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Thought Leadership, Current Events, and Resources for Climate Communicators
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Children at the Center
Climate change is not a distant problem for children to face someday. It is already shaping the places where children grow, learn, and play. From the air they breathe and water they drink to their homes, schools, and playgrounds…
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Local Action Is Still My Reason for Climate Optimism
Hello again, Climate for Health community. Almost five years ago, when I was newly at the helm of the American Public Health Association’s Center for Climate, Health and Equity, I introduced myself to you the same way I’m about to now: by answering the question I get asked more than any other. Where do you…
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Climate Solutions to Build Health Equity and Community Ownership
The path to climate and health solutions must balance thoughtful consideration of justice and equity issues and rapid implementation of essential mitigation and adaptation strategies…
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Leading U.S. Health Organizations Call for Action on Mental Health and Climate Change
Last month, as part of American Climate Leadership Summit 2020, 17 national organizations publicly announced the Social Climate Leadership Group (SCLG), a newly formed effort to address the mental health aspects of climate change. The launch also included the group’s Vision and a Call (below) for others to join. The SCLG intends to accelerate attention…
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Perspectives on Climate Change, COVID-19, and Public Health from Utah
Path to Positive Utah and board member of our partner Utah Clean Energy Dr. Jeff Robison, the director of the Global, Rural, and Underserved Child Health Program at the University of Utah School of Medicine and a pediatric emergency medicine, penned a piece that lays out the commonalities between the public health impacts of climate…
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Climate for Health Ambassadors Training at NACCHO 360
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) partnered with ecoAmerica to host a Climate for Health Ambassadors training on July 6, 2020. This training occurred as a pre-conference workshop during NACCHO’s Annual Conference (NACCHO 360). As climate change continues to impact people’s health, livelihoods, and communities, they are looking for guidance on solutions in their…
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Then and Now: Dismantling Systemic Racism for Equity
Although the recent swell of a global pandemic and exposure of the deep-rooted heinous incidents of police brutality have incited protests, triggered a wave of statements, goodwill, and diversity and inclusion efforts across corporate and institutional sectors, it is important to recognize the long-standing grassroots efforts of activists in the US. For several years a…
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Energy Justice: A Public Health Issue
On a recent Let’s Talk Climate episode, I sat down with Surili Patel from the American Public Health Association (APHA) to discuss one of their newest priorities, energy justice. As Surili reminded us, “If it’s harming people, it’s our problem. So advancing energy justice is now APHA’s business.” Our conversation started with the definition of…
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Taking action to improve health: Advocacy resources and success stories from health care sector
Health professionals have an ethical responsibility to take action to protect the health of our patients and communities. They have a unique opportunity to influence public opinion and policymaking in support of climate solutions as trusted messengers. Health Care Without Harm’s new resource, “How to get started as a health professional advocate for climate policy…
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Engaging the Health Sector in Climate Action
On this special episode of ecoAmerica’s Let’s Talk Climate series, I had a conversation with Gloria Barrera, RN, and Jerome Paulson, MD, about engaging their peers, community, and policymakers on climate action. This 20-minute episode is jam packed with advice and insight from our speakers. We were inspired to have this discussion today by way…
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Georgia Chapter of The American Academy of Pediatrics Adopts a Resolution on Climate Change and Child Health
In February, the Georgia American Academy of Pediatrics’ Board of Directors voted to adopt a resolution on climate change and child health. The resolution, now available online, underscores how climate change is harming the health of children in Georgia and joins the national AAP in endorsing, “Climate, Health, and Equity: A policy action agenda.” As…
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Vote for Children’s Environmental Health and Equity
Our children are our most valuable resources, yet their health and that of their families and communities have not been at the forefront of our nation’s policies and programs. Between a global pandemic, the climate crisis, crumbling infrastructure, underfunded public health systems, and long overdue conversations concerning pervasive structural racism, we are faced with interconnected…
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National Association of School Nurses joins Nursing Collaborative on Climate Change and Health to Advance Climate Solutions and Promote Child Health
“There is nothing more important to the health of our children than the health of our planet.” With this assertion, Janis Hogan, Maine’s National Association of School Nurses, (NASN), Director, captures the connection between the vision of NASN, that all students are healthy, safe, and ready to learn, and the urgency for school nurses to…
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NEW Research on Climate Change & Birth Outcomes
Last September, JAMA Network Open (JNO), the online, open-access version of one of the country’s most highly regarded medical journals, put out a “call for papers” about the health impacts of climate change. They noted a particular interest in research on vulnerable groups, such as “people at the extremes of age, those with chronic illness,…
