Dr. Brian Moench

I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Brian Moench, current President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment’s abbreviated mission statement is, “Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment is dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of the citizens of Utah by promoting science based health education and interventions that result in progressive, measureable improvements to the environment.” http://uphe.org/about-us/goals-and-mission/ While this gives us a slight insight to the passion behind Dr. Moench’s work, the focus for my project relates to Utah’s air quality and the effects on Utah resident’s health. I have featured 4 different interactions with Dr. Moench to shed light on the difference he is trying to make in our community.

A most interesting and slightly humorous find, created by Dr. Moench is a cartoon written and illustrated by him back in 2000. The cartoon depicts a middle aged red headed woman who is a hospital patient, laying in a hospital bed situated in the dark, creepy basement of a hospital. The woman is surrounded by 4 dead bodies that have been covered up by a sheet. She is sitting up facing a hospital worker who says to her, “Well dear, this is your HMO’s idea of semi-private.” I found this cartoon on an online medical journal titled “Oncologist.” http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/5/6/531.3.full

From the article the writer says, “Dr. Moench’s levity helps to gently remind physicians and caregivers that, indeed, laughter is the best medicine.” I really enjoyed finding this insight to my character of focus and feel it breathed a relatability to someone I have never met. On a more serious note, we focus on the correlation of Dr. Moench and my local issue of concern, the air quality in Utah. Dr. Moench has been raising awareness about air pollution for over a decade and is serving the community by asking citizens to take the initiative to help fight for the air quality they deserve. From a website about the environment, https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/05/02/unmasking-our-cities-air-pollution-will-require-local-state-and-federal-climate, Dr. Moench is a featured writer and shares some very important facts with the public. From the article, “Winter conditions trap pollution from vehicle emissions, buildings, homes and industries, intermittently earning Salt Lake City the dubious distinction of having the worst air quality in the nation.”

While Utah is a strong focus for local Dr. Brian Moench, he also focuses on the problems of pollution from a national level as well. The State of the Air Report, https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/?utm_source=web&utm_medium=hmpg-promo&utm_campaign=StateOfTheAir2017
does indicate an overall improvement of air quality nationally but there are bigger concerns at bay. From the article on the site CommonDreams.org, Moench reminds us about the policies that have been responsible for the improvement. Moench says, “Members of Congress want to dismantle the Federal Clean Air Act, which is responsible for the air quality gains over the past 30 years.” If we don’t follow these cues from Dr. Moench and fight for the Clean Air Act to stay in place, we will be facing some bigger problems with air quality than we currently have.

Dr. Moench is a local celebrity to environmental followers in the Utah Valley. Weber State University recently hosted an event for Dr. Moench to share with the public his years of research and expertise regarding the state of our air quality in Utah. One of my favorite things about Dr. Moench is that he has a strong focus on the future generations, and how our choices today will leave an imprint on their lives and the lives of their children. From the advertisement about Dr. Moench’s event, https://www.weber.edu/WSUImages/environment/Brian%20Moench%20-%20physician.pdf
Moench’s quote has stood out to me, “You are what your grandparents inhaled, your grandchildren will be what you inhale.” This strong picture helps us to understand our responsibility in how our decisions today will affect the future generations to come.

In conclusion, I share with you some recent dialect from Dr. Moench that was featured in an article on 2/3/2019 on Fox 13 News, titled, “Fight over the Inland Port.” https://fox13now.com/2019/02/03/locals-upset-worried-inland-port-plan-in-salt-lake-city-will-hurt-air-quality/ This inland port has economic benefits, but environmental threats locally. While this decision will be made, without most local Utahan’s even aware of its possibility, situations like these have added to the air quality we are suffering in today. In a most concerning quote by Dr. Moench, “It could be in fact the worst source of air pollution that the Wasatch front has experienced in its modern day.” Coming from someone who has made the environment a strong focus of his life’s work, this quote really hit home for me. In closing I want to share one final quote from this same article, Moench says, “We’re not in desperate need of an economic stimulus, but we are in desperate need for clean air.”
I am proud to find such a dynamic individual living and working in our community to protect the current citizens and take into consideration the generations to come. It is our responsibility individually to consider our footprint, and how our daily living is adding to this issue at hand or helping to make an improvement to the air quality locally. With the threat of growing population in Utah, I am fearful for the future of our beautiful state and am strongly inspired but such great people like Dr. Moench.