Category News

ecoAmerica’s column in the National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health, “Staying Cool in a Changing Climate: Caring for Health in Extreme Heat” by Nicole Hill, MPH, and Ben Fulgencio-Turner, MPP, CPH is now available in the July/August 2023 issue...

ecoAmerica’s column in the National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health, “Staying Cool in a Changing Climate: Caring for Health in Extreme Heat” by Nicole Hill, MPH, and Ben Fulgencio-Turner, MPP, CPH is now available in the July/August 2023 issue...

We are dealing with a two-fold crisis of ill preparedness in the United States. An aging and increasingly economically disparate population that has complex chronic medical conditions...

Over the past century, the world has experienced a dramatic increase in emissions from burning fossil fuels, resulting in changes to the climate across the globe (Lindsey, 2022). We know that the outcome of these changes on human health is far-reaching, with every child around the world at risk from at least one climate change impact such as heat and air pollution (UNICEF, 2021). The 2022 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown (2022) confirms that life-threatening extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. These risks and health impacts are changing attitudes of people in the U.S. A 2022 ecoAmerica survey revealed that nearly 7 in 10 people in the U.S. agree that climate change is a serious problem (Hill, 2022).

Clinicians and public health workers are in the front lines of the climate crisis, seeing the real impacts on patients and communities. But it can be difficult to engage with others about these facts...

It is an understatement to say that attending the United Nations Convention of Parties conference, also known as COP can be an overwhelming and humbling experience. Now in its 27th year, stakeholders gather from every part of the world to…

In this episode of Let's Talk Climate, two leaders from Kaiser Permanente join us to discuss how patients and providers have experienced climate change, and the actions that they are taking: Seema Wadwha, the Executive Director of Environmental Stewardship at Kaiser Permanente and Dr. Colin Cave, the Medical Director of External Affairs, Government Relations and Community Health of Northwest Permanente. We are excited to see these partnerships grow and build momentum.

This past month, I attended my first United Nations General Assembly in New York. As a UN Liaison for Sigma Nursing, I was granted special access to the assembly hall where world leaders gathered to discuss challenges we face as…

The leading authority globally on climate change is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) within the United Nations. Every 5 years, the panel releases an extensive 3-part assessment on climate change that explores the science, the impacts, and the solutions. In February 2022, IPCC released findings from Working Group II as part of its Sixth Assessment Report. The Working Group II report—3,675 pages long itself—focused on climate change impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities. So, what do these findings mean for environmental health and you?

The caption on one of my favorite cartoons reads: ”My desire to be well-informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane.” Published in the New Yorker in 2017, David Sipress aptly describes the endless stream of bad…

September is National Preparedness Month and we are all aware of the growing risks. We are in the peak of hurricane season for the East Coast & Gulf South, a long wildfire season for much of the West, and deadly…

Last week marked the 17th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the failure of levees in New Orleans, and the flooding of much of the city. I was a college student in New Orleans in 2005 and when I think about Katrina…

Extreme weather takes many forms: massive hurricanes, overwhelming floods, prolonged and severe droughts- but few are as harmful to as many as extreme heat. We know that high temperatures hurt some more than others: outdoor workers, those in urban heat islands, people without access to air conditioning, or those with medical conditions like asthma and cardiopulmonary disease; recent evidence also suggests heat is linked to bad birth outcomes. 

At the recent ecoAmerica National Health and Climate Forum, I was invited to present some thoughts about self-care for those of us engaged in the climate fight.  I believe we must continuously invest in ourselves to do our best work now and to maintain this commitment over time.

ecoAmerica’s most recent contribution to the National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health, “Climate Changes Mental Health” is now available in the July 2022 issue.

Well, this is not unusual. Researchers from ecoAmerica have found that most Americans are concerned about climate change (75%)  according to their recent “American Climate Perspective Survey 2022, Volume 1” report. Not only does climate change have a profound impact on the environment(s) we call home, but it is a psychological burden for the communities that face its impacts every day.  

In this episode of Let’s Talk Climate co-hosted by the Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environments (ANHE), we hear from two nurse leaders about how nurses across the US are engaging with climate change where they live and work.

The epigraph from Katharine Hayhoe’s book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World captivates because it both provides us with a prescription for how to connect with our respective communities around the issue of climate change but also invites us to look inward to consider the parts of ourselves we can draw on to form the foundation of this connection. As I reflect on some of the formative experiences of my own life (and the writing I have used to process these experiences), I am thrilled to realize how each may permit me to relate — in some small way — to how others are affected by the climate crisis. Indeed, as Dr. Hayhoe reminds us — every person, everywhere will feel some part of the ruination climate change precipitates.

The May 2022 installment of the Let’s Talk Climate series highlights the critical importance of healthy pregnancies and sound minds as we navigate our environmental challenges.  Dr. Cathy Jordan explains how climate change endangers the mental wellbeing of ourselves and our children, and Climate for Health Fellow Bruce Bekkar provides an update on threats to healthy birth outcomes from heat and air pollution.  They conclude on a hopeful note, highlighting how we can access the healing powers of nature and other ways to protect patients, ourselves and our families from climate change.

On Thursday, April 21, 2022, a panel of climate champions from across the US joined us to share their unique approaches to local action that centers equity. From bringing students together from medical schools around the country and internationally to demand climate-centered curricula, to academics collaborating with national non-profits and grass-roots activists, their stories illustrate the power of engaging where you live.

The current and projected health outcomes of climate change-related events have catapulted climate and health to the forefront of public health worldwide and highlighted the urgent need for resources and educational materials that inspire, empower, and encourage public health leaders and community members to take action. In response to this need, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), has updated and developed resources for local health departments in the United States that promote climate and health, a crucial public health issue and health equity effort.

The 11th annual American Climate Leadership Summit has just completed, featuring dynamic and inspiring leaders from climate-centered nonprofits, local and national political offices, faith organizations, media, researchers, and student groups. Day 3 was the National Health + Climate Forum, providing updates on both physical and mental impacts, equity, and actions health professionals are taking to better care for patients and motivate policymakers to make needed changes.

In this unique blog post, Climate for Health Ambassador Dr. Kristin Hampshire and her daughter Karly, currently at UC San Francisco School of Medicine, share their joint purpose and passion for engaging with our climate crisis.

ecoAmerica’s most recent contribution to the National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health, “Climate Change: Everyone, Every Day” is now available in the March 2022 issue.

If you follow the polls on climate change, you will discover something interesting: 74% of people in the U.S. are concerned about climate change, with 46% saying they are very concerned. When you ask them if others around them are concerned, however, only 23% say others around them are very concerned. That is one-half the number of people who are actually very concerned about this issue (ecoAmerica, 2020). The gap in actual versus perceived climate concern contributes to inaction on the issue and points to the increasingly urgent need for visible climate leadership and engagement. While 74% of respondents say they are concerned about climate change, 6% report that they hear people they know talking about climate change at least once per week and 13% say it is once a month. That leaves 81% who speak about it a few times a year or less (Leiserowitz et al., 2021). Why, if so concerned about climate change, don’t people talk about it?

On Friday, February 18, a panel of leaders came together to bring to light the current state of the science on climate change and mental health. This webinar was co-hosted by the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, GWSPH Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, GW Climate & Health Institute, ecoAmerica, and Climate for Health. Together, the speakers discussed how this public health threat is being addressed in clinical practice and societal solutions.

ecoAmerica’s most recent contribution to the National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health, “Climate Change: Everyone, Every Day” is now available in the March 2022 issue.

If you follow the polls on climate change, you will discover something interesting: 74% of people in the U.S. are concerned about climate change, with 46% saying they are very concerned. When you ask them if others around them are concerned, however, only 23% say others around them are very concerned. That is one-half the number of people who are actually very concerned about this issue (ecoAmerica, 2020). The gap in actual versus perceived climate concern contributes to inaction on the issue and points to the increasingly urgent need for visible climate leadership and engagement. While 74% of respondents say they are concerned about climate change, 6% report that they hear people they know talking about climate change at least once per week and 13% say it is once a month. That leaves 81% who speak about it a few times a year or less (Leiserowitz et al., 2021). Why, if so concerned about climate change, don’t people talk about it?

Science communicators are making original, entertaining, and educational content that is reshaping the climate narrative and empowering people to feel hopeful about their future, their health, and their planet. They are using social media for good by combating misinformation and inspiring others to take action. 

Ella Niederhelman is a freelance journalist at the Ipswich Local News and a student at Ipswich High School. Niederhelman was certified in October 2021 as a Climate Ambassador with Harvard T.H. Chan C-CHANGE and Climate for Health after attending the inaugural Harvard Chan C-CHANGE youth climate summer this summer. In today's blog, Ella talks about what it means to her to have grown up in a small coastal town surrounded by rich ecosystems and her call to climate action.

Last year was difficult for many reasons, and with multiple COVID-19 variants, wildfires, extreme winter storms, record-breaking heat waves, and the third-most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, many of us are understandably more concerned than ever about what the future holds for our climate and the health of our most vulnerable communities. With all of these cumulative impacts weighing on our mental health, it’s so necessary that we find hope together so we can move forward and continue this fight. Luckily, there are advocates across this country giving us just that.

The first Let’s Talk Climate episode of the year gave us lots of hope and inspiration through the topic, “Welcoming 2022 with Climate Optimism” with our guests Dr. Cecilia Sorensen, Director of the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education at Columbia University and Dr. Jay Lemery, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine & co-Director of the Climate & Health Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

As a Global Health nurse interested in improving health worldwide, I am guided in part by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and recognize that advancing all 17 of them contributes to the single goal of Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3) for all. Because SDG 13, Climate Action, is particularly linked to SDG 3, I was excited to register for the Climate for Health Ambassador Training offered at an upcoming nursing conference that I’d planned to attend. As advertised, the ambassador training prepared me with knowledge and tools for better climate advocacy. Since completing the training, my awareness of the impact of planetary health to human health has grown exponentially and confirmed my resolve to take action for climate change solutions. These are my top 3 climate action resolutions for 2022.

At the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, the U.S. recommitted to necessary and ambitious climate goals. Political trade winds may threaten climate-smart policies, but in this season of reflection, renewal, and resolutions, we find reasons for hope. Health leaders can continue seizing the greatest opportunity of the century by working to: build workforce capacity, build community resilience, and reverse the drivers of climate change.  We also must continue fighting for strong climate policies that improve our health.

In the last Let’s Talk Climate episode of 2021, The Planetary Health Alliance co-hosted a great discussion with Climate for Health about global initiatives and local actions that advance climate solutions for planetary health. Just in the fourth quarter of 2021, we saw the launch of the São Paulo Declaration on Planetary Health, The Lancet Countdown 2021 report, and COP26. All of these initiatives are framed at a global scale and highlight the urgent need for climate and planetary health solutions that eliminate carbon emissions, restore natural systems, and center justice and equity. So what does this mean for our neighborhoods and communities, and how can we use these frameworks for bold action in 2022? Watch the full episode to find out.

“What causes dirty air?” asks the guest lecturer in a rural Montana classroom. “Fires” replied one student. “Cars” says another, quietly. “Fossil fuels” states another, confidently. Members of Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate are going into schools and…

Our most recent Let's Talk Climate episode features lead authors of a recent special article in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics to hear more about the impacts of climate change on human reproduction and the urgent need for action to improve health. Join lead authors Santosh Pandipati, MD, Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at O’Connor Hospital and Tracey Woodruff, PhD, MPH, Director, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at University of California San Francisco to learn more about the strong call for bold climate action from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).

As a response to these climate-related threats, the Climate Ready Tribes Initiative (CRT), funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was developed at the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) with the overall goal of building Tribal capacity related to climate health. This work includes increasing Tribal capacity to recognize and respond to climate threats, by providing support to take action, and working with Tribes to develop climate change responses that are localized and effective for their unique environment. Other activities to support this work includes hosting a Climate and Health Learning Community to share resources and connect individuals and organizations through information sharing. NIHB and Climate for Health are partnering throughout November for National Native American Heritage Month to amplify Tribal leadership on climate solutions.

While climate change is a global issue, each place experiences its impacts differently and is worthy of inquiry. People are bonded to place through a dynamic bond (since places and people are constantly evolving). Climate change poses a major threat to this connection. Residents of Hawaiʻi are deeply connected to their place and are therefore also highly attuned to the risks posed to their environment and community. Their intricate understanding of the environment translates to an almost innate recognition of the changes that the land is undergoing.

The American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica are pleased to offer Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Impacts, Inequities, Responses. It shares the latest and best knowledge on the many ways that climate change impacts mental health individually and community-wide, how structural inequities cause certain populations to be impacted first and worst, and the spectrum of solutions available to build resilience, strengthen care, and inspire engagement for transformative progress. It is intended to further inform and empower health and medical professionals, community and elected leaders, and the public to understand and act on solutions to climate change that will support mental health and well-being.

How many times a day do you think about wetlands? Probably not too much. But you might after reading this piece. Wetlands are vibrant ecosystems that not only host and support some of the richest interactions between animal life and the planet, but also store one of the less well known keys to solving the climate change crises and health challenges we face as a society. In other words, we need wetlands for our health and future! Nature and health are inextricably linked. Accessible green and blue spaces including coastal wetlands have been vanishing due to poor coastal and urban planning over the years. We have a unique opportunity to help save these important areas for our kids and grandkids by highlighting and advocating for the important health benefits they serve. We can all advocate for local climate solutions that improve health.

The 2021 Lancet Countdown U.S. Brief was released on October 21, 2021. In our most recent Let’s Talk Climate episode, we were joined by three pediatricians - Dr. Lisa Patel, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford School of Medicine; Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Interim Director of The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE) at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; and Dr. Rebecca Philipsborn, Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Emory University - who were on the writing team to discuss key findings, and using this recent dataset to advocate for children's health in a changing climate. This fun, inspiring, and motivational conversation covered youth advocacy on climate, medical training, and engaging your colleagues on climate, health, and equity.

It is not news that each year millions of people around the world experience mental health illness. In coping with a global pandemic, and more frequent extreme weather events, our need to care for our children and their well-being is of greatest importance. The question remains, are we doing enough to act boldly and quickly on equitable climate solutions that will ensure the future we want for our children? And, what are we doing now to support children’s mental health in the face of existing changes to our climate?

Over the past 8 months, the International Society for Social Pediatrics and Child Health (ISSOP), has presented a series of symposia on mitigating the impact of the climate crisis on children and youth.  The multidisciplinary speakers from around the world, including youth, provided a clear and consistent message—there is little hope for a solution without a radical transformation of society, which must begin today.  Youth delivered a poignant message, a plea that continues to resonate.  The role they suggested that professional child health organizations can play is to provide them a platform to support their efforts, and access to the decision-makers who can make the changes necessary to mitigate the crisis.  They didn’t ask us to craft the message, but to help them deliver it.

Almost ten years ago, I met Ms. Loretta Slater who had just lost her only daughter, Whitney, to breast cancer at the age of 21, after battling the disease for two years. Ms. Loretta often shares the story of how her daughter was raised in one of the countless environmental justice communities. She often talks about the conditions of the area in which Whitney was raised, and she believes that this contributed to her daughter’s illness and passing. Whitney was raised in Darlington, SC, where she lived across the street from an oil mill, and less than a quarter mile away from a sawmill. Whitney’s story is just one of many in which we see how the pollutants and toxins contributing to climate impacts also adversely affect the health of children living in environmental justice communities.

When the city of Phoenix partnered with Paideia Academies on a green infrastructure project, they anticipated some of the outcomes — like decreased pollutant levels and safer conditions for outdoor play — but the benefits of the project reached far beyond what was anticipated. 

Climate change isn’t coming for our children- It’s here. With the newly released UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, issuing a 'code red for humanity,' and recent headlining wildfires, floods, and other climate-change-related tragedies, the need to act on climate has never been more urgent. As Deputy Director of the Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN), I love that I can find common ground with almost everyone about the importance of protecting children’s health. Children’s wellbeing is a compelling and unifying value that drives collective action, especially climate action and climate justice advocacy.

Well designed, implemented, and communicated initiatives can be like a pebble in a pond. They can ripple out to affect initiatives by other environmental health professionals, organizations, and communities, ultimately leading to national impact. All environmental health professionals can amplify their impact by broadening their perspectives and outreach.

Doctors know how to fight disease to keep their patients safe. From infectious disease to preventing strokes, they are constantly trying to stay ahead of the next big health risk. But what happens when the climate starts making patients sick? How can modern medicine even approach a problem as big as climate change and what it could mean for our patients? In this episode of Let’s Talk Climate, we discuss just that.

Children's Environmental Health Day is an annual celebration of children’s environmental health successes and a day to raise the visibility of issues and challenges in the field. It’s also a day to drive collective action to address the big challenges facing our little ones. In a special episode of Let’s Talk Climate, Climate for Health Director, Rebecca Rehr, sat down with Hannah Grose, Program Assistant at the Children’s Environmental Health Network to talk about Children’s Environmental Health Day Proclamations as tools for Climate Action.

Nurses are the most trusted leaders on climate solutions. As the 2021 school year starts, we have an incredible opportunity to support youth leadership on climate action, and incorporate climate education and health equity into curricula. Tune into this episode of Let's Talk Climate, co-hosted with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) with special guest host, Dr. Katie Huffling, Executive Director of ANHE, as she is joined by Linda Mendonça, an ANHE Environmental Health Nurse Fellow 2019-2020 and President of the National Association of School Nurses and Andrea Lapuz, member of the ANHE Student Nurse Committee and active member of the National Student Nurses' Association. 

On Monday, August 30, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the creation of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE). This is the first national office to address climate change and health equity as its core mission, and was created in response to President Joe Biden’s Executive Order Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. ecoAmerica's Executive Director, Meighen Speiser, said of the announcement, "The HHS establishment of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity is a historic and exciting moment. We know Americans are personally concerned about climate change, and trust health leaders for information. We applaud the Biden Administration's approach to lead climate solutions with health equity, and will be keeping an eye on the office's activities and accomplishments to accelerate climate action." And Climate for Health Leadership Circle Members reacted to this announcement with enthusiasm for the elevation of climate change as a top priority for HHS, and for the framing of equity as the core of climate solutions.

This week, Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) released the first two pieces in its new series of case studies that examine efforts by states or localities to conceptualize and implement climate-adaptation policies and programs that center equity. TFAH aims to help make health equity a foundational principle of policymaking at all levels, including in climate policies. The series is meant to spotlight and spread awareness of useful models for peer practitioners to tailor and emulate in their own locations, as well as inspire additional ideas. It’s organized around two primary dimensions of equity: (1) procedural equity, which relates to the inclusiveness and accessibility of the process employed to conceptualize, design, and administer programs; and (2) distributional equity, which relates to the level of fairness in allocating program benefits and burdens.

Climate change offers healthcare providers “the greatest opportunity to redefine the social and environmental determinants of health” in the 21st century. Medical schools and graduate medical education programs can empower physicians to take this on by ensuring their curricula include robust, structured and practical advocacy training. There is no time like the present.

This special episode of Let's Talk Climate digs into research from the Environmental Defense Fund that explores the local impacts of air pollution, and the resultant health disparities. Dr. Elena Craft, Senior Director of Climate and Health, outlines findings, and provides examples for climate action that improves air quality & increases health equity.

For researchers at the Center for Health, Work and Environment (CHWE) at the Colorado School of Public Health, the connection between climate, work, and health is hitting especially close to home. With climate challenges at home and abroad in mind, CHWE researchers are embarking on a new venture to directly address the intersection between climate, work, and human health by launching the Climate, Work and Health Initiative (CWHI). CWHI’s research focuses on the intersection of the workplace environment and consequences of climate change including heat, air pollution, altered precipitation patterns and water resources, and wildfires. The work of CHWE and CWHI at the University of Colorado is finding that this local-global balance is not just the right thing to do – it’s opening doors for richer partnerships, better science, and climate solutions that are replicable in localities across the world.

Engaging with our climate emergency can feel overwhelming at times.  To do our best work, we all need to prioritize self-care every day.  Bruce Bekkar, MD, provides 10 ideas to help us all care for ourselves to care for the planet.

As health care professionals, we have a unique understanding of how the health of people,  communities, and the planet are interconnected – and the stories that prove it. Through our work, we see the impacts of climate change and environmental injustice — not merely in numbers, graphs and statistics, but in the faces and stories of the patients we care for. Health Care Without Harm recently published a visual storytelling guide designed to help us effectively use strategic storytelling and maximize the impact of our messages as we advocate for climate action. Read more to learn about this new resource.

In the spirit of the National Environmental Health Association’s (NEHA) Annual Educational Conference theme, “Together a Safer and Healthier Tomorrow,” we co-hosted our most recent Let’s Talk Climate episode with NEHA with the same topic. Our guests, Natasha DeJarnett, PhD, MPH, & Steven Konkel, PhD, MCP joined us to discuss the environmental health role in climate action and solutions, diversifying the environmental health workforce, and advice for students entering the environmental health field. 

The time is now to invest in our communities and build equitable, sustainable climate solutions. Solutions that have benefits that will last decades longer than our attention spans. We know what we need to do, and we need to build the drumbeat to make it happen.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and ecoAmerica hosted the virtual National Children’s Health and Climate Leadership Forum in October 2020 to: 1. Share information, ideas, opportunities and best practices in addressing children’s health and wellbeing amidst increasing impacts of climate change; 2. Increase awareness and inspire action on climate change and children’s health; and 3. Build leadership, capacity, and collaboration to address just and equitable solutions that prioritize children’s health and youth engagement. “There’s a lot of work to be done, but it’s also a tremendous opportunity and responsibility. Thank you for taking this on... We all have an important role to play in protecting children.” — V. “Fan” Tait, MD, FAAP

In a recent article, Krystal Vasquez, PhD Candidate at the California Institute of Technology, wrote about her experience studying air pollution from wildfires and her experience as a disabled researcher. She wrote, "while the fires themselves don't discriminate, there are systems in place that do." Krystal joined Climate for Health Director, Rebecca Rehr, and Adriane Griffen, Senior Director of Public Health and Leadership at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), to discuss disability rights as an important tenet of environmental justice, climate solutions, and disaster planning. You can watch their full conversation now.

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) has published seven fact sheets for our Climate and Health Program, includinge air quality, drought, extreme heat, extreme storms, floods, vectors, and wildfires – each of which effects of climate change with critical impacts on environmental health.

Listen to your mother! The age-old saying can be true for advice on balancing work and home life, getting over a cold, on losing a loved one, and increasingly on how to act on climate. Last month, we were joined by three phenomenal moms in the climate movement for a Let’s Talk Climate episode that provided a range of ideas for getting involved in climate action, talking to your kids about climate change, electing climate champions, and building equity into climate solutions.

As the mother of two, and a faculty member at the Mercer University School of Medicine, personal experience with air pollution, allergies and health led Dr. Jennifer Barkin to launch a new, but related, line of investigation.  She broadened her research program, originally focused on postpartum maternal functioning and mood, to include a line of inquiry centered on the effects of climate change on maternal and child mental health.  Her lab recently conducted an examination of the effects of Extreme Weather Events (EWEs) on child mental health and behavior.  Read more to see what they found.

In October of 2017, I had a panic attack as ash and smoke rained down on California’s Bay Area. Days before, winds at the rate of a car speeding down the freeway, picked up and catapulted embers from brush fires into Sonoma County. For many Californians and their families, panic turned to grief,  part of a pattern that continues year after year across the world, as the intensity, frequency, and damage of extreme climate events increases. Millennials and Gen Z-ers are channeling these feelings into the fight of their lives: an urgent, radical, and necessary shift in how we approach the climate crisis and how we relate to our ecological world.  In this vein, part of my work at the Well Being Trust (WBT), an impact philanthropy that focuses on advancing the nation’s mental, social, and spiritual health, is to amplify messages and policies at the intersection of climate change, social justice, and mental health.

For the special Let’s Talk Climate episode, “The Biden-Harris Administration’s First 100 Days: How Did they Fare on Climate, Health, and Equity?” Climate for Health Director, Rebecca Rehr, was joined by Jessica Wolff, U.S. director of  climate and health at Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth, and Kineta Sealey, Policy Counsel at the Black Women’s Health Imperative. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In 2021, NAMI will continue with the theme “You Are Not Alone” for Mental Health Awareness Month. This has become an incredibly important and resonant message for us in the past year. That’s a message we also use in climate communications. You are not alone. Majorities of Americans, 74%, are concerned about climate change, with 45% being very concerned. But when you ask those same people whether others around them are concerned, few think others around them are concerned. In fact, it’s about half in that “very concerned” category. What this means is that people feel alone in their concern about climate, which limits their willingness to act. We can be part of climate solutions by talking to others about climate solutions and building the connections between climate, health, and equity.

In celebration of April being Earth Month, and with Earth Day coming up on Thursday, we’re excited to be discussing a program focused on creating leaders for climate solutions. The program, Climate for Health, was founded by ecoAmerica, and NRPA has partnered with them to bring the initiative to park and recreation professionals.

coAmerica’s most recent contribution to the National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health, "Denial: Our Biggest Environmental Health Threat?" was published in the May 2021 issue.

Energy decisions can be deeply personal. We need to listen to households and communities before we prescribe their energy transition.

Over 100 health professionals and organizations are supporting new Climate, Health, and Equity Recommendations for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Earth Day has become synonymous with spring. Spring flowers, spring cleaning, spring faith traditions like Passover and Easter, and now Earth Day – a celebration of the human endeavor to ensure that spring will continue to bring hope and joy…

Coming out of a year of multiple crises and a decisive election, 2021 is our moment to forge a path forward to a stable climate starting with ambitious American leadership on solutions. The American Climate Leadership Summit (ACLS 2021), celebrating its 10th year,will bring game-changing future-shaping…

The global climate crisis has challenged the COVID-19 response, further underlining the disproportionate impact of climate change on health. Communities vulnerable to climate related health impacts are the same who are experiencing higher COVID-19 mortality, and the synergistic effects of…

A growing number of public health professionals find themselves responding to the urgent health impacts of climate change, whether they are prepared for this work, or not. We co-hosted this Let’s Talk Climate episode with the American Public Health Association’s…

The recent winter storm, Uri, ravaged the southern U.S. leaving many families huddled together in a desperate search for warmth, electricity and potable water. In Texas, Uri left over 4 million people without electricity and clean water for nearly two…

ecoAmerica’s latest survey finds “health” at the top of the list of motivations for climate solutions — raking even higher than “jobs”. Twelve months of battling the COVID-19 pandemic may be influencing perspectives, however, the reality is that climate change…

Our health and our families’ health motivate us to act on ambitious and equitable climate solutions. Health is also at the root of climate justice. Black and Brown communities often contribute the least to climate pollution but suffer disproportionately from…

This year is the 30th anniversary of the 1991 People of Color Environmental Summit, where the 17 Principles of Environmental Justice were set forth. These principles, preceded by the 1987 Toxic Waste and Race Report and followed by the creation…

As we enter a new presidency, a new era, and a new decade, we are still so divided on so many issues. In a time when we actually have science and technology to effectively research and understand the way that…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whose mission is to protect human health and the environment, sets and enforces regulations to ensure safe environments where we work, learn, play, and pray. When regulations are set to protect the most vulnerable among…

When talking about climate change, I often ponder how to reach out to more audiences, how to cross barriers, how to carry the compelling message that the climate emergency deserves. I wonder if I am making a difference, if my…

Health and medical experts agree that climate change is a health emergency – one of the greatest threats to human health that America has ever faced. Our nation’s health professionals are witnessing the health harms of climate change now, and…

Last week, we hosted the first health-focused Let’s Talk Climate episode this year, Hindsight is 2020: Our Climate & Health Goals for 2021. As a new administration takes the helm, we discussed opportunities to support health professional leadership and center…

As I look forward to a new year, I cannot forget all that has arisen this past year. From wildfires to COVID-19 to the presidential election, 2020 was far from boring. Instead, it opened my eyes to the unexpected and…

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) has published a new Climate Change Position Statement in 2020. Through its second published climate change position statement, NEHA recognizes climate change as a worldwide environmental health challenge that impacts the health and safety…

Can I tell you how happy I am that I found the Climate for Health Ambassadors program? I was environmentally conscious, hoping others felt the same way, wanted to learn more and how I could take action. Enter stage right:…

This week, Trust for America’s Health and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health released a new report, Climate Change & Health: Assessing State Preparedness. The report assessed all 50 states and the District of Columbia on their level…

On December 2, the 2020 global report of the Lancet Countdown on Health & Climate Change was released, along with the Policy Brief for the U.S. Each year, the Lancet Countdown tracks more than 43 indicators on links between health…

ecoAmerica’s most recent contribution to the National Environmental Health Association’s Journal of Environmental Health was published in the December 2020 issue, “Ambition, Restoration, and Justice: A Path Forward on Climate Solutions.” Working at the intersections where people live, work, learn,…

In a recent opinion piece in Scientific American, Drs. Howard Frumkin and Richard J. Jackson make the case for creating a National Institute of Climate Change and Health. “It would deliver needed insights to protect the public from the ravages of…

Since moving away from California eight years ago, I’ve longed to come back home. I spent the first 18 years of my life in the San Francisco Bay Area hiking, running, swimming, camping, skiing…basically taking advantage of all the outdoor…

The Salish Sea spans through what is currently known as Washington State and British Columbia and is blessed with an abundance of resources that have sustained the indigenous peoples since time immemorial. Coast Salish tribes continue to inhabit these regions…

The United States is home to more than 570 individual federally-recognized Indian tribes. Each one of these distinct Tribal nations is facing the challenge of adapting to the effects of climate change. Tribes are disproportionately impacted not only by the…

On our most recent Let’s Talk Climate episode, we were joined by Dr. Neelu Tummala, an ear, nose, and throat physician and clinical assistant professor of surgery at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is…

Southeast Alaska is a place like no other. Coastal brown bears stalk the shores, old growth forests grow tall and salmon serve as the lifeblood of the region. It is home to the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people, who have…

Every summer when I was a child, my father took my brother and me over to our Blackfeet reservation near Browning, Montana, for a big family reunion. While I looked forward to seeing my elders and cousins, horseback riding, and…

As we prepare to enter the voting booth this Election Day, partisan politics may dominate the headlines, but there are far more important issues at stake. Top of mind for many will be the climate health emergency, its effect on…

My commute to Manati, a town located in the northwestern part of the island of Puerto Rico, was a time of relaxation away from the San Juan metro area. Those 30 miles of highway between tree-blanketed mountains and valleys were…

Plogging is jogging while picking trash. Plalking is walking while litter-picking. Plurfing is gathering plastic while surfing. #fillabag is when you find a bag and fill it with trash. There is an entire lexicon and culture within the Instagram trash…

Last summer, one of my patients, a 10-year-old boy I’ll call James, came to see me for a sports physical before starting a summer sports camp through a local community recreation center. James is obese, and also has asthma and…

As pediatricians and trainees, we have all experienced moral awakenings that have compelled us to take action to protect children.  As I step outside each day in San Francisco during the pandemic, putting on my mask reminds me of a…

As a Pediatrician, I am well-versed in providing guidance to families to keep their kids healthy.  Cut back on sugary drinks.  At least 1 hour of physical activity per day.  Limit screen time.  Brush your teeth.  The more time I…

Halloween. Daylights Savings. Wildfire smoke. Evacuations. Power outages. All of these things are associated with transitions from summer to fall in Northern California. This year alone more than 3.5 million acres have burned, and we’re still in the midst of…

I am a pediatrician and I advocate on behalf of America’s greatest resource – our children.  The first patient that died under my care was an infant who stopped breathing in his sleep. He was rushed to the hospital with…

Time is harder to keep track of these days, and we continue to face compounding crises assaulting our health, environment, democracy, and economy. But, just around the corner is that glimmer of hope we continue to look for. October starts…

On September 22, 2020, the first day of autumn, an equinox occurred marking when the sun passed directly over the earth’s equator. Prior to and after today, day and night times will be uneven, but for today, day and night…

In the present moment, and mere days before World Environmental Health Day on September 26, the intersection between climate change and preparedness is, sadly, quite clear. Scientists have warned for years that climate change could and would worsen weather-related events.…

In the midst of a global pandemic, with climate disasters raging across the country, many Americans are laser focused on one date: November 3. “The most important thing we can do in this point and time is vote for leaders…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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.…

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…

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…

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…

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…

“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…

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 June 11, I had the honor and privilege to engage in an energizing and powerful conversation about “Environmental Racism, Climate Justice, and Health” with Vernice Miller-Travis, Senior Vice President at the Metropolitan Group and environmental justice advocate. We started…

We premiered our Let’s Talk Climate webcast series with a trio of speakers sharing information and insights on the impacts climate change is having on motherhood, pregnancy, and birth outcomes in a changing climate and what we can all do…

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics and ecoAmerica took a moment to reflect on our partnership and collaboration to protect children’s health through climate solutions. You can watch the virtual forum…

Our fundamental mission as healthcare providers is to protect the health of our patients. While heroic worldwide efforts are underway to combat COVID-19, the greatest emerging threat to women’s health, indeed to the health of all people, is the global…

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed how important local outdoor spaces are for comfort, activity and solitude. Many people are finding a new appreciation for their parks. It has never been more clear that neighborhood parks and green…

The must-attend, go-to webcast discussion for the most current and best thinking on climate change ecoAmerica is introducing Let’s Talk Climate to provide guidance and support to climate activists as they seek to expand public support and political resolve for equitable and…

The last few months have posed a unique challenge for all of us: stay away from each other in order to stay healthy. Physical distancing is the best method we have to combat the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. For many of…

COVID-19 and the practice of physical distancing have recently challenged families and educators in unprecedented ways. Many caregivers and young people are feeling restless and disconnected, given the additional time indoors and at home. With thoughtful engagement, however, this additional…

Today we want to celebrate the amazing work being done by each and every one of you— whether you are on the frontlines of treating patients, educating your community, taking care of your family, or ramping up self-care. We want you to hear…

We’re all trying to orient ourselves to a new world. We are amidst a fast-moving pandemic and economic contraction, and immediately concerned about our families and communities, and our future. As our perspectives are narrowed by the urgency of COVID-19,…

As the changing climate continues to challenge our planet, a most noticeable impact has affected our coastal waters. Ocean water temperatures are becoming warmer. Accordingly, aquatic life is threatened.  We are seeing the negative impacts firsthand in the commonwealth of…

Climate for Health was thrilled to host the webinar, Mobilizing Action for Climate, Health, and Equity, as part of National Public Health Week 2020. We heard from health leaders from around the country working at the forefront of climate solutions.…

When the Earth Moves reclaims the authentic story and original vision of Earth Day as a bipartisan and socially just environmental movement and highlights the need for people across generations and on both sides of the political aisle to play…

“More than 500 Oregon Health Leaders Declare Climate Change A Public Health Emergency” – this was the headline of a story playing on the local public radio as Oregon’s legislative session got under way earlier this year.  In the upcoming…

Thank you to all who joined us at the American Climate Leadership Awards Virtual Ceremony on March 25! Congratulations to the winner, CALPIRG Students, who worked on eight University of California campuses to win a UC-wide commitment to 100% renewable…

Please join us for the American Climate Leadership Awards Virtual Ceremony this Wednesday, March 25, at 1pm ET via Zoom at  received over 200 submissions for the American Climate Leadership Awards and narrowed it to 34 semifinalists, 10 finalists, including a…

Q: Share some recent ways that NEHA has been walking the talk on climate and health? A: The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) was honored to join the International Federation of Environmental Health in celebrating World Environmental Health Day(WEHD) in…

In the interest of our individual and collective health and wellbeing, ecoAmerica is rescheduling the American Climate Leadership Summit to August 26-27, 2020. Given current guidance on COVID-19, and the input from ACLS 2020 partners and speakers, we believe this…

“I’ve made it a priority to advocate for healthy environments, and raise awareness on climate change as a school nurse and nursing professor. One of my professional goals for this year, as I take on a leadership role within IASN…

Last week I gave a presentation entitled “The Health Effects of Climate Damage” for Grand Rounds in the Department of Internal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. I’m writing about the experience here to encourage others to do…

The National Children’s Health and Climate Leadership Forum will bring together more than 100 leaders from organizations dedicated to children’s well-being to increase awareness, inspire action, and build capacity and collaboration to address climate change and children’s health. Hosted online…

Great news at the state level in the Commonwealth of Virginia: Changes are taking place in state government to address Climate. After a series of recent Town Hall meetings held across the state, the Governor issued an order for the…

Climate change is the greatest health threat of our time, and in response, health professionals across the U.S. and around the world are stepping into leadership on climate solutions. Changes to our climate are already impacting communities. These changes reach…

Earlier this month, I attended the Climate for Health Ambassadors Training at The University of Utah in Salt Lake City. As someone who is heavily interested in learning more about the role that climate change and pollution have on the…

Editor’s note: Climate for Health and Blessed Tomorrow invited two leaders to share their thoughts on the intersections of faith and health in addressing climate change. Leah and Natasha share a conversation on the commonalities across faith and health in…

ecoAmerica’s Let’s Talk Climate: Messages to Motivate Americans encourages us to: The science that shows how the burning of fossil fuels is harming the development of babies’ brains can be used to meet all of those recommendations. Last year, Healthy…

While there may be different motivations and pathways, studies and scripture have led us to the same conclusion: faith and health leaders alike recognize the urgent moral imperative to act on climate change. People — our friends, families, and neighbors…

We love our children. And that comes with certain responsibilities. Providing them with clean air, clean water, and healthy sustainable communities with access to natural environments, where they can reach their optimal potential are some of those responsibilities. Unfortunately, the…

While there are several sources of carbon emissions that contribute to global temperature rise, the buildings sector accounts for 39% of annual US carbon emissions and is undergoing rapid growth at unprecedented rates. From construction and revitalization to how much…

In a new white paper, Physicians for Social Responsibility Board Member, Dr. Alan Lockwood, has drawn on the content of the three major climate reports published in fall 2018 – the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, the IPCC…

For almost 50 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been fulfilling its mission to protect human health and the environment. In fact, before the EPA was established, rivers were on fire! The EPA works to ensure that we have…