Monday, April 7, 2008
Preparing for a changing climate
Today marks the beginning of National Public Health Week 2008! This year’s theme is Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance. From today through April 13, join colleagues and others from around the nation in working to raise awareness about the connection between climate change and health.
To help guide the work of the public health community, APHA has released a blueprint for combating the health impacts of climate change. The blueprint, which represents the culmination of a process involving some of the nation’s leading public health and climate change experts, provides specific recommendations for where the public health community should begin as it works to address this important issue.
Each day this week, NPHW participants are encouraged to take the Healthy Climate Pledge and adopt that day’s key behavior as a small change that can have a large impact on climate change if enough people make it a habit. Start making changes in your life by signing on to the pledge today!
Monday’s NPHW behavior is “Be Prepared.” For public health professionals, this means incorporating climate change into the scope of events that fall under the area of preparedness. Here are some steps you can take in your community:
The first step to being prepared is to become informed about the connection between climate change and health. The NPHW Web site is a good place to start.
Increase your awareness of the impact of climate change on your community. Public health challenges vary from region to region. For example, while the Northeast and Midwest face the possibility of extreme heat, the Northwest is at risk for heavy rainfall leading to flooding and overflow of sewage systems. There is no one-size-fits-all method for preparing for climate change, but you can start by finding out the risk and checking to see whether your community has preparedness plans in place.
Telling family and friends about the connection between health and climate change helps to raise awareness and help everyone become well prepared. By spreading the word, you can help create the link between our personal behavior, our health and the health of people around the world. Public awareness about the impact of climate change and preparedness planning will also encourage individuals and the community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent the worst impacts of climate change in the future.
- Strengthen community partnerships
Strengthening community partnerships that reduce vulnerability to the impact of climate change will help prepare you and your community. Many climate change impacts may begin outside the boundaries of your community (e.g., the spread of new diseases into your region such as Lyme disease) and will require the cooperation of local and regional governments, federal and state agencies, tribes, non-profit organizations, or the private sector to address these threats effectively.
In This Issue
- What’s Happening Today
- NPHW Blog Series
- Climate Change in the News
- Take Action Today!
- Resources
What’s Happening Today
Along with being the start of NPHW, today is also World Health Day. Further demonstrating increased awareness of the connection between climate change and health, this year’s World Health Day mirrors NPHW and also focuses on the need to protect health from the adverse effects of climate change.
- "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance" Panel Discussion, Ventura, Calif.
- University of Miami "Climate Change & Your Health" Symposium, Miami, Fla.
- “Healthy Climate, Healthy People: One Community at a Time” Seminar, Aurora, Colo.
- “Good Nutrition and Global Climate Change: Steps We Can All Take” Lecture, Charlotte, NC.
- “Protecting Health from Climate Change: Role of the Healthcare Sector to Improve Health Outcomes” Lecture and Panel Discussion, Baltimore, Md.
Want to know what is happening in your community? Visit the NPHW Event Calendar for a complete list of submitted events that are taking place around the nation. You can also get the word out about any NPHW events that you’re organizing.
NPHW Blog Series
Today’s blog entry on preparedness and climate change is written by Linda C. Degutis, DrPH, MSN, president of APHA:
As we kick off National Public Health Week, we join the World Health Organization in focusing on climate change and health. We cannot afford to wait to prepare for and mitigate the impact of changes in climates around the globe… Click here to read more!
Climate Change in the News
Here are some recent stories on NPHW from around the nation, as well as a selection of stories from the NPHW Twitter:
Take Action Today!
Representative Hilda Solis and Representative Edward Markey will be introducing a resolution highlighting NPHW and the relationship between climate change and health. Please contact your Representative and ask him/her to cosponsor this important resolution.
Climate change is one of the most serious public health threats facing our nation. Yet many Americans, including many of our elected officials are unaware of the very real consequences of climate change on the health of our communities, our families and our children.
Please take the time to send a message to your Senators and Representatives urging them to include provisions to protect the public’s health from the impacts of climate change as they consideration legislation to address climate change this year.
NPHW Resources
Click here for more…
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