by 2.2%. Domestic violence incidents spike during these times.
For those already struggling with climate anxiety, extreme heat becomes confirmation that their fears are materializing. The combination creates a dangerous spiral: heat worsens mental health, while climate anxiety makes each heat event more traumatic. People taking psychiatric medicines frequently have even greater susceptibility to heat related physical health complications.
The “heat dome” we experienced in 2021 will happen again. How will we react? Or most importantly, how will we prepare? We cannot let another summer pass without acknowledging this emergency. The mental health impacts of climate emergencies need more attention.
We must treat this like the public health crisis it is. Mental health considerations must be built into every layer of our emergency response.
Ensuring mental health considerations in emergency preparedness is no longer a “nice to have”, but a necessity. We call upon physicians, hospitals, counselors, schools, governments, religious leaders, and businesses to accept their responsibility and lead us through this crisis. When communities prepare for heat emergencies together, they build physical safety and psychological resilience.
We’re obliged to consider things we might not have considered. For example, cooling schools isn’t just about keeping a school cool, but reducing the emotional burden on children, teachers, and caregivers. Employers must adjust the expectations of workers during heatwaves.
Governments have a significant role to play. Expanding urban tree canopy keeps those in public spaces cool, and increasing access to greenspace has significant benefits for children’s mental health. Developing heat mitigations plans will equip hospitals and emergency department with the funding and processes they need to save lives during heat crises. Buildings - both new and old - must equip the cooling infrastructure they need to protect those most vulnerable.
Being upset about the climate means one has the courage to pay attention and care appropriately. Having these concerns isn’t so-called “climate hypochondriasis”. We are facing a real crisis that needs action. The good news is that action itself heals. Community efforts to address climate change provide us the sense of agency and connection that counters climate anxiety.
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Applauds Introduction of Recycling Reform Act
Dr. Mark Vossler of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility joined Zero Waste Washington, Rep. Liz Berry and Senator Liz Lovelett on Thursday January 16th in Olympia to discuss HB 1150, the Recycling Reform Act.
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR) joined Zero Waste Washington, Senator Liz Lovelett and Representative Liz Berry this Thursday for a press event on the Recycling Reform Act, which will help to transform the state’s recycling systems address Washington’s growing waste crisis, and improve public health.
At the press event announcing the bill, WPSR Task Force member and cardiologist Dr. Mark Vossler spoke about the urgent health implications of Washington’s recycling challenges. Vossler noted that toxic emissions from improperly managed waste and incineration contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. By improving how we manage materials, this bill will reduce pollution, protect vulnerable communities, and create a healthier future for all Washingtonians.
The Recycling Reform Act aims to reduce waste generation, improve recycling infrastructure, and ensure that producers take responsibility for the lifecycle of their products. By addressing these systemic gaps, the legislation will not only lower greenhouse gas emissions but also curb harmful pollutants that disproportionately affect overburdened communities.
HB 1150 will be heard in the House Environment and Energy Committee on January 21st.
WPSR applauds the leadership of Senator Lovelett and Representative Berry in advancing this bill, which will help to address the public health issues related to recycling. We advocate for swift passage to protect the health of Washington residents and ecosystems.
Watch the full press conference.
Learn more about the bill here.
Read more about WPSR’s Healthy Climate Agenda here.