Advancing Climate Health in Arizona

Happy New Year.  We are ready for continued success in 2024 and to have you join us at our next meeting, Tuesday, January 9^th at 5:30 pm.  Join by this NEW Zoom Link.  It’s time to hear your ideas and to set our 2024 goals.

During 2023, our first year, we are happy to report the following successes in addition to establishing our Workgroup:

• Increase Nurse Education & Awareness:
  • Published 3 articles in the 2023 Arizona Nurse and submitted an article for the Winter issue. Spring (p. 10) Summer (p.12) Fall (p.7).
  • Weekly AzNA Today posts began March 13^th.
  • Established a monthly meeting schedule, 6 held in 2023.
  • Health Environments MyAzNA posts started March 23^rd.
  • Provided presentations about Climate Change and Health at 3 conferences and/or webinars.
• Establish partnerships & collaborations:
  • Actively worked with the Alliance of Nurses for Health Environments (ANHE), the Arizona Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action (AzHPCA), and the Energy Foundation team in Arizona on climate change issues and advocacy efforts
  • Met with ANA staff to discuss climate change collaboration opportunities and with AzNA staff help, have established contact with three other states working on climate change and health to create a partnership to expand our efforts and enhance ANA’s focus on climate change and health.
• Enhance Advocacy Efforts for Climate Health:
  • 13 climate-related actions, including asking you to help us spread the word and sign on to letters, position statements, and legislation.
  • Participate in MAG and Arizona Clean Air Planning meetings, assisted AzHPCA chair in presenting to the members of the State Joint legislative committee on clean air and energy and ANHE-led efforts, worked with local organizations and the Energy Foundation to address clean air and improve Peaker Plants
  • Investigated support for the establishment of a health professional tabletop (ongoing)

Join our meeting and assist with planning our goals for 2024, what would you like to know and do to address Climate Change and its impact on health in Arizona?

Action Alert

From the Lung Action Network at the American Lung Association, thank the President and the EPA for tackling the climate crisis and cleaning up our air while asking them to finalize the process so we have strong National Air Quality Standards for Ozone, Methane, Carbon, and Particulate Matter.  Submit your comments today using a simple pre-filled form.

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

• Mayor Kate Gallego on Phoenix’s hottest year and what’s in store for 2024 (AZ Republic, Dec 27)
• Look for these 9 red flags to identify food that is ultra-processed (WashPost, Jan 2)
• Ten ‘you must be kidding’ weather and climate facts of 2023 (Yale Climate Connections, Dec 26)
• An Odd Silence (The Crucial Years, Dec 26)
• AZ Climate (AZ Central, Jan 2)
• Climate Conversations: COP28 Outcomes Webinar January 18^th (NAM, Jan 2)
• Toxic Ties: Fossil Fuels, Plastic Pollution, and Inequity (Katharine Hayhoe, Jan 3)

Thank you for joining us in making a healthier planet today!