Protecting What We Share: Health, Climate, & Justice
In the early 20th century, thousands of public swimming pools were built in the United States. These were a public good that provided not only recreation but tremendous social and health benefits. Millions of Americans used these pools; they were a fundamental public good integrated into community life.
In a backlash to desegregation orders that required that Black people be allowed to access pools, local and state governments closed hundreds of them, ending the golden age of swimming pools in the United States. This was not the greatest evil of racial segregation, but it is a microcosm of its perverse logic. Public policy driven by resentment, spite, and ignorance hurts everyone. You cannot poison your neighbors without poisoning yourself.
The recent actions of the current administration show that we have not learned this lesson. Shutting down public health services, illegally canceling investment projects, and stripping environmental regulations hurts us all. Punishing people for their political speech, ignoring due process, and violating the sanctuary of houses of worship and public schools undermine universal rights that are foundational to this country. We are poisoning ourselves again.
I am deeply upset by all of this, especially the implications for our shared climate. Our work to address the health risks and impacts of climate change – building new clean energy production, rolling-out electric school buses, preparing local communities for floods, wildfires, and extreme heat – is a public good that benefits everyone. Defunding this work costs much, much more than any potential savings. And the infrastructure that we rely on for this kind of work, the federal workforce and regulatory state, is also under direct assault. Cascading and irreparable harms are already emerging from this spite and ignorance.
But there are reasons for motivation and hope. People come together and communities find new ways to support each other. Community health centers like La Clinica de la Raza have connected climate action with their mission to serve communities facing overlapping risks. In Chicago, tree and greenspace initiatives ensure that everyone can benefit from the cooler air and mental benefits of green space. And in my home state of Maryland, we have one of the most ambitious climate action plans in the country, projected to generate billions of dollars in public health and economic benefits. This is not only about investing in energy efficiency and electrification, but also integrating public health, environmental justice, and educational equity into climate decision-making. Our critical work is continuing and can build new energy and momentum!
In addition to institutional action, we see hundreds of thousands of everyday people fighting back across the country. Individuals are coming together to demand due process as well as the provision of services and regulations that provide us with shared safety and public goods.
These examples are not isolated actions, they are blueprints for a response to federal disinvestment. We must act locally. We must stand-up together.
At ecoAmerica, we have been working to build new resources that meet this moment. Connecting people to existing local and state networks of action is more important than ever. We have launched new tools for all trained Ambassadors, providing guidance and resources for earned media. And we are eager to connect health professionals, people of faith, and civic leaders to each other with new tools for action. Now more than ever it is essential that people hear how we are taking action to protect health and climate. Whether through interviews, op eds, letters to the editor, or social media your voice connects with people and can make a difference.
This is a stressful moment but we know that our collective action and voice is the only effective response.
About the Author
Ben Fulgencio-Turner is the Director of Climate for Health at ecoAmerica. After starting his career as a community organizer in New Orleans, he worked for 14 years in public health programs, focusing on systems of safety-net care.
Additional Resources
Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2025
Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report 2023