“You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.”
―Mahatma Gandhi

I take words like those above to heart. I think it’s important that we speak up and take action about things that we believe are important. It’s the reason I wrote my book and maintain this blog.

I’m not the only physician who speaks out against some of the problems associated with fossil fuels. Most physicians who do speak out address specific health concerns that affect the public when we protest against such things as offshore oil drilling, development of the Alberta tar sands, and fracking for shale gas.

One such physician is Dr. Angela LeGresley, an emergency doctor in Moncton, New Brunswick. She investigated the information around fracking for shale gas and found that there were substantial health concerns. Despite requesting information from the oil and gas companies to supply her with facts to the contrary, neither of those industries were able to provide her with any such information.

So Dr. LeGresley is doing the best thing that she can. She’s speaking out on the subject. You can see a seven-minute video below and hear her message first-hand.

Often, global warming skeptics and deniers argue that those who speak out against fossil fuels are doing so for ulterior motives that they’re keeping hidden. Pushing leftist agendas is a common one I hear. This week I received a blog comment suggesting I’m doing what I’m doing—writing a book and maintaining a blog—to cash in on global warming. In response I pointed out that I can make excellent money working as a cardiologist, and that writing a book and maintaining a blog don’t break even, let alone make me any money.

No, there are no ulterior motives here. Just like Dr. LeGresley, we both speak out for no other reason than we think people need to hear these messages. We have nothing to gain by this but the hope that perhaps we’ll help our planet and the health of the people living on it in some small way.

Doctors care about the health of people, and not just those who step foot in our offices. In the same way that we speak out in support of smoking bans in public places or mandatory helmets for cyclists, we care about many health issues in general. The most significant way that global warming is going to hurt our species is with adverse effects to our health.

I think Dr. LeGresley provided a great message about her own personal study into fracking for shale gas and the health concerns associated with it. She and many physicians have supported moratoriums on the development of fracking for these reasons.

Deep down, doctors care.