Climate Change and Health Workgroup https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&rss=g8B5L7Em Thu, 4 Jun 2026 02:23:49 GMT Thu, 28 May 2026 18:09:53 GMT Copyright © 2026 Arizona Nurses Association Weekly Update - May 28, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519517 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519517 Reposting this information about water from last week as the first link to Protecting Arizona’s Lifeline was listed wrong, it is .com, not .org. It has been corrected.

 

Action To Protect AZ Water Access

 

At a recent update from the Central Arizona Project Water Board (CAWCD), we learned that Arizonans can take a few steps to stay informed and help ensure our legislators in Washington, DC, know what is needed to protect our access to water from the Colorado River, as set in place by the Colorado River Compact, which designated 7.5 million acre-feet (maf) to the Upper and Lower Basins. Arizona is in the Lower Basin along with Nevada and Colorado. 

 

 

FEMA

 

FEMA Review Council Final Report -On May 7, 2026, the President's FEMA Review Council released its final report outlining recommendations to overhaul the nation's approach to disasters. These recommendations do not simply redistribute financial risk, but also health risk, and they do so along the fault lines of existing inequity. Public comments on the report are open untilJune 8.Learn how to take action here.

 

Microplastic pollution: Action Alert

 

Microplastic pollution has inundated our world and our bodies, creating an incomprehensible public health crisis.

 

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a plan to officially make microplastics a priority drinking water contaminant by proposing to place them on the Contaminant Candidate List. Placing them on that list means EPA would consider microplastics to be contaminants known or likely to occur in public water systems that may require future regulation.

 

This is an initial step in a long regulatory process under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but it does nothing to require actual action. We need real solutions to keep our drinking water safe from microplastics!

 

A public comment period on this latest proposal is open now!Let’s use this opportunity to tell the EPA to do more and require nationwide monitoring of our drinking water to understand the true scale of this crisis. Use the link below to send a message, it is quick and easy to submit your comments.

 

Send your message to the EPA today: Protect our water from microplastics!

EPA: Monitor Microplastics!
 

 

This request has become even more important because nationwide Pediatric Pulmonary Centers have had grant programs unfunded mid-grant cycle.

 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program

 

Nearly 28 million people, including five million children, are living with asthma in the United States. Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization and school absences due to chronic illness in children. In Arizona, a recent school nurse survey reported asthma as the number one chronic condition seen in school-age children. The National Asthma Control Program (NACP) is a lifeline for those with asthma. However, the program was eliminated last year, then partially restored months later. State asthma control programs, which Arizona doesn’t have, need robust, sustained funding, as well as technical assistance from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, to support people with asthma.

 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program.  The Arizona Asthma Burden Report was updated in 2025.  We have made little to no progress regarding asthma in Arizona and in some cases have seen more asthma burden as our air quality worsens and heat season lengthens.

Contact Your Congress Members & Ask for NACP Funding

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • June 2: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Public Health Actions for Extreme Heat Protections Training Register
  • June 12: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Waste, Water, and Worth: The Hidden Drivers of Health (Where We Live Matters) Register

     

    Recordings

  • May 5, 2026: ANHE Webinar Dirty Air, Rising Risks: Why Nurses Must Act on Diesel Pollution and Climate for Health Recording
  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Managem,ent of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 28 May 2026 19:09:53 GMT Weekly Update - May 21, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519396 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519396 Action To Protect AZ Water Access

 

At a recent update from the Central Arizona Project Water Board (CAWCD), we learned that Arizonans can take a few steps to stay informed and help ensure our legislators in Washington, DC, know what is needed to protect our access to water from the Colorado River, as set in place by the Colorado River Compact, which designated 7.5 million acre-feet (maf) to the Upper and Lower Basins. Arizona is in the Lower Basin along with Nevada and Colorado. 

 

 

Microplastic pollution: Action Alert

 

Microplastic pollution has inundated our world and our bodies, creating an incomprehensible public health crisis.

 

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a plan to officially make microplastics a priority drinking water contaminant by proposing to place them on the Contaminant Candidate List. Placing them on that list means EPA would consider microplastics to be contaminants known or likely to occur in public water systems that may require future regulation.

 

This is an initial step in a long regulatory process under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but it does nothing to require actual action. We need real solutions to keep our drinking water safe from microplastics!

 

A public comment period on this latest proposal is open now! Let’s use this opportunity to tell the EPA to do more and require nationwide monitoring of our drinking water to understand the true scale of this crisis. Use the link below to send a message, it is quick and easy to submit your comments.

 

Send your message to the EPA today: Protect our water from microplastics!

 

 

 

EPA: Monitor Microplastics!

 

 

 

 

 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program

 

Nearly 28 million people, including five million children, are living with asthma in the United States. Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization and school absences due to chronic illness in children. In Arizona, a recent school nurse survey reported asthma as the number one chronic condition seen in school-age children. The National Asthma Control Program (NACP) is a lifeline for those with asthma. However, the program was eliminated last year, then partially restored months later. State asthma control programs, which Arizona doesn’t have, need robust, sustained funding, as well as technical assistance from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, to support people with asthma.

 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program.  The Arizona Asthma Burden Report was updated in 2025.  We have made little to no progress regarding asthma in Arizona and in some cases have seen more asthma burden as our air quality worsens and heat season lengthens.

Contact Your Congress Members & Ask for NACP Funding

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • May 28th: 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm (ET): Climate Conversations: Brain Health Register
  • June 2nd: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Public Health Actions for Extreme Heat Protections Training Register

     

    Recordings

  • May 5, 2026: ANHE Webinar Dirty Air, Rising Risks: Why Nurses Must Act on Diesel Pollution and Climate for Health Recording
  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training. All six workshops are available for viewing. Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week. Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 21 May 2026 18:31:06 GMT Weekly Update - May 14, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519276 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519276 Microplastic pollution: Action Alert

Microplastic pollution has inundated our world and our bodies, creating an incomprehensible public health crisis.

 

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a plan to officially make microplastics a priority drinking water contaminant by proposing to place them on the Contaminant Candidate List. Placing them on that list means EPA would consider microplastics to be contaminants known or likely to occur in public water systems that may require future regulation.

 

This is an initial step in a long regulatory process under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but it does nothing to require actual action. We need real solutions to keep our drinking water safe from microplastics!

 

A public comment period on this latest proposal is open now!Let’s use this opportunity to tell the EPA to do more and require nationwide monitoring of our drinking water to understand the true scale of this crisis. Use the link below to send a message, it is quick and easy to submit your comments.

 

Send your message to the EPA today: Protect our water from microplastics!


EPA: Monitor Microplastics!

 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program

 

Nearly 28 million people, including five million children, are living with asthma in the United States. Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization and school absences due to chronic illness in children. In Arizona, a recent school nurse survey reported asthma as the number one chronic condition seen in school-age children. The National Asthma Control Program (NACP) is a lifeline for those with asthma. However, the program was eliminated last year, then partially restored months later. State asthma control programs, which Arizona doesn’t have, need robust, sustained funding, as well as technical assistance from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, to support people with asthma.

 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program.  The Arizona Asthma Burden Report was updated in 2025.  We have made little to no progress regarding asthma in Arizona and in some cases have seen more asthma burden as our air quality worsens and heat season lengthens.

Contact Your Congress Members & Ask for NACP Funding

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.
  • May 19: 1:00 pm: AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup May Meeting Zoom Link
  • May 28th: 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm (ET): Climate Conversations: Brain Health Register
  • June 2nd: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Public Health Actions for Extreme Heat Protections Training Register

     

    Recordings

  • May 5, 2026: ANHE Webinar Dirty Air, Rising Risks: Why Nurses Must Act on Diesel Pollution and Climate for Health Recording
  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Managem,ent of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 14 May 2026 17:51:11 GMT Weekly Update - May 7, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519127 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=519127 Heat Awareness Week Wrap Up

Last week was Heat Awareness Week. Monday, May 11th, is expected to reach 108 degrees in the Phoenix area and over 100 in our southern towns. The Heat Season is upon us, and as nurses, we can help educate and prevent heat illness in our communities. Here are a few resources to keep in mind and use this summer.

 

Microplastic pollution: Action Alert

 

Microplastic pollution has inundated our world and our bodies, creating an incomprehensible public health crisis.

 

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a plan to officially make microplastics a priority drinking water contaminant by proposing to place them on the Contaminant Candidate List. Placing them on that list means EPA would consider microplastics to be contaminants known or likely to occur in public water systems that may require future regulation.

 

This is an initial step in a long regulatory process under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but it does nothing to require actual action. We need real solutions to keep our drinking water safe from microplastics!

 

A public comment period on this latest proposal is open now!Let’s use this opportunity to tell the EPA to do more and require nationwide monitoring of our drinking water to understand the true scale of this crisis. Use the link below to send a message, it is quick and easy to submit your comments.

 

Send your message to the EPA today: Protect our water from microplastics!
 

EPA: Monitor Microplastics!
 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program

 

Nearly 28 million people, including five million children, are living with asthma in the United States. Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization and school absences due to chronic illness in children. In Arizona, a recent school nurse survey reported asthma as the number one chronic condition seen in school-age children. The National Asthma Control Program (NACP) is a lifeline for those with asthma. However, the program was eliminated last year, then partially restored months later. State asthma control programs, which Arizona doesn’t have, need robust, sustained funding, as well as technical assistance from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, to support people with asthma.

 

Tell Congress to Invest in the National Asthma Program.  The Arizona Asthma Burden Report was updated in 2025.  We have made little to no progress regarding asthma in Arizona and in some cases have seen more asthma burden as our air quality worsens and heat season lengthens.

Contact Your Congress Members & Ask for NACP Funding

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • May 12th: 9:00 am (AZ): Introducing Climate Shift Index: Humid Heat Register
  • May 12th: 9:00 am (AZ): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 13th: 11:00 am (AZ): Sustainable Financing for Home-Based Asthma Services: Snapshots of Innovation and Progress Across the Country Register
  • May 14th: 4:00 pm (AZ): ANHE Regional Roundtable Meet up Register
  • May 14: 2:00 pm – 3 pm (AZ): Toxic for all? Rolling back toxic chemical protections Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.
  • May 28th: 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm (ET): Climate Conversations: Brain Health Register
  • June 2nd: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Public Health Actions for Extreme Heat Protections Training Register

     

     

    Recordings

  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Managem,ent of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 7 May 2026 18:27:37 GMT Weekly Update - April 30, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518985 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518985 Heat Awareness Week (May 4 -8, 2026)

The annual Arizona Heat Awareness Week is here! It will kick off on Monday, May 4th, and run through Friday, May 8th. A newsletter containing all the information is attached.

This vital multi-agency collaboration continues to grow each year. Throughout the week, you'll see posts amplifying heat-safety messages, and resources will be distributed across all of the National Weather Service social media platforms. 

We're counting on your support to help us, the National Weather Service, and our heat response agencies reach as many people as possible. Please be a force multiplier by sharing these crucial heat safety messages and resources across your networks!

Arizona Heat Awareness Week Website: English | Spanish

● Monday (May 4) – (H) Health

● Tuesday (May 5) – (E) Environment/Weather

● Wednesday (May 6) – (A) Awareness

● Thursday (May 7) – (T) Take Action

● Friday (May 8) – Summary

NWS Heat Resources: Website | Heat Risk | Heat Alerts

Phoenix Heat Page:  https://www.weather.gov/psr/heat

Tucson Heat Page: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heatrisk/?wfo=twc

 

Other Resources:

2026 Heat Safety Awareness Toolkit (Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health)

Heat.gov

National Heatstroke Prevention Day: NHTSA Vehicular Heatstroke Prevention

AZ Utility Assistance: AtoZ.az.gov online application or des.az.gov/liheap for paper applications

Arizona’s Central Heat Resource Hub: heat.az.gov

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • May 5th: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (AZ) Build Healthy Places Network’s Virtual Summit Register
  • May 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ) Unequal Storms: Disaster Preparedness and Health Equity Register
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 13th: 11:00 am (AZ): Sustainable Financing for Home-Based Asthma Services: Snapshots of Innovation and Progress Across the Country Register
  • May 14th: 4:00 pm (AZ): ANHE Regional Roundtable Meet up Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.

     

    Get Started on the Climate for Health Ambassador Training:

    Free, self–paced, and online

  • Learn about climate and health online at your own pace from experts at 11 health organizations. Visit https://climateforhealth.org/take-the-training/ to find out more about the available training and sign up for sessions that interest you. Some sessions also offer CE credits upon completion.

     

    Recordings

  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:16:22 GMT Weekly Update - April 23, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518868 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518868 2026 State of the Air Report

On Earth Day, April 22nd, the American Lung Association released its 27th Annual State of the Air Report.  Findings indicate that:

  • 46% of children in America (33.5 million people under the age of 18) and more than 4 in 10 people of all ages (152 million people) live in counties that received a failing grade on at least one measure of ozone or particle pollution.
  • 10% of children (7.3 million people under 18) live in counties with failing grades for all three measures.

While long-term progress is evident over our report’s history, air pollution results were mixed across the country and across pollutants compared with recent reports, highlighting the complexity of air pollution and the need for ongoing regional, state, and local attention to pollution sources: 

  • Most people - 129 million - experienced unhealthy ozone pollution levels since our 2020 report.
  • While particle pollution improved compared to last year’s highs, this report still showed 35 million more people living in communities with failing short-term particle pollution grades than in our 2018 report.

Call to action: The EPA is making significant rollbacks of critical, lifesaving clean air rules. The EPA announced it will no longer count the lives saved and the health harms avoided from implementing air pollution limits, or their monetary value. Notably, the EPA is still including industry costs in its analysis. Rolling back clean air protections sounds far less harmful when you hide the health costs to kids and families and focus only on cost savings for polluting industries.Join us in asking the EPA to return to its mission to protect health and count our kids’ health. 

Locally, “State of the Air” finds that 1.3 million kids in Arizona are breathing unhealthy air, and the Phoenix metro area remains one of the most polluted cities in the U.S. Key findings for the PHX-Mesa metro area compared to last year:

  • 4thmost ozone polluted (same rank, more high ozone days – 58.2)
  • 17thmost polluted for 24hr PM levels (worse rank, 28thlast year)
  • 15thmost polluted for year-round PM (worse rank, 20thlast year)

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

  • May 5th: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (AZ) Build Healthy Places Network’s Virtual Summit Register
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 13th: 11:00 am (AZ): Sustainable Financing for Home-Based Asthma Services: Snapshots of Innovation and Progress Across the Country Register
  • May 14th: 4:00 pm (AZ): ANHE Regional Roundtable Meet up Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.

     

    Get Started on the Climate for Health Ambassador Training

    Free, self–paced, and online

  • Learn about climate and health online at your own pace from experts at 11 health organizations. Visit https://climateforhealth.org/take-the-training/ to find out more about the available training and sign up for sessions that interest you. Some sessions also offer CE credits upon completion.

     

    Recordings

  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:25:46 GMT Weekly Update - April 16, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518710 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518710 Earth Day April 22nd

The Plastic Threat to Human Health

 

The countless plastic waste items filling our oceans, lakes, rivers, and land not only create an eyesore but also pose serious threats to plants, wildlife, and our health. Plastic pollution is a pressing and growing concern that affects us all. Here are some important facts to help you understand the dangers of plastic and its impact on our well-being.

  • Bisphenol A, BPA, used in making various plastic products like bottles, dinnerware, and food can linings, is known to disrupt hormonal activity, which can lead to health problems.
  • BPA can be absorbed into body fat and has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Sadly, most women's breast milk in developed countries contains compounds like BPA that are connected to health issues.
  • Animal studies also show potential risks for newborns and unborn babies.
  • It’s important to remember that seeing 'BPA-free' on a container doesn’t guarantee it’s free from other similar chemicals with different names.
  • Many types of phthalates, added to plastics for flexibility and strength, are associated with various health concerns such as weight gain, insulin resistance, altered hormone levels, and impacts on reproductive health for both women and men.
  • When food is wrapped in plastic containing BPA, or possibly other chemicals, these substances can leach into our food.
  • Heating food in plastic containers marked with numbers 3 and 7 isn't generally recommended. The USDA advises against reusing single-use containers such as margarine tubs, takeout boxes, or whipped-cream bowls, as they can melt and release chemicals into food.
  • Our world is impacted not only by visible environmental issues but also by tiny, invisible particles known as microplastics. These microplastics, which vary in size from 5 millimeters down to 1 nanometer, come from many human-made products—whether they are intentionally added or gradually break down over time. They have found their way into our drinking water, air, food, and even into our bodies.

 

 

For more information and helpful tips on reducing plastic use, consider downloading this Plastic Pollution Primer and Toolkit from earthday.org.

 

First Heat-Related Death Confirmed

in Maricopa County for 2026 Season

 

Maricopa County Department of Public Health has confirmed the first heat-related death of the 2026 season. The deceased was an older adult male. No additional details are being released to protect privacy.

We share this as an early, important reminder that heat illness can affect anyone, regardless of age, health status, or how long they’ve lived in Arizona. As temperatures rise, it is critical that we prioritize prevention, awareness, and community support.

Key Reminders:

  • Stay hydrated; drink water regularly, even if you don’t feel thirsty
  • Replenish electrolytes during prolonged heat exposure or activity
  • Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing and sun protection
  • Use air conditioning whenever possible; fans alone are not sufficient above 95°F
  • Check on others, especially older adults, neighbors, and those living alone
  • Know the warning signs of heat illness; seek care immediately if symptoms appear
  • Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle

The Heat Relief Network will officially launch on May 1, with hydration stations, respite centers, and other heat relief efforts available across the county and Arizona.

Beginning May 5th, Maricopa County will post weekly updates on confirmed deaths, cases under investigation, and heat-related hospital visits on the Heat Surveillance Dashboard: https://www.maricopa.gov/1858/Heat-Surveillance

Update on Workforce Heat Safety Taskforce Recommendations

In December, the Taskforce submitted Recommendations. The recommendations were approved by consensus, and a majority of Taskforce members also agree that the state should implement standards that would give the state more tools and rules to fully support workers while helping employers implement a safe workplace for workers who are outdoors or in non-air-conditioned environments, such as airport, construction, and agricultural workers.

 

The ADOSH Advisory Committee reviewed the recommendations in February 2026 and approved them as written in March 2026. On April 9, 2026, the Industrial Commission of Arizona also approved them and updated the State Emphasis Program. The program will undergo an 8-month evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the guidelines in protecting workers. The Arizona Heat Standards Coalition Campaign, representing workers and individuals with heat-related work experience, continues to fight for an enforceable heat standard for Arizona workers. The Campaign met with the Governor and her staff on April 8th to thank her for her work to date on the critical issue of extreme heat. They stated that the recommendations are not and will not be enough. They plan to move forward to ensure rulemaking to implement a standard. The Governor continues to support the work on extreme heat initiated by Executive Order 2025-09 and indicated that the Commission's work should continue to implement and enforce the efforts now added as a result of the recommendations.

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • April 13th: 9:00 am (AZ): Heat Safety Week Workshop Register
  • April 21st: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Arizona Heat Kick Off Event Register
  • April 21st: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • April 22nd: Earth Day 2026
  • May 5th: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (AZ) Build Healthy Places Network’s Virtual Summit Register
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 13th: 11:00 am (AZ): Sustainable Financing for Home-Based Asthma Services: Snapshots of Innovation and Progress Across the Country Register
  • May 14th: 4:00 pm (AZ): ANHE Regional Roundtable Meet up Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.

     

    Get Started on the Climate for Health Ambassador Training:

    Free, self–paced, and online

  • Learn about climate and health online at your own pace from experts at 11 health organizations. Visit https://climateforhealth.org/take-the-training/ to find out more about the available training and sign up for sessions that interest you. Some sessions also offer CE credits upon completion.

     

    Recordings

  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:36:01 GMT Weekly Update - April 10th, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518553 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518553 National Public Health Week: Climate and Health in Action

 

Public health and climate resilience are one and the same. When housing is stable, green space is accessible, and community connections run deep, neighborhoods are better equipped to withstand and recover from climate disasters. Climate disasters don’t create vulnerability from scratch; they reveal the investments that were never made and the partnerships that were never built.

 

Public health sits at the center, tracking heat-related illness, respiratory disease, and the mental health toll of displacement—and demonstrating why prevention must start upstream. Public health nurses are on the front lines, addressing these issues and implementing solutions to strengthen community health and resilience through their work in clinics, school health offices, and public health departments.

 

This National Public Health Week, we're focusing on the link between climate and health and on how we build lasting community resilience. Our latest factsheet examines how climate impacts are manifesting across health, housing, and community development, and how coordinated, multi-sector partnerships can strengthen community health and well-being. Explore the factsheet. 

 

Cleaner Air Action Alert

Arizona residents are genuinely concerned about air pollution and climate change, and most (78%) believe it's important for the state to adopt more clean energy policies. Rising fuel costs caused by conflicts in the Middle East further highlight how beneficial solar and wind power can be for Arizona. It's an ideal time for our policymakers to take meaningful steps toward reducing dependence on air-polluting energy sources and expanding clean energy options. Doing so will help strengthen our economy, lower our electricity bills, and improve air quality for everyone. Let's work together with the American Lung Association in Arizona to encourage our leaders to act. Sign the petition today to help make our air cleaner and our energy bills more affordable.

Sign the Petition

Get Started on the Climate for Health Ambassador Training:

Free, self–paced, and online

 

Learn about climate and health online at your own pace from experts at 11 health organizations. Visit https://climateforhealth.org/take-the-training/ to find out more about the available training and sign up for sessions that interest you. Some sessions also offer CE credits upon completion.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • April 13th: 9:00 am (AZ): Heat Safety Week Workshop Register
  • April 21st: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Arizona Heat Kick Off Event Register
  • April 21st: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • April 22nd: Earth Day 2026
  • May 5th: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (AZ) Build Healthy Places Network’s Virtual Summit Register
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 13th: 11:00 am (AZ): Sustainable Financing for Home-Based Asthma Services: Snapshots of Innovation and Progress Across the Country Register
  • May 14th: 4:00 pm (AZ): ANHE Regional Roundtable Meet up Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.

     

    Recordings

  • March 31st, 2026: Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Recording
  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Thu, 9 Apr 2026 18:19:42 GMT Weekly Update - April 3, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518438 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518438 Good Bills Still Moving at the Capitol

The bill to ban PFAs in firefighting foam (HB2641) passed out of the Senate Government Committee unanimously, and the bill to prohibit homeowners’ associations from blocking backyard shade structures (HB2342) also passed unanimously in the Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency.

 

Consensus Study

Effects of Human-Caused Greenhouse Gas Emissions on US Climate, Health,

and Welfare

from The National Academies (NASEM Climate)

 

The scientific community has been examining how human-caused greenhouse gas emissions impact the climate for more than a century. Much is understood today, based on decades of direct Earth system observations and detailed research.

 

The motivation for this report was a notice of proposed rulemaking issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicating its intention to rescind the 2009 action titled “Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases Under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act.”

 

Overarching Conclusion: EPA’s 2009 finding that the human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases threaten human health and welfare was accurate, has stood the test of time, and is now reinforced by even stronger evidence. Today, many of EPA’s conclusions are further supported by longer observational records and multiple new lines of evidence. Moreover, research has uncovered additional risks that were not apparent in 2009.

 

Read the Report

 

Cleaner Air Action Alert

Arizona residents are genuinely concerned about air pollution and climate change, and most (78%) believe it's important for the state to adopt more clean energy policies. Rising fuel costs caused by conflicts in the Middle East further highlight how beneficial solar and wind power can be for Arizona. It's an ideal time for our policymakers to take meaningful steps toward reducing dependence on air-polluting energy sources and expanding clean energy options. Doing so will help strengthen our economy, lower our electricity bills, and improve air quality for everyone. Let's work together with the American Lung Association in Arizona to encourage our leaders to act. Sign the petition today to help make our air cleaner and our energy bills more affordable.

Sign the Petition

Get Started on the Climate for Health Ambassador Training:

Free, self–paced, and online

 

Learn about climate and health online at your own pace from experts at 11 health organizations. Visit https://climateforhealth.org/take-the-training/ to find out more about the available training and sign up for sessions that interest you. Some sessions also offer CE credits upon completion.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • April 8th: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (ET): NAM Climate and Health Summit 2026 Virtual Registration
  • April 21st: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Arizona Heat Kick Off Event Register
  • April 21st: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • April 22nd: Earth Day 2026
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 13th: 11:00 am (AZ): Sustainable Financing for Home-Based Asthma Services: Snapshots of Innovation and Progress Across the Country Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.

     

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Fri, 3 Apr 2026 16:03:02 GMT Weekly Update - March 26, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518248 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518248 Cleaner Air Action Alert

Arizona residents are genuinely concerned about air pollution and climate change, and most (78%) believe it's important for the state to adopt more clean energy policies. Rising fuel costs caused by conflicts in the Middle East further highlight how beneficial solar and wind power can be for Arizona. It's an ideal time for our policymakers to take meaningful steps toward reducing dependence on air-polluting energy sources and expanding clean energy options. Doing so will help strengthen our economy, lower our electricity bills, and improve air quality for everyone. Let's work together with the American Lung Association in Arizona to encourage our leaders to act. Sign the petition today to help make our air cleaner and our energy bills more affordable.

Sign the Petition

 

Get Started on the Climate for Health Ambassador Training:

Free, self–paced, and online

 

Learn about climate and health online at your own pace from experts at 11 health organizations. Visit https://climateforhealth.org/take-the-training/ to find out more about the available training and sign up for sessions that interest you. Some sessions also offer CE credits upon completion.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

  • March 31st: 12:00 pm (AZ): Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Zoom
  • April 8th: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (ET): NAM Climate and Health Summit 2026 Virtual Registration
  • April 21st: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Arizona Heat Kick Off Event Register
  • April 21st: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • April 22nd: Earth Day 2026
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 13th: 11:00 am (AZ): Sustainable Financing for Home-Based Asthma Services: Snapshots of Innovation and Progress Across the Country Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness about heat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.

     

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording

 

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

]]> Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:27:52 GMT Weekly Update - March 19, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518084 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=518084 Evaluating Cold Water Immersion on Heat Stroke Patients

A Phoenix Study

Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition that requires quick recognition and immediate cooling. In 2024, the Phoenix Fire Department introduced a new rapid-cooling bag and protocol for prehospital cold water immersion throughout the city. This study shows that a cold water immersion protocol is practical, quickly lowers temperature, and enhances neurologic recovery in heat stroke patients. Read more here.

 

Cleaner Air Action Alert

Arizona residents are genuinely concerned about air pollution and climate change, and most (78%) believe it's important for the state to adopt more clean energy policies. Rising fuel costs caused by conflicts in the Middle East further highlight how beneficial solar and wind power can be for Arizona. It's an ideal time for our policymakers to take meaningful steps toward reducing dependence on air-polluting energy sources and expanding clean energy options. Doing so will help strengthen our economy, lower our electricity bills, and improve air quality for everyone. Let's work together with the American Lung Association in Arizona to encourage our leaders to act. Sign the petition today to help make our air cleaner and our energy bills more affordable.

Sign the Petition

 

2026 Heat Walk Campaign at American Red Cross Arizona

 

Extreme Heat Response: The American Red Cross, along with community partners, is working to save lives through neighborhood outreach and life-saving education, guided by the principle of Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Learn more or sign up for a heat walk: https://www.redcross.org/local/az-nm/about-us/our-work/extreme-heat-safety.html

 

Get Started on the Climate for Health Ambassador Training:

Free, self–paced, and online

 

Learn about climate and health online at your own pace from experts at 11 health organizations. Visit https://climateforhealth.org/take-the-training/ to find out more about the available training and sign up for sessions that interest you. Some sessions also offer CE credits upon completion.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • March 31st: 12:00 pm (AZ): Health Voices for Equitable Phaseout of Fossil Fuels Zoom
  • April 21st: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Arizona Heat Kick Off Event Register
  • April 21st: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • April 22nd: Earth Day 2026
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register
  • May 18th – May 22nd: Heat Safety Week NIHHIS is hosting a heat safety social media week to raise awareness aboutheat risk and safety.Get involved and use #HeatSafety.

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording

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

]]> Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:45:23 GMT Weekly Update - March 12, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517914 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517914 Heatwave

There is much buzz about an upcoming major heatwave in March for the American Southwest and California. This includes Arizona. It increasingly seems likely that an extremely anomalous, even record-breaking, heatwave may cover much of the Southwest this week. More here.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • March 17th: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording

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

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:33:37 GMT Weekly Update - March 5, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517761 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517761 Children’s Environmental Health

Members of theAPHA Children's Environmental Health Committee, in partnership with the National Environmental Health Association, published their third article in a series of articles in the Journal of Environmental Health about building children's environmental health capacity in the public health force through the developmentof critical competenciesandperformance indicators. This third article,From exposure to action: Climate change, children's health, and the role of environmental health professionals, is available now.

This article issues a call to action: The mounting evidence of climate change’s disproportionate impact on children’s health demands immediate, coordinated action across different sectors. Children cannot protect themselves from these environmental threats—they depend on adults and institutions to create safe, healthy environments that support their growth and well-being.

 

The time to act is now, before irreversible damage affects the health and future of an entire generation. This includes better surveillance systems, prevention and preparedness programs, and policy and system changes. Every system put in place, each program launched, and every policy enacted and supported will directly shape the health landscape that children will inherit. The children who rely on us cannot afford to wait. The moment for comprehensive action is now, and it requires all of us to ensure it happens. 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

  • March 17th: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording

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

]]> Thu, 5 Mar 2026 18:21:28 GMT Weekly Update - February 27, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517607 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517607 Climate Reporting

This blog focuses on the connection between health and climate, providing nurses with information to understand this link and support their patients and community. We rely on researchers and specialists in this field to help us navigate the complex relationship between climate and its impact on our health. Reporters help relay this information to the public. Recently, reporters have become the news because two major media outlets, the Washington Post and CBC News, have either closed or significantly reduced staff in their climate and environmental divisions. This is concerning because it means fewer stories and less information are available to us.

 

Issues such as heat, air and water quality, and the impact of plastics on our health, among other topics, remain, even if fewer people are interested in reporting and publishing on them. Pointing this out is on us, and continuing to find science-based research and stories we need to read is our job. Look to this blog to do this.

 

Today, we highlight a new podcast that began as a direct result of reporters being fired and moving to another platform to continue bringing us climate news. It was started by Heated, a Substack we often reference in our heat-related articles. Emily Atkin, the founder of Heated, has brought in Tracy Wholf to launch the Heated Podcast. Tracy has years of experience in environmental reporting, most recently at CBC as a senior climate producer. We look forward to highlighting their work in the future. You can find it here.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register
  • March 17th: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
Thank you for joining us in making a healthier planet today]]> Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:09:28 GMT Weekly Update - February 19 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517385 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517385 Endangerment Finding

 

On February 12th, the Trump Administration rescinded the federal government’s 2009 scientific determination, the Endangerment Finding. The Finding, based on more than 200 pages of research, concluded that greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to Americans’ health and welfare. 

 

For nearly 17 years, the Environmental Protection Agency relied on the Endangerment Finding as the legal basis for regulating carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases from oil and gas wells, tailpipes, smokestacks, and other fossil fuel sources. It also allowed the government to place restrictions on certain activities and to force corporations that violated regulations to pay fines, which could help mitigate damage.

 

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, this change could increase U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent over the next 30 years. It is likely to cause 58,000 premature deaths and 37 million additional asthma attacks by 2055.

 

For many healthcare providers, scientists, and citizens who care about our environment and want only action to protect our health, this is deeply distressing. One fellow NAM colleague shared this, which was beneficial: “Let’s hope the expression it’s darkest before the dawn is true, because it sure feels dark now. But even in this darkness, I see the light and feel the heat of our health colleagues fighting to protect the American people from the relentless onslaught that privileges the paychecks of Big Oil CEOs over the health of people,” Ed Maibach, Emeritus, George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication.

 

Volunteer with American Red Cross

February 28th Mesa, AZ

The American Red Cross has established Heat Relief Teams, and nurses can volunteer to become team members. Teams are now visiting neighborhoods before the heat season starts to educate residents and leave resources and materials to help them prepare for the heat and stay safe. The next event will be in Mesa on February 28th. Visit their website for more information. Training is provided virtually on February 26th. Questions can be directed to Erin LaHaye at 480-271-9952 or erin.lahaye@redcross.org.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register
  • May 12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording

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

]]> Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:00:39 GMT Weekly Update - February 12, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517207 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517207 Environmental Day at the Capitol

Organized by one of our partners, the Sierra Club Arizona, about 450 individuals gathered at the state Capitol on Wednesday, February 11th, to attend committee hearings and meet with state legislators to discuss clean air and water, clean energy, land and wildlife protection, and the links between climate and health.

 

Volunteer with American Red Cross

February 28th Mesa, AZ

The American Red Cross has established Heat Relief Teams, and nurses can volunteer to become team members. Teams receive training to visit neighborhoods now, before the heat season starts, to educate residents and leave resources and materials to help them prepare for the heat and learn how to stay safe when the heat season begins. The next event will be in Mesa on February 28th. Visit their website for more information. Training is provided virtually on February 26th. Questions can be directed to Erin LaHaye at 480-271-9952 or erin.lahaye@redcross.org.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

  • February 17th 1:00 pm – 2:00pm: February AzNA Workgroup monthy meeting Zoom
  • February 18th 12:00 pm (ET): Childhood Obesity and the Environment Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register
  • May12th: 12:00 pm (ET): Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Health and Human Systems Register

    Recordings

  • 2025 On-Demand: Climate Communication Training.All six workshops are available for viewing.Recordings
  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week. Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording

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

]]> Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:36:33 GMT Weekly Update - February 5, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517027 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=517027 Extreme Weather Preparedness for Families and Communities

Rollins School of Public Health at Emory’s Climate and Health Actionable Research and Translation Center (CHART) recently hosted a webinar on preparedness for extreme weather events. Disasters are now three times more likely than in the 1980s, and children and older adults, especially those with disabilities or chronic conditions, are most affected when events shut down power, disrupt the supply chain, and limit access to medications and health care services. Now is the time in Arizona to plan events, as many are affected by our summer heat and monsoon season.

 

Tips for families and communities at risk for weather events:

  • Create a ‘to go’ bag with essential items
  • Have an evacuation and reunification plan
  • Have medication and care plans available to add to the items taken during evacuation

 

Resources

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

Last Chance to Register

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others engaged in advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Webinars & Events

  • February 10th: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (ET) Climate Conversations: DC Crossroads Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording

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

]]> Thu, 5 Feb 2026 18:37:49 GMT Weekly Update - January 29, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516821 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516821 Arizona Nurse

Speaking with the First Chief Heat Officer

January Issue

 

The January 2026 digital issue of The Arizona Nurse was just released. Two of our members, Paloma Greenwald and Pat VanMaanen, had a unique opportunity last November to interview Dr. Eugene Livar, Arizona’s first Chief Heat Officer and the first to hold the position at the state level in the US. Read more about our discussion with Eugene here.

 

Big Number

80 billion - The number of pounds of food waste generated by US schools, hospitals, restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses annually. Food loss and waste is a growing problem. The EPA estimates that more food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in our trash, contributing 24% of landfill contents in 2018. There are efforts underway to prevent wasted food and divert it from landfills and incinerators.

 

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality – Solid Waste Section

 

EPA Food Recovery – Phoenix Area

 

Phoenix Local Food Recovery Guide – Food Waste Watchers Program

 

Compost Navigator – Locator site

 

Compost Crowd – Flagstaff/Sedona

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Webinars & Events

  • February 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (ET): Integrating Extreme Weather Preparedness for Families into a Clinical and Public Health Setting Register
  • February 7th: All day starting at 8:00 am: Southern Arizona Heat Summit 2026 Register in Tucson at the Environment & Natural Resources 2 Building (ENR2), University of Arizona
  • February 10th: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (ET) Climate Conversations: DC Crossroads Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • December 11th:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • December 10th: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.

 

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

]]> Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:08:42 GMT Weekly Report - January 22, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516664 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516664 2025 Arizona Asthma Burden Report

The last Arizona Asthma Burden Report was published in 2016. Last year, the Arizona Department of Health Services established a team and hired a consultant group to update the report.  It has been completed and published on their website. Key findings include:

 

  • Adult Asthma prevalence is higher than the national average at 10.0%, 18-24 yo is 14%
  • Child Asthma prevalence dropped during COVID but returned to 8.7%
  • Arizona has a higher asthma mortality rate than the national average.
  • Those with controlled asthma pay more for medications but lower costs for acute care.
  • The American Lung Association State of the Air report assigned Arizona a grade ‘F’ for ozone pollution in Maricopa, Gila, Pinal, and Pima counties and an ‘F’ for particulate pollution in Maricopa and Pinal counties.
  • Adult smoking rates are declining; youth use of electronic vaping products is rising.

 

Key recommendations to address asthma burden in Arizona, as aligned to the CDC’s EXHALE Strategies and HP2030 include:

 

E = Education on Asthma Self-Management

X = X-tinguishing Smoking and Secondhand Smoke

H = Home Visits for Trigger Reduction

A = Achievement of Guidelines-Based Medical Management

L = Linkages and Coordination of Care

E = Environmental Policies & Best Practices

 

Asthma Burden Report

Read More Here

 

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Register Here for Environmental Day

https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?id=701Po00001O6p4lIAB&formcampaignid=701Po00001KdqlvIAB&data=e70fba46ae63e88cbe8a90a0785a95c6a9ccf6869522dc4bc76ba449ee5bc9b35c2b016b5ae1f3b62c41dc5c5373921b

 

Webinars & Events

  • January 20th: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Monthly MeetingZoom Link.
  • January 22nd: 6:00 pm (AZ): Learn About Climate and Clean Energy (Sierra Club) Register.
  • February 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (ET): Integrating Extreme Weather Preparedness for Families into a Clinical and Public Health Setting Register
  • February 7th: All day starting at 8:00 am: Southern Arizona Heat Summit 2026 Register in Tucson at the Environment & Natural Resources 2 Building (ENR2), University of Arizona
  • February 10th: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (ET) Climate Conversations: DC Crossroads Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • December 11th:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • December 10th: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.

 

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

]]> Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:39:50 GMT Weekly Post - January 15, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516500 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516500 Join Us

Our January meeting is around the corner, Tuesday, January 20th at 1:00 pm

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81820781460

 

2025 Second Warmest in 131 years of record

Tom Frieders, Meteorologist at NOAA/NWS

The official 2025 climate temperature rankings are in. A common theme emerged across the entire Southwest United States. After every county in Arizona recorded its warmest December on record, Arizona came in as the 2nd warmest year out of 131 years of record. It was warmer than 2024 and 2020 but just behind the warmest year on record in 2017. 

Six counties in the state had their warmest year on record: Coconino, Graham, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, and Yavapai Counties. Maricopa County had its 3rd warmest year on record, and Phoenix (Sky Harbor) had its 2nd warmest year on record. More information is located here.

Extreme Heat & Worker Protection Recommendations Finalized

 

In May 2025, Governor Hobbs issued an executive order creating the Workplace Heat Safety Task Force to draft heat safety guidelines for employers by the end of 2025. Currently, Arizona has no laws requiring heat protection for workers. At the last meeting held on December 4th, a draft of the final recommendations was discussed, and edits were made. A revised version was emailed a week later for approval, and the final version was released at the end of December as required by the executive order. The recommendations contained definitions for each focus area acceptable to all members, including the following:

 

  • Water: Should be provided to employees at no cost by the employer, and should be accessible and potable, with drinking encouraged throughout the workday.
  • Shade: Should be adequate, accessible to employees, and encouraged for use during the work shift.
  • Rest Breaks: Should be located nearby, offered frequently, and encouraged.
  • Acclimatization: Each employer is required to have a plan that outlines a process for the employee’s body to adapt to heat over several days.
  • Training: Required training for all employees, covering a minimum set of topics, must be provided before the employee begins work, with refresher courses at least annually.

 

 

 

 

Before the final task force meeting, the Arizona Heat Standards Coalition, comprising 25 organizations statewide, submitted a petition with over 1,500 signatures to the Governor, urging her and the task force to support the adoption of fair, measurable, and mandatory standards for all employers to ensure worker safety. More information is available at this link. Most task force members signed a similar document supporting a recommendation that Arizona adopt standards that include evidence-based policies and procedures, with enforcement efforts to further support employee safety during extreme heat working conditions. These documents will move forward to the Industrial Commission of Arizona along with the recommendations.

 

The Industrial Commission of Arizona Commissioners will be responsible for reviewing and implementing the new recommendations by mid-2026. The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) Advisory Committee will meet on February 4th at 10:00 amin a public meeting in the auditorium of the Phoenix Commission Building to review and discuss the recommendations. The Governor’s Executive Order and the Final Recommendations are posted below.

 

Governor’s Executive Order: Workplace Heat Safety Task Force May 2025

Final Recommendations for Arizona Heat Illness Prevention Dec 2025

 

 

Action Alert

Clean Car Standards are Working: Tell the Administration

Not to Roll Back Progress

 

From our partners at Elders Climate Action

The Trump administration and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have proposed weakening national fuel economy (CAFE) standards for cars and trucks, undoing decades of progress that save consumers money and curb harmful pollution. These standards are proven to lower fuel costs, reduce emissions, and drive American innovation. Rolling them back is a blatant giveaway to Big Oil and auto executives—not a policy for working families.

 

Cleaner cars aren’t just better for the environment—they’re better for our bank accounts. Transportation already makes up about 15% of household budgets, and stronger standards keep more money in drivers’ pockets while protecting our air and health. Tell the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to keep America moving forward with cleaner, more efficient vehicles.

 

TWO WAYS TO TAKE ACTION:

1. Urge President Trump and Secretary Duffy to protect our progress and stop the rollbacks of these clean car standards. Click here.

2. Tell NHTSA: "Don’t roll back fuel economy standards that save Americans money."
Submit your official comment here.

SAMPLE COMMENT & TALKING POINTS.

Deadline: January 20, 2026

Learn more here: NHTSA Public Hearing Information

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Register Here for Environmental Day

 

Webinars & Events

  • January 20th: 1:00 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Monthly MeetingZoom Link.
  • January 22nd: 6:00 pm (AZ): Learn About Climate and Clean Energy (Sierra Club) Register.
  • February 7th: All day starting at 8:00 am: Southern Arizona Heat Summit 2026 Register in Tucson at the Environment & Natural Resources 2 Building (ENR2), University of Arizona
  • February 10th: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (ET) Climate Conversations: DC Crossroads Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • December 11th:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • December 10th: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.

 

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

]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:09:42 GMT Weekly Update - January 9, 2026 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516303 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=516303 HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Welcome to 2026! We hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season. We're excited to partner with you on initiatives that support the health of our climate, communities, and the wonderful people of Arizona. Join us in our mission to educate and empower nurses as they address Health & Climate challenges right here in Arizona. If you have any questions or just want to connect, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com—we'd love to hear from you!

 

Extreme Heat & Worker Protections

 

Earlier this year, Governor Hobbs issued an executive order creating the Workplace Heat Safety Task Force to draft and recommend heat safety guidelines for employers by the end of 2025. The most recent meeting was held on December 4th. Currently, Arizona has no laws requiring heat protection for workers. In an article published before the final task force meeting, the Arizona Heat Standards Coalition, comprising 25 organizations across the state, submitted a petition with over 1,500 signatures to the Governor, urging her and the task force to support adopting standards that are fair, measurable, and mandatory for all employers to ensure worker safety. More information is available at this link. After the task force concludes its work, the recommendations will be forwarded to the Industrial Commission of Arizona for review, approval, and implementation by mid-2026. More will be posted next week as the final documents are being finalized.

 

Action Alert

Clean Car Standards are Working: Tell the Administration

Not to Roll Back Progress

 

From our partners at Elders Climate Action

The Trump administration and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have proposed weakening national fuel economy (CAFE) standards for cars and trucks, undoing decades of progress that save consumers money and curb harmful pollution. These standards are proven to lower fuel costs, reduce emissions, and drive American innovation. Rolling them back is a blatant giveaway to Big Oil and auto executives—not a policy for working families.

 

Cleaner cars aren’t just better for the environment—they’re better for our bank accounts. Transportation already makes up about 15% of household budgets, and stronger standards keep more money in drivers’ pockets while protecting our air and health. Tell the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to keep America moving forward with cleaner, more efficient vehicles.

 

TWO WAYS TO TAKE ACTION:

1. Urge President Trump and Secretary Duffy to protect our progress and stop the rollbacks of these clean car standards. Click here.

2. Tell NHTSA: "Don’t roll back fuel economy standards that save Americans money."
Submit your official comment here.

SAMPLE COMMENT & TALKING POINTS.

Deadline: January 20, 2026

Learn more here: NHTSA Public Hearing Information

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Register Here for Environmental Day

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • February 7th: All day starting at 8:00 am: Southern Arizona Heat Summit 2026 Register in Tucson at the Environment & Natural Resources 2 Building (ENR2), University of Arizona
  • February 10th: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (ET) Climate Conversations: DC Crossroads Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • December 11th:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • December 10th: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.

 

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

]]> Fri, 9 Jan 2026 16:17:50 GMT Weekly Update - December 4, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515589 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515589 HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 

This will be our final issue of 2025. We sincerely thank you for following along with our posts, and we genuinely appreciate your feedback to help us improve. Join us in our mission to educate and support nurses as they tackle Health & Climate issues right here in Arizona. Don't miss the upcoming interview with the Arizona Chief Heat Officer in the next issue of the Arizona Nurse. Feel free to reach out to us at aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com—we'd love to hear from you!

 

Extreme Heat & Worker Protections

 

Earlier this year, Governor Hobbs issued an executive order to create the Workplace Heat Safety Task Force, with the goal of drafting and recommending heat safety guidelines for employers by the end of 2025. The most recent meeting was held on December 4th. Currently, Arizona has no laws requiring protection for workers against heat. In an article published before the final task force meeting, the Arizona Heat Standards Coalition, comprising 25 organizations across the state, submitted a petition with over 1,500 signatures to the Governor, urging her and the task force to support the adoption of standards that are fair, measurable, and mandatory for all employers to ensure worker safety. More information is available at this link. After the task force concludes its work, the recommendations will be forwarded to the Industrial Commission of Arizona for review, approval, and implementation by mid-2026.

Plastic Pollution and Children’s Health

The US EPA Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee submitted a summary of the science on plastic pollution and children's health and made recommendations to the EPA. The full letter is available here:bit.ly/chpac-plastics, and the key takeaways include:

  • Plastic pollution is not just plastic waste; it’s the complete plastic life cycle
  • Strong science indicates that pollution throughout the entire plastics life cycle can damage children’s health.
  • There’s good news. We already have solutions.

Graphics related to this information are available at Dr. Singla’s LinkedIn post. 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Register Here for Environmental Day

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • December 11th:12:00 1:00 pm: Community-Led Energy Resilience: Lessons Learned from the Clean Energy Incentive Navigator Register
  • February 7th: All day starting at 8:00 am: Southern Arizona Heat Summit 2026 Register in Tucson at the Environment & Natural Resources 2 Building (ENR2), University of Arizona
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • December 11th:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • December 10th: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.

 

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

]]> Thu, 4 Dec 2025 16:57:52 GMT Weekly Update - Dec 1, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515524 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515524 The Problem:

Food Waste is the Top Source of Methane Emissions

By Climate Changemakers

The United States wastes a large amount of food. In fact, almost 40% of the food we produce ends up in landfills. Landfill environments prevent food from decomposing properly, causing food to rot and release methane. 

 

That’s a major problem because methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases fueling the climate crisis. By trapping about 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide in the short term, methane speeds up the rise in global temperatures. While most methane emissions in the United States come from the energy sector, waste is the third largest domestic contributor. Landfills full of food waste account for 77% of methane emissions from that sector, according to Climate TRACE. About 1,800 individual landfills and waste disposal sites emit methane (CH4) across the country. Explore this interactive emissions map from Climate TRACE!

 

A Solution – Food waste is something many of us think about because it feels wasteful to throw away food. While individual actions can help, we need policy-level systems to promote lasting change and significant emissions reductions. Three key strategies for reducing food waste on a large scale include:

  • Prevention – Date labeling. Pass a state-wide policy that standardizes the 60+ best by labels, so consumers don’t throw away food based on confusing information
  • Diversion – Tax Incentives. Encourage businesses, such as small farms, local restaurants, and grocery stores, to donate surplus food by offering a tax credit on state taxes.
  • Composting – Grant Programs and Procurement. Provide grants across the state for local compost collection programs and support a state-wide compost market.

 

Read More.

 

 

Action Alert

On December 2nd and 4th at 9:00 am, the Arizona Corporation Commission will meet to discuss and possibly vote on repealing the state’s Energy Efficiency Standard (EES). Please take action to oppose this harmful move that undermines efforts to control our energy bills. The EES saves money for ratepayers by requiring utilities to offer cost-effective programs that reduce energy use and lower electric bills. 

Attend the meeting next week to oppose this repeal in person or by phone. You may also sign online.

  • In person: 1200 W Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007
  • Calling in, 1-877-309-3457 passcode 801972877## to provide public comment to oppose the repeal of our state’s EES.
  • Online: Send a message using this form to oppose the repeal of our states’ EES.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Register Here for Environmental Day

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm 1:00 pm (ET): Protecting Our Future: Low-Cost, No-Cost Tips to Prevent Chemical and Heavy Metal Exposures When Selecting Toys Register
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

     

     

    Recordings

  • November 18th: Indoor Air Quality and Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • October 9th: Children’s Environmental Health Day Webinar: Impacts of Fossil Fuels on Children’s Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 24th: Preterm Birth and Environmental Influences on Lifelong Health (webinar) Recording
  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • August: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Heat-Related Illness (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • December 11th:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • December 10th: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.

 

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

]]> Tue, 2 Dec 2025 15:15:35 GMT Weekly Update - November 21, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515338 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515338 New Report:

Protecting the Health of Americans in the Face of Extreme Weather: A Roadmap for Coordinated Action

The STAT Network has released a new report: Protecting the Health of Americans in the Face of Extreme Weather: A Roadmap for Coordinated Action.

This new report from the STAT Network shows that extreme weather events are threatening the health, safety, and economic future of Americans. It explains how state public health departments and their partners are adapting and innovating to confront the increasing dangers of extreme weather. events, including heatwaves, storms, and air pollution.

Key Insights in the Report:

  • State of Play: A summary of the challenges facing states that have increased state-level responsibility.
  • New Playbooks: Showcasing replicable new models and real-world examples of how states are evolving their approaches to collaboration and data. 
  • Sustaining the Mission: Identifying pressing gaps and recommendations for protecting the most vulnerable populations.

This resource reflects the immense work being done on the ground and provides a valuable roadmap for building community resilience and protecting public health. Arizona is mentioned several times in relation to our extreme heat plan and the nation’s first State Chief Heat Officer.

 

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Register Here for Environmental Day

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Fri, 21 Nov 2025 21:10:46 GMT Weekly Update - November 13, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515143 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=515143 US Seasonal Forecast for Health: November Edition

 

This edition features outlooks for drought, wildfire, and hurricane seasons, along with information about the new home for the US Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters, presented in collaboration with Climate Central, featuring a 2025 mid-year update.

 

Read the Forecast

 

Environmental Day at the Capitol, February 11th

People Power for the Planet

 

Join Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Advocates, Poder Latinx, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Mi Familia en Acción, and many other groups for our annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from inspiring speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature.

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

Register to get more details and reserve your spot.

 

Register Here for Environmental Day

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

Webinars & Events

  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ): 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit Register
  • November 19th: 3:00 pm (AZ): Extreme Weather and the Climate Crisis (virtual) Register
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:12:02 GMT Weekly Update - October 7, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514994 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514994 Arizona Ranks 45th Overall; Worst Air Quality Index in Nation

The Commonwealth Fund has studied the impact of state and federal policies on health and health care for many years. This year, it released a scorecard to assess how environmental policy decisions affect health and health care. The scorecard aims to emphasize the ways health care systems influence the environment and, in turn, how the environment impacts public health and health care operations.

Arizona has the worst air quality index scores in the country, caused by high levels of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter. Intense sunlight, little wind, nearby wildfires, an arid climate, and heavy traffic are main factors. Arizona is the only state with an air quality designation of ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’.

In the United States, extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related event, and heat waves are quickly growing longer and more intense. Arizona and nearby southwestern states are the nation’s hot spots. In 2024, Arizona experienced 143 days with temperatures over 100°F. Extreme heat events can lead to public health emergencies and power outages that disrupt medical services. 

To lower ozone-forming emissions, Arizona could implement stricter vehicle and transportation standards. Currently, the state does not have emissions regulations, reduction targets, or investments in alternative transportation.

Read the complete report here.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ):: 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit Register
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Fri, 7 Nov 2025 16:06:35 GMT Weekly Update - October 30, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514825 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514825 Action Alert

Thank Senators Kelly and Gallego

Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, along with 30 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, demanding that the Trump administration immediately restore the Solar for All program, which helps working-class families afford rooftop and community solar energy, reducing their home energy costs. 

This joint letter, led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), follows a letter from Senators Kelly and Gallego, Governor Katie Hobbs, and Representatives Greg Stanton (AZ-4) and Yassamin Ansari (AZ-3) when the program cancellation was first announced in August. They condemned the administration’s decision to cancel $7 billion in funding. 

The program would have created tens of thousands of good-paying jobs in communities across the country, lowered residential electricity bills by at least 20 percent for more than 900,000 households, and saved working families more than $8.7 billion in electric costs over the lifetime of the panels.  You can read the full letter here.

Please contact their office by phone or online to express your gratitude for their promotion of clean energy and their strong climate-protective leadership. We understand that polluted air worsens health issues like respiratory and heart conditions. Using clean energy will help reduce air pollution while lowering energy costs for Arizonans.

 

Contact for Senator Kelly:       Phoenix: 602-671-7901

                                                Tucson: 520-475-5177           

DC: 202-224-2235

Online Contact Form

 

Contact for Senator Gallego: Phoenix: 480-697-3600

                                                Tucson: 520-777-0400

                                                DC: 202-224-4521

                                                Onine Contact Form

 

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • November 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ):: 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit Register
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • February 28-March 3: Our Planet, Our Health 2026 Convention Register

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 30 Oct 2025 19:47:16 GMT Weekly Update - October 23, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514635 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514635 Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation

Smart Storage: The Food Rescue

 

Have you seen this week’s Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) blog posts?  The discussion is about understanding the impact of our food waste. If we reduce food waste, we put less stress on the earth to grow more food and use less water to grow it.

 

Day 1: 33% of all food produced around the world is lost or wasted each year.  Your action for Day 1 includes tracking what you toss, calculating the cost, and totaling the amount.

Day 2: Preventing spoiled food waste requires storing it at the right temperature. Make sure your refrigerator is set correctly.

Day 3: Properly storing fruits and vegetables extends their shelf life. 9 common fruits and vegetables, and how they should be stored, are provided.

Day 4: Maximize freshness by rotating your food in your pantry and refrigerator by using first in, first out concept.

Day 5: Let tech track your food’s freshness. Available apps help you track items in your pantry, freezer, or refrigerator by expiration date.

Continue to follow this blog and other posts at HNHN Challenge.

 

First-Ever Global Nursing Curriculum Assessment Survey: Climate Education in Nursing Schools

 

Your Input Matters! This survey, led by the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE), is the first worldwide effort to evaluate how nursing schools are preparing nurses to handle the health effects of climate change. Nurses are trusted frontline providers. Your insights will directly influence an annual Lancet Countdown indicator, shaping how future nurses are trained to respond to our changing climate.

Who Should Participate?

  • Nursing faculty
  • Curriculum leaders
  • Climate health champions in nursing education
  • Public health and global health nurses are involved in teaching

 

SURVEY

 

Action: Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate

Ensuring clean air, water, and a healthy climate is so crucial for everyone. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are doing critical work to reduce pollution, fight the climate crisis, provide cleaner and affordable energy, and help communities prepare for and recover from extreme weather. To sustain this vital work, these agencies require the appropriate funding and staffing.

That’s why it's so essential for Congress to support these agencies by providing adequate funding and resources, and to make sure the administration follows the law by using funds as intended. When Congress empowers and supports these agencies and their dedicated staff, they can continue their mission of protecting everyone in the U.S. and future generations, helping us all live safer, healthier lives. Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate.

Send Congress A letter

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • November 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ):: 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit Register
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 23 Oct 2025 19:10:13 GMT Weekly Post - October 16, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514462 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514462 First-Ever Global Nursing Curriculum Assessment Survey: Climate Education in Nursing Schools

 

Your Input Matters! This survey, led by the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE), is the first worldwide effort to evaluate how nursing schools are preparing nurses to handle the health effects of climate change. Nurses are trusted frontline providers. Your insights will directly influence an annual Lancet Countdown indicator, shaping how future nurses are trained to respond to our changing climate.

Who Should Participate?

  • Nursing faculty
  • Curriculum leaders
  • Climate health champions in nursing education
  • Public health and global health nurses involved in teaching

 

SURVEY

 

Action: Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate

Ensuring clean air, water, and a healthy climate is so crucial for everyone. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are doing critical work to reduce pollution, fight the climate crisis, provide cleaner and affordable energy, and help communities prepare for and recover from extreme weather. To sustain this vital work, these agencies require the appropriate funding and staffing.

That’s why it's so essential for Congress to support these agencies by providing adequate funding and resources, and to make sure the administration follows the law by using funds as intended. When Congress empowers and supports these agencies and their dedicated staff, they can continue their mission of protecting everyone in the U.S. and future generations, helping us all live safer, healthier lives. Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate.

Send Congress A letter

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Webinars & Events

 

  • October 21st: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link
  • October 22nd: 12 pm (ET): The Power of Nurses: Driving Climate Solutions at COP30 and Beyond Register
  • November 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ): Save the Date: 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register

     

     

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:23:54 GMT Weekly Post - October 9, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514325 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514325 ANHE Fellowship Application Open

The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) is now accepting applications for its fourth cohort of the Environmental Health Nurse Fellowship Program. For more details and to apply, please visit this link.  Deadline: October 17th.

 

5 Things to Know About the Fungal Infection Valley Fever

Published by Gist, October 2, 2025

  • Valley fever is an infection spread by a fungus that grows in the top few inches of soil in parts of the American West. It is transmitted when soil is disturbed and the fungal spores become airborne. You can become sick by inhaling the spores, but it cannot be passed from person to person.
  • Who’s most at risk? Anyone who lives in, visits, or works in the areas where the fungus exists can get valley fever. People who work in agriculture, construction, and other activities that involve working in or around disturbed dirt and outdoor dust are at higher risk.
  • How can you prevent valley fever infection? Using N95 masks in dusty areas where the fungus grows can help reduce your risk. A vaccine for dogs is expected to be available as early as the end of 2025, and a human vaccine is currently in early-stage development.
  • What are the symptoms of valley fever, and how is it diagnosed? Symptoms may include a fever, cough, chills, tiredness, night sweats, headache, shortness of breath, joint and muscle pain, and a rash. Valley fever is diagnosed with a blood test.
  • What’s being done about it? The National Institutes of Health has awarded researchers in three states millions of dollars to research new antifungal drugs, design rapid tests, and better understand why some people develop the severe form of valley fever while others experience no symptoms. There are at least four different research initiatives underway to discover and design an effective vaccine.

 

Children’s Environmental Health

Just wrapped up on October 9th

Children are often the most vulnerable population when it comes to pollutants, extreme heat, and other climate impacts. Additionally, many children live in communities that are disproportionately affected by environmental exposures. By improving the health of the environment, we directly improve the health of our children.
Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) Day is founded on the belief that, together, we can create a healthier, safer, and more equitable world for all children—where fewer children suffer from preventable health issues.

CEH Resources

Children’s Mental Health Guide

 

Action: Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate

Ensuring clean air, water, and a healthy climate is essential for everyone. Agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are performing vital work to reduce pollution, address the climate crisis, provide cleaner and affordable energy, and assist communities in preparing for and recovering from extreme weather. To continue this critical work, these agencies need proper funding and staffing.

That’s why it's crucial for Congress to support these agencies with adequate funding and resources and ensure the administration follows the law by using funds as intended. When Congress empowers and backs these agencies and their dedicated staff, they can continue their mission of safeguarding all Americans and future generations, helping us all live safer, healthier lives. Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate.

Send Congress A letter

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

Webinars & Events

 

  • October 16th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • October 16th 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (ET): Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health Heat Listening Session Register
  • October 21st: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ): AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link
  • October 22nd: 12 pm (ET): The Power of Nurses: Driving Climate Solutions at COP30 and Beyond Register
  • November 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ): Save the Date: 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register

     

     

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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


]]> Thu, 9 Oct 2025 18:54:21 GMT Weekly Update - October 2, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514183 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514183 Action: Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate

Ensuring clean air, water, and a healthy climate is so crucial for everyone. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are doing critical work to reduce pollution, fight the climate crisis, provide cleaner and affordable energy, and help communities prepare for and recover from extreme weather. To sustain this vital work, these agencies require the appropriate funding and staffing.

That’s why it's so essential for Congress to support these agencies by providing adequate funding and resources, and to make sure the administration follows the law by using funds as intended. When Congress empowers and supports these agencies and their dedicated staff, they can continue their mission of protecting everyone in the U.S. and future generations, helping us all live safer, healthier lives. Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate.

Send Congress A letter

 

Climate Week News

Here are highlight videos from Climate Week last week, brought to you by Inside Climate unless noted otherwise.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

ANHE Fellowship Application Open

The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) is accepting applications for its fourth cohort of the Environmental Health Nurse Fellowship Program. For more information and the application process, please visit this link.

Webinars & Events

 

  • October 7th: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm (AZ): Sierra Club’s Virtual Volunteer Advocacy Workshop in preparation for the 2026 State Legislative Session(Register)
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • October 9th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EDT): Extreme Heat + Children’s Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action: A ive, virtual training! Register
  • October 10th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Healing the Planet, Healing Ourselves: Exploring Equitable Approaches to Mental Health Register
  • October 16th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • October 16th 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (ET): Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health Heat Listening Session Register
  • October 22nd: 12 pm (ET): The Power of Nurses: Driving Climate Solutions at COP30 and Beyond Register
  • November 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ): Save the Date: 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit
  • December 3rd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): STAT Extreme Weather & Health Action Network Series (virtual) Register

     

     

     

    Recordings

  • September 4th: Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies (webinar) Recording
  • May-July: APHA three-part podcast series on extreme heat Recording
  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 2 Oct 2025 19:39:36 GMT Weekly Update - September 25, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514032 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=514032

Leading Health and Medical Organizations Urge EPA to Uphold Endangerment Finding and Protect Public Health

 

“On the deadline, September 22nd, and in a joint comment, over 120 medical societies and health organizations warned that rolling back the endangerment finding would undermine scientific consensus and set our country on a path toward more harm”. -the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.

 

Thank you to those who submitted comment and testified on behalf of our patients and the health of our communities. The NAM report below further supports the Consortium’s letter.

New Report: Effects of Human-Caused Greenhouse Gas Emissions on US Climate, Health, and Welfare

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAM) released a consensus Study Report on September 17th. The committee was tasked with reviewing and summarizing the evidence changes since the EPA released the 2009 Endangerment Findings. The NAM committee presented its findings yesterday in a webinar following the report's release. During this webinar, they clearly outlined their approach, summarized their findings, and made the following statement:

 

“The EPA’s 2009 findings that the human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases threaten human health and welfare was accurate, has stood the test of time, and is now reinforced by even stronger evidence”

 

These findings and work from the NAM should give us confidence in stating to the EPA that the 2009 Endangerment Findings are good to stand and no changes are needed, including rescinding them.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

Join: Webinars & Events

 

  • October 1st: 4:00 pm (AZ): Defending Environmental Protections Under Trump Administration Register (will be recorded, register to get recording link to watch later)
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • October 9th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EDT): Extreme Heat + Children’s Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action: A ive, virtual training! Register
  • October 16th 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (ET): Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health Heat Listening Session Register
  • October 22nd: 12 pm (ET): The Power of Nurses: Driving Climate Solutions at COP30 and Beyond Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register
  • November 19th: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (AZ): Save the Date: 3rd Annual Arizona Heat Summit

     

     

    Recordings

  • New: Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • New: July 9th: Keeping It Cool: Heat Preparedness Resources for Community Health Centers Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2025 17:29:45 GMT AzNA Today - September 22, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513872 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513872

 

 

 

Thank you for visiting us at the AzNA Convention

 

Thank you to all the wonderful nurses we met at the convention and who stopped by to say hello, pick up a Climate Rx badge, or sign up for our workgroup. Pat VanMaanen spoke about Heat and its impact on Health.  If you missed signing up to get our updates and meeting notices, you can do it here.

 

New Report: Effects of Human-Caused Greenhouse Gas Emissions on US Climate, Health, and Welfare

 

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NAM) released a consensus Study Report on September 17th. The Committee was charged to review and summarize the changes in evidence since the 2009 Endangerment Findings were released by the EPA. The NAM Committee presented their findings yesterday in a webinar following the report’s release. In this webinar they succinctly stated their approach, provided a summary of their findings and made the following statement:

 

“The EPA’s 2009 findings that the human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases threaten human health and welfare was accurate, has stood the test of time, and is now reinforced by even stronger evidence”

 

These findings and work from the NAM should give us confidence in stating to the EPA that the 2009 Endangerment Findings are good to stand and no changes are needed, including rescinding them.

 

Action Alert: Endangerment Finding

By September 22nd

 

Repealing the endangerment finding would disregard the overwhelming scientific consensus and exacerbate the health impacts we are already experiencing from climate change.

 

So far, over 103,000 people have submitted comments, and more than 600 have testified on the proposal to repeal the EPA’s Endangerment Finding, the key ruling that recognized greenhouse gases as a threat to public health and welfare.  

 

Under docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0194, titled “Reconsideration of 2009 Endangerment Finding and Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards,” the EPA is considering whether to weaken those protections. Hundreds of Americans, including scientists, health professionals, faith leaders, and community advocates, have voiced strong opposition.

 

We urge all nurses to voice their opposition to rescinding this essential safeguard.

 

 

TAKE ACTION

Submit Your Comments

OPTION 1:Customize ECA’s messagebycutting and pasting it into thedocket form.  (They do the work to submit it for you).

OPTION 2: Write your own message and submit it to thedocket. Use ourtoolkitto help.

 

Please share this with others and ask them to follow your lead and act.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

Join Us: Webinars & Events

 

  • September 24th: 12 pm (ET): Advancing Climate & Health Equite – The Role of Nurses Ahead of COP30 Register
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • October 9th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EDT): Extreme Heat + Children’s Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action: A ive, virtual training! Register
  • October 16th 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (ET): Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health Heat Listening Session Register
  • October 22nd: 12 pm (ET): The Power of Nurses: Driving Climate Solutions at COP30 and Beyond Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 18 Sep 2025 22:31:01 GMT Weekly Update - September 12, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513768 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513768 Visit Us at the AzNA Convention

 

The AzNA Health & Climate Workgroup will have a table at the AzNA Convention Saturday. Please stop by, say hello, and pick up a goodie or two.

 

New Report

One Climate Event Away: Stories of Climate Change from the Frontlines of Health

Different areas of the country might experience climate change differently, but one thing remains clear: Everyone is potentially one climate event away from poorer health, financial security, and well-being.

 

This new report from the Consortium gathers just a handful of stories from health professionals on the frontlines to demonstrate the various ways climate change harms health and the urgency to act to protect ourselves and our neighbors from the impacts of climate change. It also provides solutions for decision-makers and communities to consider.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE

 

 

Deadlines Approaching: Your Rush Hour Commute Will Get Longer

 

Several clean energy policies are expiring at the end of September. The Trump Administration and Congress are cutting or not renewing several clean energy policies that will impact air quality and commutes.

 

EV use of HOV lanes.

 

If you live in the United States and are in the market to buy or lease an electric vehicle, there’s a time-sensitive opportunity for you. The federal electric vehicle tax credit will expire on September 30, 2025. The credit provides up to $7,500 on a new qualifying EV and $4,000 for a used one, and Kiplinger has put together a comprehensive article that details eligibility requirements, income limits, qualifying vehicles, and more. If this is relevant to you, don't miss the chance: get it done this week!

 

Action Alert: Endangerment Finding

By September 22nd

 

Repealing the endangerment finding would ignore overwhelming scientific consensus and worsen the health impacts we are already seeing from climate change.

 

That's why we're asking you to take these key actions:

  • Submit a unique, personalized commentby September 22. Our toolkit has resources to help you make your comment authentic, including specialty-specific examples.
  • Share our toolkit with five colleagues and ask them to act.

VIEW ACTION TOOLKIT HERE

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

 

  • September 17th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Reducing Waste Rethinking Care: An Approach to Sustainability in the OR Register
  • September 18th: 4:00 pm (AZ): For a Safe Climate: Congress Must Protect Americans from Pollution, Extreme Weather, and Climate Threats: Fully Fund and Safeguard Our Science and Safety Agencies Register
  • September 24th: 12 pm (ET): Advancing Climate & Health Equite – The Role of Nurses Ahead of COP30 Register
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • October 16th 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (ET): Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health Heat Listening Session Register
  • October 22nd: 12 pm (ET): The Power of Nurses: Driving Climate Solutions at COP30 and Beyond Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Fri, 12 Sep 2025 20:49:31 GMT Weekly Update - September 4 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513567 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513567 We Want to Hear from You

 

The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) and the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs & Leaders (SONSIEL) are launching a digital storytelling campaign to highlight the powerful and diverse ways nurses are already leading on climate and health. Nurses are promoting climate action every day—whether at the bedside, in the classroom, or in the boardroom. From cutting waste in clinics to advocating for healthy housing, nurses are protecting health and the planet in meaningful ways.

 

By naming and sharing what we’re doing, we connect our daily actions to the global movement for health and climate solutions—amplifying nurses’ voices.

 

We want to hear from you. Share how you are leading on climate and health—whether through patient education, policy advocacy, innovation, or sustainability initiatives. Your story could inspire others and strengthen the call for bold action at COP30.Learn more andsubmit your videotoday!

 

 

Deadlines Approaching: Your Rush Hour Commute Will Get Longer

 

Several clean energy policies are expiring at the end of September. The Trump Administration and Congress are cutting or not renewing several clean energy policies that will impact air quality and commutes.

 

EV HOV Lane Use Expiration

 

The exemption that allows single-occupant all-electric vehicles to use HOV lanes expires September 30th, 2025.  Congress has not passed any law to extend or change this deadline. 

 

Why this matters – Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption is still in a crucial growth phase, and offering this perk helps encourage clean transportation. Ending HOV lane access for EVs sends a mixed message—one where we tell drivers we want electrification, but at the same time, we take away a program that costs nothing and supports that goal. Removing this free perk pushes single-occupant EVs into regular traffic lanes, which can increase congestion and lengthen commutes. This, in turn, raises fuel consumption, costing gas-powered drivers more and increasing emissions. In urban areas of Arizona, this results in more air pollution and more high-ozone days, which cause even hotter summer days as ozone and heat intensify.

 

EV Tax Credits

 

If you live in the United States and are in the market to buy or lease an electric vehicle, there’s a time-sensitive opportunity for you. The federal electric vehicle tax credit is set to expire on September 30, 2025. The credit provides up to $7,500 on a new qualifying EV and $4,000 for a used one, and Kiplinger has put together a comprehensive article that details eligibility requirements, income limits, qualifying vehicles, and more. If this is relevant to you, don't miss the chance: get it done this week!

 

Action Alert: Endangerment Finding

By September 22nd

 

Repealing the endangerment finding would ignore overwhelming scientific consensus and worsen the health impacts we are already seeing from climate change.

 

That's why we're asking you to take three key actions:

  • Submit a unique, personalized commentby September 22. Our toolkit has resources to help you make your comment authentic, including specialty-specific examples.
  • Share our toolkit with five colleagues and ask them to act.

VIEW ACTION TOOLKIT HERE

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

 

  • September 9th: 9:00 am or 7:00 pm (ET): Let’s Teach Planetary Health Webinar (Register)
  • September 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Transforming Health Through Environmental Justice and Organizing Register
  • September 17th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Reducing Waste Rethinking Care: An Approach to Sustainability in the OR Register
  • September 24th: 12 pm (ET): Advancing Climate & Health Equite – The Role of Nurses Ahead of COP30 Register
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • October 16th 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (ET): Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health Heat Listening Session Register
  • October 22nd: 12 pm (ET): The Power of Nurses: Driving Climate Solutions at COP30 and Beyond Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • Podcast: Healthy Climate America. New issues each week.Here
  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 4 Sep 2025 19:10:11 GMT Weekly Update - August 28, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513429 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513429 Action Alert: Endangerment Finding

By September 22nd

 

Repealing the endangerment finding would ignore overwhelming scientific consensus and worsen the health impacts we are already seeing from climate change.

 

That's why we're asking you to take two key actions and the toolkit from the Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health makes it easy:

  • Submit a unique, personalized commentby September 22. Our toolkit has resources to help you make your comment authentic, including specialty-specific examples.
  • Share our toolkit with five colleagues and ask them to act.

VIEW ACTION TOOLKIT HERE

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

 

  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register
  • September 4th: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (AZ): Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies Register
  • September 9th: 9:00 am or 7:00 pm (ET): Let’s Teach Planetary Health Webinar (Register)
  • September 17th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Reducing Waste Rethinking Care: An Approach to Sustainability in the OR Register
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • Online: Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action (3 CEs) Link
  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar: A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 28 Aug 2025 19:01:22 GMT Weekly Update - August 21, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513280 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513280 Sign On Request

Tell Congress to Fight for a Safe Climate

 

Federal Agencies like the EPA, NOAA, FEMA, NASA, and the National Weather Service help communities prepare for and recover from climate disasters, perform critical research and science, and have the tools and authority to limit the pollution that is sickening Americans and driving dangerous extreme weather.

 

As it considers FY2026 appropriations legislation, Congress must ensure agencies that carry out this critical work are fully funded, fully staffed, and protected from political interference.

 

Sign this petition to call on Congress to stand for a safe climate.

 

Sign Here

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

 

  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register
  • September 17th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Reducing Waste Rethinking Care: An Approach to Sustainability in the OR Register
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatricians Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:31:51 GMT Weekly Update - August 18, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513126 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=513126

YOUR COMMENT IS NEEDED
 

The administration is dismantling many of the protections science and health providers have put in place at the EPA. We need your help to stop these harmful actions.  Our partners at Elders Climate Action put together steps to comment that will only take a few minutes of your time yet will have significant and impactful results.

 

We encourage you to customize the message below and share how your family or community will be impacted by putting polluters’ profits over your health and safety.

 

Comment to Protect the Endangerment Findings-Landmark Research used to create the Clean Air Act for EPA to regulate polluters

Deadline to comment is September 15

 

Most recently threatened at the EPA is the Endangerment Finding, the first step required by the Clean Air Act for EPA to regulate a pollutant. In the Mass v EPA (2007) case, the Supreme Court affirmed that if EPA found that GHG emissions endanger public health and welfare, then EPA could regulate GHGs as a “pollutant.” The Endangerment finding adopted by Obama’s EPA in 2009 establishes the statutory foundation for regulating six GHGs that EPA listed as pollutants: CO2, N2O (nitrous oxide), CH4 (methane), HFCs, PFCs and SF6. If the Endangerment Finding is withdrawn, then there will be no statutory predicate for regulating these gases as pollutants. Currently, EPA has adopted regulatory programs for CO2 from power plants and motor vehicles, and methane from oil and gas production and storage. Statutory authority for these programs will no longer exist if the Endangerment Finding is withdrawn. Trump’s goal, as he promised the industry during the campaign, is to protect oil, gas and coal producers from regulations that will take away their dominance over energy production in the US.

SUBMIT A COMMENT. The deadline for written comments is September 15. We’ve made it easy for you tocustomize your written messageand publish it directly in the Federal Register.COMMENT HERE.

 

Input Requested

 

This is a message from our reknowned colleague and climate partner, we hope you will set aside a few minutes to take the survey below.

 

Climate and health advocacy messages can only be effective if we—trusted health professionals—are willing to use them. My colleagues at the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication and I are currently testing climate and health advocacy messages with members of the US public; we will soon know which are potentially most effective.
 
We now request your input—and that of all health professionals who are associated with the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health—to determine which of those messages you would be most willing to use.
 
To that end, I am asking you to participate in a research survey. The survey should take under 10 minutes and is anonymous. Your feedback will be invaluable as we strive together to protect human and planetary health. Please find the link below.

Take the survey

 

Sincerely,

 

Ed Maibach, MPH, PhD
Mason Distinguished University Professor (Emeritus)
Founding Director (Emeritus), George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication
Member, National Academy of Medicine
Member, Board of Directors, Global Climate and Health Alliance

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

 

  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • August 19th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ): AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Monthly Meeting Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84258866345
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register
  • September 17th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Reducing Waste Rethinking Care: An Approach to Sustainability in the OR Register
  • October 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): A Pediatricians Perspective on Climate Impacts Register
  • November 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Promoting Climate Action through Quality and Safety Activities Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • July 29th: EPC Environmental Justice Poll Briefing Recording
  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:31:16 GMT Weekly Update - August 7, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512985 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512985

YOUR COMMENT IS NEEDED

The administration is dismantling many of the protections science and health providers have put in place at the EPA. We need your help to stop these harmful actions. Our partners at Elders Climate Action put together steps to comment that will only take a few minutes of your time yet will have significant and impactful results.

 

We encourage you to customize the message below and share how your family or community will be impacted by putting polluters’ profits over your health and safety.

 

Comment to Protect the Endangerment Findings-Landmark Research used to create the Clean Air Act for EPA to regulate polluters

 

Deadline to comment is September 15; to testify, August 12.

 

Most recently threatened at the EPA is the Endangerment Finding, the first step required by the Clean Air Act for EPA to regulate a pollutant. In the Mass v EPA (2007) case, the Supreme Court affirmed that if EPA found that GHG emissions endanger public health and welfare, then EPA could regulate GHGs as a “pollutant.” The Endangerment finding adopted by Obama’s EPA in 2009 establishes the statutory foundation for regulating six GHGs that EPA listed as pollutants: CO2, N2O (nitrous oxide), CH4 (methane), HFCs, PFCs and SF6. If the Endangerment Finding is withdrawn, then there will be no statutory predicate for regulating these gases as pollutants. Currently, EPA has adopted regulatory programs for CO2 from power plants and motor vehicles, and methane from oil and gas production and storage. Statutory authority for these programs will no longer exist if the Endangerment Finding is withdrawn. Trump’s goal, as he promised the industry during the campaign, is to protect oil, gas and coal producers from regulations that will take away their dominance over energy production in the US.

 

  • TESTIFY or attend the virtual public hearing. REGISTER by August 12. A hearing is scheduled for August 19 and 20, 2025. We urge anyone who is interested to add their voice on this very important subject. To register, by filling out theEPA’s form found here. Then let us know that you registered (paloma@eldersclimateaction.org). We can help you with your talking points.
  • SUBMIT A COMMENT. The deadline for written comments is September 15. We’ve made it easy for you tocustomize your written messageand publish it directly in the Federal Register.COMMENT HERE.

 

Input Requested

 

This is a message from our reknowned colleague and climate partner, we hope you will set aside a few minutes to take the survey below.

 

Climate and health advocacy messages can only be effective if we—trusted health professionals—are willing to use them. My colleagues at the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication and I are currently testing climate and health advocacy messages with members of the US public; we will soon know which are potentially most effective.

We now request your input—and that of all health professionals who are associated with the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health—to determine which of those messages you would be most willing to use.

To that end, I am asking you to participate in a research survey. The survey should take under 10 minutes and is anonymous. Your feedback will be invaluable as we strive together to protect human and planetary health. Please find the link below.

Take the survey

 

Sincerely,

 

Ed Maibach, MPH, PhD
Mason Distinguished University Professor (Emeritus)
Founding Director (Emeritus), George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication
Member, National Academy of Medicine
Member, Board of Directors, Global Climate and Health Alliance

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • August 15: 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm (ET): AI, Energy Demand, and the Environment: Perspectives on Information Sharing Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • August 19th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ): AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Monthly Meeting Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84258866345
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 7 Aug 2025 20:15:01 GMT Weekly Update - July 31, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512831 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512831

Governor’s Workplace Heat Safety Task Force Meets

On Wednesday, July 30th, the first meeting of the Governor’s Workplace Heat Safety Task Force established by executive order 2025-09 met for the first time to review the Task Force purpose, objectives, and expectation due by December. The purpose is to develop practical, evidence-based recommendations that Arizona employers can implement during periods of extreme heat to protect workers from heat-related illnesses. Pat VanMaanen, Chair of the AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup, represents nurses on the Task Force and is one of three health industry representatives.

Between now and the September meeting the Task Force members are asked to meet with colleagues, collect data, and gather information that will help inform and develop the final Task Force recommendations. These recommendations must:

  • Be practical and economically feasible
  • Provide measurable worker protection
  • Be supported by data, research, or industry evidence
  • Consider a range of controls, including:
  • Environmental modifications
  • Operational best practices
  • Education and training
  • Administrative and engineering controls

ASK: Please share your stories of caring for patients with work related heat illnesses, data, and research you recommend should be used by the Task Force, or other information that will be helpful in developing the Task Force recommendations. Email this information to Pat at pat@pvhealthsolutions.com.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Routes to Resilience: Transportation’s Role in Climate and Health Justice Register
  • August 15: 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm (ET): AI, Energy Demand, and the Environment: Perspectives on Information Sharing Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • August 19th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ): AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Monthly Meeting Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84258866345
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:26:12 GMT Weekly Update - July 24, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512593 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512593

Reducing the Lung Health Burden of the Climate Crisis

 

Part of the American Lung Association’s (ALA) project called Reducing the Lung Health Burden of the Climate Crisis is dedicated to advocacy initiatives in Maricopa County. As such, the ALA wanted to share some free opportunities to engage in this capacity. These are open to all Arizonans, so we encourage you to share within your networks and encourage your nurse colleagues to participate.

 

  1. August 20, 8:30-11am: Clean Air, Strong Communities | A Breakfast Briefing on Health, Policy, and Action.IN-PERSON EVENT. Hear from Mayor Kate Gallego, frontline families, and medical experts. Engage with our panelists on climate-health strategies. Explore next steps for policy advocacy and community action. Breakfast and materials provided. RSVP strongly encouraged.
  2. Arizona Climate and Health Advocacy Network.Sign up to receive a monthly educational email, be the first to learn about training opportunities, and receive action alerts (petitions, policy needs) direct to your inbox as they become available.

 

NAM Climate Journey Map: Clinical Pathway Now Live

 

Members of the AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup and the Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action assisted NAM in creating the newClinical Journey Map and it is now live on the NAM website!

 

The site is intended for any health care organization or worker, regardless of size, industry, or stage of their climate journey. However, it will be particularly useful for systems and persons who have yet to begin their efforts or have recently started to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, advance sustainability, and strengthen resilience.

Each stage of the journey map includes specific actions that need to be taken. The resources provided in the journey map will address those challenges and highlight actions to help organizations achieve their sustainability goals.

The journey map is circular, meaning organizations can revisit different stages to address regulatory, scientific, business, or other factors that develop while on their sustainability journey.

 

We encourage you to explore the Clinical Pathway as well as its companion, theSupplier Pathway, and help spread the word. You’ll find promotional tools at the bottom of the overview page to support dissemination.

Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program

 

Arizona’s Office of Resiliency has officiallyfully launchedthe HEAR Program—part of the Inflation Reduction Act’s $8.8 billion investment in Home Energy Rebates. This program offersup to $14,000in point-of-sale rebates for lower- and moderate-income households to purchase high-efficiency appliances and upgrades, including heat pumps, induction stoves, insulation, ventilation, water heaters, and more.

 

This program could not come at a more critical time. Extreme heat is a life-threatening challenge across Arizona, and these rebates help protect our most vulnerable neighbors.

 

Full details at www.efficiencyarizona.com

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • July 29th: 1:00 pm (ET): EPC Poll Briefing: Environmental and Economic Justice Register
  • July 29th: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (ET): Mitigating Operational Risks for Health Care Sustainability Leadership Register
  • July 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: Navigating Policy and Preparedness. Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2025 18:06:42 GMT Weekly Update - July 17, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512415 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512415

One Big Beautiful/Bad Bill

Trumps'sOne Big Beautiful BillAct has been signed into law. It promises to be a terrible deal for Americans’ public health and environmental health. While energy demands explode and climate-driven extreme weather events threaten communities from coast to coast, families struggle with rising costs. This bill is anti-health, anti-climate, anti-clean energy, and possibly the biggest job killer in U.S. history. The bill makes massive cuts to programs that support clean energy development, and it will lead to energy rate hikes and increased costs for American households while perpetuating tax cuts for the wealthy. Under this bill, while greenhouse gas emissions increase, our country will become less globally competitive in producing clean energy solutions, and hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose good-paying, clean energy jobs in what was America’s fastest growing economic sector. Since clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels, families will now be forced to pay higher energy bills. See the state-by-state impactshere.

 

Eldersand children will be harmed first. Low-income and fixed-income communities will suffer. And more people across the country will face devastating extreme weather catastrophes they’re unprepared for—all so the wealthy can get a tax-break! This bill will accelerate climate change that is threatening the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans and adversely impact generations to come.

 

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED!

 

In August is the congressional recess and all members are in their home states to engage with their constituents. Take this opportunity to meet with your Congresspeople. Make an appointment and use thesetalking pointsor drop by their office andleave this document behind. Let us know what you did and any feedback you got. (info@eldersclimateaction.org)

 

Find Congressional contact information forfederal and home offices here.

 

OPPOSE EPA RULE CHANGES DESTRUCTIVE TO CLIMATE AND HEALTH

 

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to add your comments to these two current EPA rule-change proposals. These include the rollback of critical standards in place since 2011 or earlier, and updated in 2024.

TAKEACTION

1. To submit your comment to the Federal Register for the repeal of the Carbon Pollution from Power Plants Rule,CLICK HERE.Or submit a commenton your own here. The deadline for comments is August 7th.Repeal of this rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions is in direct contradiction to the scientific evidence and will speed climate change and harm human health for decades to come.

 

2. To submit your comment to the Federal Register for proposed repeal of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards,CLICK HERE.Or submit a commenton your own here. The deadline for comments is August 10th.Methylmercury pollution falls to the earth and migrates into groundwater, rivers and lakes, and into the fish we eat. It is a powerful neurotoxin which can affect our vision, speech, hearing, and immune and cardiovascular systems; further, it travels through the placenta and into breast milk, impacting the neurological development of infants.

 

Last year our comments to the EPA and legislators in support of rule changes and legislation that support the well-being of all Americans made a real difference. Let’s keep at it!

 

SUPPORT COURAGEOUS EPA STAFF!

 

Several hundred current and former EPA staff members sent an open letter two weeks ago to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin outlining five concerns about current EPAactionsand White House policies that, taken together, “undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment.” The letter highlights EPAactionsthat will roll back environmental regulations designed to meet the climate crisis, eliminate environmental justice considerations, and undercut the role of science in the EPA’s decision-making. The letter concludes: “Your decisions andactionswill reverberate for generations to come. EPA under your leadership will not protect communities from hazardous chemicals and unsafe drinking water, but instead will increase risks to public health and safety.” The letter explicitly asks Administrator Zeldin to reverse course, honor his oath, and “serve the American people.”

 

TAKEACTION

To support the courageous EPA signatories of this letter (139 of whom have now been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into their signing the letter), go to the“Stand Up for Science” website here.

 

 

PREPARING FOR DISASTER

 

Extreme weather is life-changing. Whether it’s a hurricane, winter storm, flash flood, tornado, wildfire, or heat wave, climate disasters can damage or destroy your home and property, cause lengthy power outages, and stall civic services. Grist’s comprehensive guide,DISASTER 101, will help people stay ready and informed before, during, and after these traumatic and chaotic events, including where to find and build support in your community. They list the most accurate weather updates and emergency alerts, explain the roles different agencies play in disaster aid, and provide details on our rights.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Clean Energy Priorities

Arizona Clean Energy

Solar Rights

How to Stay Cool & Safe in a Heat Wave

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • July 22nd 3pm-4: 15pm HEAT VULNERABILITY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN with DR. MELANIE HAINES National Call and Action Part REGISTER
  • July 22nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
  • July 23rd: 2:30 – 3:30 pm Wildfire Smoke & Effective Public Health Interventions REGISTER
  • July 24th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
  • July 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: Navigating Policy and Preparedness. Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • July 9th Understanding the Connection of Climate in the Devastating Texas Floods by Climate Central RECORDING

     

  • June 25, 2025 Southwest Learning Collaborative from the National Academies of Medicine webinar on extreme heat

     

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:00:28 GMT Weekly Update - July 10, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512247 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512247 Air Pollution + Heat = Premature Death

WHY?

 

According to air quality experts TEQOYA, heat can increase air pollution in three ways:

  1. When weather is hot, primary sources of pollutants tend to increase because people utilize more gas-burning vehicles and electricity via air conditioning. Motors in vehicles and HVAC units produce heat in addition to pollutants, compounding the problem.
  2. Sun and heat can transform primary air pollutants into secondary pollutants that can be even more toxic (ozone). The fine particles of ozone or PM2.5 enter deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream.
  3. Heatwaves often come with high atmospheric pressure, that creates a stagnant layer of air above ground level. When this happens over cities, air pollutants remain captured, and pollutant density increases. This effect can last a day up to several weeks. The frequency and intensity of extreme heatwaves is increasing nationwide.

The American Lung Association ranked Phoenix and Tucson among the worst cities for air pollution in the US for several years. The results are evident in the nearly 9% of children in Arizona living with asthma, a leading cause of hospitalizations for children. Heat related injuries in combination with cardio-pulmonary impacts are a dangerous mix that combine into major health concerns for young and old.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

The White House Took Down the Nation’s Top Climate Report. You can still FIND IT HERE NPR July 1, 2025.

 

An Introduction to Environmental Racism for Nurses A FREE 5-10 hour course provided by the Association of Canadian Nurses for the Environment

 

From Columbia University: Nursing on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis: Education for Action CEUs available

 

The Emotional Toll of Climate Change is Broad-ranging, Especially for Young People 6/25/25

 

Frostbite How Refrigeration Changed our Food, our Planet, and, Ourselves by Nicola Twilley

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • July 15th: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm (PST): Extreme Heat Adaptation in Indigenous Communities: Regional-level Solutions Register
  • July 22nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
  • July 24th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
  • July 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: Navigating Policy and Preparedness. Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register
  • September 21st: all day/all over the country. Sun Day is a day of action celebrating solar and wind power and the movement to leave fossil fuels behind. REGISTER

     

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health. Join Today

     

    Take Action

     

    Now is not the time to agonize, it’s time to ORGANIZE!

    Nonpartisan protests against policies that hurt our public health occurring on July 17, 2025 nationwide. Sign up here

     

    Oppose EPA Rule-changes Destructive to Climate and to Health

    If you haven’t already done so, be sure to add your comments to these two current EPA rule-change proposals. These amount to the rollback of critical standards in place since 2011 or earlier, and updated in 2024.

     

    1. To submit your comment to the Federal Register for the repeal of the Carbon Pollution from Power Plants Rule CLICK HERE. Or submit a comment on your own here. Deadline for comments is August 7th.

    Repeal of this rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions is in direct contradiction to the scientific evidence; repeal will speed climate change and harm human health for decades to come.

     

    2. To submit your comment to the Federal Register for proposed repeal of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, CLICK HERE. 

    Or submit a comment on your own here. Deadline for comments is August 10th.

    Methylmercury pollution falls to the earth and migrates into groundwater, rivers and lakes, and into the fish we eat. It is a powerful neurotoxin which can affect our vision, speech, hearing, and immune and cardiovascular systems; further, it travels through the placenta and breast-feeding, when exposure can have significant impacts on the baby’s neurological development.

     

     

     

     

    RECORDINGS

  • July 9th Understanding the Connection of Climate in the Devastating Texas Floods by Climate Central RECORDING

     

  • June 25, 2025 Southwest Learning Collaborative from the National Academies of Medicine webinar on extreme heat

     

    • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
    • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
    • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
    • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
    • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
    • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
    • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
    • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
    • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 10 Jul 2025 19:50:24 GMT Weekly Update - July 3, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512096 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=512096 PEOPLE’s Hearing on Extreme Weather

 

On June 26th, several community members concerned about extreme weather caused by climate change and its impact on our community met at South Mountain Community College for the Extreme Weather People’s Townhall. Attendees included health professionals, veterans, youth, local officials and many concerned citizens.  Two workgroup members, Pat VanMaanen and Paloma Greenwald spoke and provided official statements in this press release. We are pleased that nurses are invited and participating in these events to help highlight the direct link between climate and health; both nurse presenters addressed extreme heat, an important topic now that we are entering our ‘heat season’ in Arizona.

 

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED!

THE EPA WANTS TO REPEAL TWO CRITICAL CLIMATE POLLUTION PROTECTIONS!  

ALL OF US ARE NEEDED TO SUBMIT A COMMENT ON BOTH OF THESE REPEALS.

On June 11, 2025, the EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signed proposals to repeal two critical climate pollution standards that protect our air. The first would eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions standards for fossil-fuel-fired power plants—among the largest sources of climate pollution in America. And the second would dismantle standards that restrict dangerous mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants. These proposals are based on the false claim that emissions from these facilities do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution, directly contradicting decades of established science and abandoning the EPA's fundamental mission to protect public health.

Both proposals threaten to undo regulations that prevent 230,000 premature deaths each year and have delivered $2 trillion in health and economic benefits since 1990. We cannot allow political ideology to override scientific evidence when human, animal, and planetary health hang in the balance!

Please act now by customizing and personalizing each message to reflect your experience and concerns. 

 

➡️1. REGISTER TO ATTEND THE HEARINGS ANDREGISTER TO TESTIFY AT THE HEARINGS TOO!

 

The fossil fuel industry will be lining up their speakers, so we need to line up ours! Spaces will fill in 24-48 hours quickly, please submit a request to speak (you will need to submit requests for each hearing if you want to participate in both).

🚨 The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing for Carbon Pollution from Power Plants (docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0124-0001) Public Hearings will be held on July 8, 2025. 

Please sign-up here to testify or attend.

Our partners at Climate Action Campaign have prepared a Carbon Pollution Testimony Toolkitto support you.

🚨 Virtual public hearing for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards

(docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0794-6978) Public Hearings will be held on July 10th, 2025.

Please sign-up here to testify or attend.

Our partners at Climate Action Campaign have prepared a MATS Testimony Toolkit to support you.

 

SUBMIT COMMENTS ON BOTH PROPOSED REPEALS.

WE HAVE LESS THAN 45 DAYS TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!

➡️ 2. Customize ECA's pre-written message and submit your comment to the to the Federal Register for the Carbon Pollution from Power Plants Rule,CLICK HERE.

Or submit a commenton you own here.Deadline for comments August 7th.

 

➡️ 3. Customize ECA's pre-written message and submit your comment to the to the Federal Register for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards proposed repeals,CLICK HERE.

Or submit a commenton your own here.Deadline for comments August 10th.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • July 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Speaking Out in Challenging Times: Working With the Media and Media Relations Departments Register
  • July 9th: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Healthy Horizons: Addressing Environmental Health for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities Register
  • July 10th 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Addressing Substance Use Risk in Extreme Heat Register
  • July 15th: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm (PST): Extreme Heat Adaptation in Indigenous Communities: Regional-level Solutions Register
  • July 22nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
  • July 24th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
  • July 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: Navigating Policy and Preparedness. Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 3 Jul 2025 19:36:40 GMT Weekly Update - June 26, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511943 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511943

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED!

 

THE EPA WANTS TO REPEAL TWO CRITICAL CLIMATE POLLUTION PROTECTIONS!

 

ALL OF US ARE NEEDED TO SUBMIT A COMMENT ON BOTH OF THESE REPEALS.

 

On June 11, 2025, the EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signed proposals to repeal two critical climate pollution standards that protect our air. The first would eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions standards for fossil-fuel-fired power plants—among the largest sources of climate pollution in America. And the second would dismantle standards that restrict dangerous mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants. These proposals are based on the false claim that emissions from these facilities do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution, directly contradicting decades of established science and abandoning the EPA's fundamental mission to protect public health.

 

Both proposals threaten to undo regulations that prevent 230,000 premature deaths each year and have delivered $2 trillion in health and economic benefits since 1990. We cannot allow political ideology to override scientific evidence when human, animal, and planetary health hang in the balance!

 

Please act now by customizing and personalizing each message to reflect your experience and concerns.

 

➡️1. REGISTER TO ATTEND THE HEARINGSANDREGISTER TO TESTIFY AT THE HEARINGS TOO!

 

The fossil fuel industry will be lining up their speakers, so we need to line up ours! Spaces will fill in 24-48 hours quickly, please submit a request to speak (you will need to submit requests for each hearing if you want to participate in both).

 

🚨 The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing for Carbon Pollution from Power Plants (docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0124-0001) Public Hearings will be held on July 8, 2025.

Please sign-uphereto testify or attend.

Our partners at Climate Action Campaign have prepared aCarbon Pollution Testimony Toolkitto support you.

 

🚨 Virtual public hearing for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards

(docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0794-6978) Public Hearings will be held on July 10th, 2025.

Please sign-uphereto testify or attend.

 

Our partners at Climate Action Campaign have prepared aMATS Testimony Toolkitto support you.

 

SUBMIT COMMENTS ON BOTH PROPOSED REPEALS.

WE HAVE LESS THAN45 DAYSTO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!

 

➡️ 2. Customize ECA's pre-written message and submit your comment to the to the Federal Register for the Carbon Pollution from Power Plants Rule,CLICK HERE.

Or submit a commenton you own here.Deadline for comments August 7th.

 

➡️ 3. Customize ECA's pre-written message and submit your comment to the to the Federal Register for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards proposed repeals,CLICK HERE.

Or submit a commenton your own here.Deadline for comments August 10th.

 

ACT TODAY TO PROTECT TOMORROW

 

Proposed Heat Safety Requirement for City of Phoenix Contractors

 

The City of Phoenix is taking the next step to help prevent heat-related illness and injury on the job. At its July 2, 2025 meeting, the Phoenix City Council is expected to vote on a proposed revision to Section 18-413(A) of the Phoenix City Code.

 

If approved, the amendment would update Ordinance G-7241 and require City of Phoenix contractors to post written heat safety plans on bulletin boards in break rooms accessible to employees.

Click below to learn more about the proposed code revision and upcoming council action.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • July 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Speaking Out in Challenging Times: Working With the Media and Media Relations Departments Register
  • July 9th: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Healthy Horizons: Addressing Environmental Health for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities Register
  • July 15th: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm (PST): Extreme Heat Adaptation in Indigenous Communities: Regional-level Solutions Register
  • July 22nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
  • July 24th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
  • July 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: Navigating Policy and Preparedness. Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:42:48 GMT Weekly Update - June 19, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511794 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511794

Extreme Weather People's Hearing in Phoenix

Register to attend this important discussion, one of three countrywide. We will have two of our workgroup members attending and speaking. Join us.

 

Where:South Mountain Community College, Student Union Conference Center, 7050 S. 24th St, Phoenix, AZ 85042
When: Thursday, June 26th at 6:00 PM

Join your neighbors, scientists, health experts, elected officials, community leaders, and grassroots activists to demand strong climate solutions.


RSVP

New Research Finds Drought Lengthens Heat Waves

 

A new study has found that drought can lengthen heat waves occurring at the same time. Research supported by theNational Integrated Drought Information Systemexamined the influence of drought on heat wave intensity, duration, and human exposure to extreme heat using air temperature, soil moisture, and soil temperature observations from across the country.

 

The results showed that drought increased the average duration of heat waves by 13-48 hours at most of the weather stations included inthe study. Nationally, heat waves during drought had an average of about 9 more hours of extreme heat (hours where temperatures are in the top 90th percentile of historical conditions) compared to heat waves that occur in non-drought conditions. This new understanding of how drought and heat intersect will help economic sectors anticipate and prepare for their impacts.

 

Learn more about the study

 

Action Alert:

Clean air. Clean water. Safe food. A healthy climate

These are things we count on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect.  Polluters and their allies in Congress and the White House are trying to cripple the EPA via massive funding cuts and firing scientists, public health experts, and other critical staff.

 

Take action today

 

 

Proposed Heat Safety Requirement for City of Phoenix Contractors

 

The City of Phoenix is taking the next step to help prevent heat-related illness and injury on the job. At its July 2, 2025 meeting, the Phoenix City Council is expected to vote on a proposed revision to Section 18-413(A) of the Phoenix City Code.

 

If approved, the amendment would update Ordinance G-7241 and require City of Phoenix contractors to post written heat safety plans on bulletin boards in break rooms accessible to employees.

Click below to learn more about the proposed code revision and upcoming council action.

 

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • June 26th 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: The Business Case for Action Register
  • July 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Speaking Out in Challenging Times: Working With the Media and Media Relations Departments Register
  • July 9th: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Healthy Horizons: Addressing Environmental Health for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities Register
  • July 15th: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm (PST): Extreme Heat Adaptation in Indigenous Communities: Regional-level Solutions Register
  • July 22nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
  • July 24th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
  • July 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: Navigating Policy and Preparedness. Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 19 Jun 2025 18:41:20 GMT Weekly Update - June 16, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511571 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511571 Commentary: AZ GOP Delegation chose tax breaks for wealthy over clean energy jobs and Public Health

 

Our member, Paloma Greenwald, MA, BSN, RN, who also works for Elders Climate Action as a Program Manager for Health and Climate Initiatives, published an article in the Arizona Mirror about the federal HR-1 Reconciliation Bill, which recently passed by one vote in the House. She delves into the bill and highlights the number of health programs that will be cut, while providing tax cuts for billionaires and further increasing the national deficit. Read the article here.

 

Be a Climate Communications Champion:

Advocacy Skills Training for Challenging Times

 

Are you interested in developing your skills in climate change and health communication to make a positive impact in your community, like Paloma? Sign up and attend this training series from the Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health. The session starts on June 17th and continues on July 8th, July 22nd, August 5th, August 19th, and September 2nd. 

Register

 

 

Send a Letter to Your Senator: Oppose HR-1

The HR-1 Reconciliation bill (also known as the big beautiful bill) passed the House by one vote.

This sweeping legislation would gut Medicaid, slash food assistance, strip funding from Planned Parenthood, eliminate clean energy rules, regulations and programs, and hand billions in tax breaks to billionaires — all while ballooning the national debt by nearly $4 trillion.

Now it’s headed to the Senate, and we have the opportunity to stop it.

This is a dangerous bill. In Arizona, cuts to Medicaid could leave up to 500,000 people without health care coverage and eliminate thousands of health care jobs. Rural hospitals are at risk of closing. This is serious. Cuts to food programs for children and seniors to fund tax cuts for the wealthy don’t seem fair.

Act today: Click ‘sign in’ to send a letter to your Senators asking that they reject the “Big Beautiful Bill.”

Sign In

 

 

Extreme Weather People's Hearing in Phoenix

Where:South Mountain Community College, Student Union Conference Center, 7050 S. 24th St, Phoenix, AZ 85042
When: Thursday, June 26th at 6:00 PM

Join your neighbors, scientists, health experts, elected officials, community leaders, and grassroots activists to demand strong climate solutions.


RSVP

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • June 17th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Communications 101: How to Make the Case About Climate Change, Health & Equity Register
  • June 20th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Reducing Harmful Plastics in Healthcare — From Awareness to Action Register
  • July 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Speaking Out in Challenging Times: Working With the Media and Media Relations Departments Register
  • July 9th: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Healthy Horizons: Addressing Environmental Health for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities Register
  • July 22nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
  • July 24th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

    Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

     

    Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

    Join Today

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2025 18:11:18 GMT Weekly Post - June 5, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511348 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511348 Be a Climate Communications Champion:

Advocacy Skills Training for Challenging Times

 

Are you interested in enhancing your skills in climate change and health communication to make a difference in your community? This six-part training series from the Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health builds on our previous Communications Champions annual workshops. During this series, we will help develop essential communication skills to raise public awareness about the health risks associated with climate change and inspire action towards a just, sustainable, and healthy world for generations to come. All sessions are at noon for Arizona. Sessions are: June 17th, July 8th, July 22nd, August 5th, August 19th, and September 2nd. 

Register

 

Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

 

The team at ANHE has been working to respond to the calls of so many of you, and we are thrilled to announce the rollout of ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. We host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

Join Today

 

Extreme Weather People's Hearing in Phoenix


Where:South Mountain Community College, Student Union Conference Center, 7050 S. 24th St, Phoenix, AZ 85042
When: Thursday, June 26th at 6:00 PM

Join your neighbors, scientists, health experts, elected officials, community leaders, and grassroots activists to demand strong climate solutions.


RSVP

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • June 11th: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Children’s Environmental Health – Community Perspectives Register
  • June 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (AZ): Modeling Climate Solutions for a Healthier Future: A Hands – On En-Roads Workshop Register
  • June 13th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 400 years of US Land Use, Water, and Food Register
  • June 17th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Communications 101: How to Make the Case About Climate Change, Health & Equity Register
  • June 20th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Reducing Harmful Plastics in Healthcare — From Awareness to Action Register
  • July 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Speaking Out in Challenging Times: Working With the Media and Media Relations Departments Register
  • July 9th: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Healthy Horizons: Addressing Environmental Health for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities Register
  • July 22nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
  • July 24th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
  • August 5th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
  • August 19th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
  • September 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

     

     

    Recordings

  • June 2nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 5 Jun 2025 20:01:02 GMT Weekly Update - May 29, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511105 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=511105 Arizona received great news!

 

The Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) Program is now available to Arizona consumers. The Office of Resiliency shared in their newsletter that Arizona’s home energy rebate program, Efficiency Arizona, is now open for new applicants. In addition to A/C replacements, the program now covers a broader range of technologies, including dryers, insulation and ventilation, ovens and stoves, and water heaters. The contractor network has also expanded.

 

Be a Climate Communications Champion:

Advocacy Skills Training for Challenging Times

 

Are you interested in enhancing your skills in climate change and health communication to make a difference in your community? This six-part training series from the Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health builds on our previous Communications Champions annual workshops. During this series, we will help develop essential communication skills to raise public awareness about the health risks associated with climate change and inspire action towards a just, sustainable, and healthy world for generations to come. All sessions are at noon for Arizona. Sessions are: June 17th, July 8th, July 22nd, August 5th, August 19th, and September 2nd. 

Register

 

Federal Update

 

Last week, the House of Representatives passed its version of the budget bill. The bill includes provisions that are deeply harmful to IRA programs and the jobs, savings, and health benefits they deliver to local communities - see how every member voted here. The bill now heads to the Senate, where some Republican senators have expressed concern about its clean energy program phase-out. 

  

Many federal grants remain frozen, including programs from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, as well as grants from the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice & External Civil Rights and the Office of Research and Development. Lawsuits are ongoing, and last week, sixteen states, the District of Columbia, and over half a dozen environmental groups sued the Trump administration regarding the frozen National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program funding.                  –Segment on Federal Updates provided by Apex Strategic Consulting

 

Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

 

The team at ANHE has been working to respond to the calls of so many of you, and we are thrilled to announce the rollout of ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. We host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

Join Today

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

*AzNA Climate Change & Health Workforce Chair, Pat VanMaanen, will serve on the Governor’s heat safety task force.

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • June 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Register
  • June 4th: Investing in Health: The Local Impacts of Climate Action & Clean Energy. Register
  • June 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (AZ): Modeling Climate Solutions for a Healthier Future: A Hands – On En-Roads Workshop Register
  • June 20th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Reducing Harmful Plastics in Healthcare — From Awareness to Action Register

     

    Recordings

  • The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 29 May 2025 18:49:57 GMT Weekly Update - May 22, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510905 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510905 Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE)

Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

 

The team at ANHE has been working to respond to the calls of so many of you, and we are thrilled to announce the rollout of ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. We host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

Join Today

 

Investing in Health: the local impact of climate action & clean energy

OnJune 4th, ANHE is hosting a hybridin-person and virtual educational event atEmory University in Atlanta:Investing in Health: The Local Impacts of Climate Action & Clean Energy.

 

This dynamic event is designed for nurses and health professionals and will explore how recent climate and clean energy investments provide direct benefits for community health. It’s a powerful chance to connect health with clean energy action.

 

A few highlights include:

  • Opening Remarks from Mayor Holiday Ingraham,
  • Keynote speaker, Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM, Georgia Clinicians for Climate Action,
  • Storytelling workshop,
  • Expert Panelists on Implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act for Environmental Health and Justice, featuring local leaders from Moms Clean Air Force, the Center for Sustainable Communities, Partnership for Southern Equity, and the Atlanta Black Nurses Association,
  • FREE Nursing Continuing Education (CE) credits,
  • Networking Happy Hour,
  • and much, much more!

Learn More & Register

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • June 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Register
  • June 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (AZ): Modeling Climate Solutions for a Healthier Future: A Hands – On En-Roads Workshop Register

     

    Recordings

  • May 14th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 22 May 2025 19:13:37 GMT Weekly Update - May 15, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510718 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510718 Clean Air Month

May is Clean Air Month. In presenting at the Rose Garden recently, Pat VanMaanen, AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup shared, “Last year, the Air Quality Index Report for Maricopa County reported 33 good air days. Yes, only 33. There were twice as many unhealthy for sensitive groups days. The ALA 2025 State of the Air Report, just released, gives Maricopa County a letter grade of F. We were failing for ozone levels and PM 2.5 and 10.”

 

Take Action: The “State of the Air” 2025 illustrates the urgent need to protect public health from the impacts of air pollution. However, the federal agency tasked with the job – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – is currently facing significant threats and challenges.  Defend the Experts and Mission of the EPA.

 

Disappearing Climate Initiatives

 

Late last week, relevant House of Representatives committees passed legislative bills for the reconciliation package, which include cuts (~$560 billion) in many areas to extend the Trump tax cuts. Overhauling much of the Biden landmark climate law, including incentives for clean energy projects, electric appliances and vehicles, solar and wind power, was included. Many climate and clean energy programs remain frozen, and a court filing has revealed that the EPA plans to cancel a total of 781 environmental justice grants, nearly twice the number previously reported.  President Trump also released hisproposed FY2026 budgetthat includescutting billions of dollarsin federal climate, clean energy and EV funding next year. Lawsuits also continue, includingone from attorneys general from 17 statesand the District of Columbia challenging an executive order Trump signed to pause wind energy projects, andanother lawsuit from 14 statesand the District of Columbia suing the Trump administration for unlawfully withholding billions of dollars for electric-vehicle charging stations.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • May 20th 5:30 pm Zoom Monthly AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register
  • May 21st: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Nurses Leading the Way: The Path to COP30: Understanding the Global Climate Talks and the Role of Nurses [Zoom] Register
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MT) Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register
  • May 22nd: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm (AZ): Give Us Real Protection! What to Include in Your State or Local Heat Standard Register
  • May 22nd: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (AZ): Nursing Research on Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future [Zoom] Register
  • June 2nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Register
  • June 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (AZ): Modeling Climate Solutions for a Healthier Future: A Hands – On En-Roads Workshop Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 15 May 2025 17:42:58 GMT Weekly Update - May 8, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510479 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510479 100 Days

The first 100 days of the Trump Administration have significantly changed environmental protections. Events to discuss these took place last week, and two of our members, Paloma Greenwald and Pat VanMaanen, were invited to speak. Here are a few photos and a link to clean energy in Arizona: status of the 100-day impact.

 

“We already know after decades of medical evidence that Tucson’s seniors, children, and frontline communities are at greater risk from dirty air and extreme heat. Clean energy investments were meant to protect our health and to address this immediate crisis. Freezing these funds isn’t just short-sighted—it’s dangerous to public health.”-Paloma Greenwald

 

“In the first 100 days, the administration eliminated or indicated plans to eliminate over 30 pollution standards established by settled science. The deregulation of soot, mercury, and coal ash pollution, as well as the “good neighbor rule,” will mean fewer protections for our most vulnerable populations and lead to increased costs for our state—including higher healthcare expenses due to additional emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and more missed school and workdays.  Dismissing the precedent of settled science means the US would sacrifice human health to benefit private industry. Arizonans deserve much better.”-Pat VanMaanen

 

Take Action

 

Tell Zeldin: Protect our air, water, and health: We need to keep the pressure on and keep him accountable. The recent layoffs of 280 scientists, experts, line employees, and shuttering of the entire Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights significantly cripples the agency’s ability to protect our environment. This decision flies in the face of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s promise to protect access to ‘clean air, land, and water for every American’.

 

Take Local Climate Action: Bike to Work Week! 🚴 💚

In 2025, Bike to Work Week will be celebrated May 12-18, with Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 16, 2025.It’s a great opportunity for you to lead by example and invite your community to join you in taking climate action.

Did you know40% of all trips in the U.S.are less than two miles?For those who are able, this makes bicycling a feasible and fun way to get around. Plus, researchfrom the University of Oxfordshows choosing a bike over a car just once a day can reduce the average person’s transportation-related emissions by 67%.

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • May 14th 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm AZ Community Grand Rounds [Zoom] “Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona” Register
  • May 20th 5:30 pm Zoom Monthly AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register
  • June 4th: In-person Conference. Investing in Health: The Local Impacts of Climate Action & Clean Energy (ANHE).

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 8 May 2025 20:19:05 GMT Weekly Update - May 1, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510255 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510255  

AZ Heat Awareness Week

May 5th – 9th, 2025

 

The 2025 Arizona Heat Awareness Week kicks off on May 5th. Governor Katie Hobbs has proclaimed this week Arizona Heat Awareness Week to highlight the importance of staying safe during the summer season and spread awareness of extreme heat.

 

5-Day Campaign Themes (H.E.A.T)

Health: Monday

Environment/Weather: Tuesday

Awareness: Wednesday

Take Action: Thursday

Summary: Friday

 

Fact: Heat kills more people than tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and lightning combined

 

Alerts: Sign up for email alerts about extreme heat from the Arizona Department of Health Services

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 5th – 6th Extreme Weather and Lessons for More Resilient Communities (virtual and in person) Register
  • May 7th 11:00 am – 12:00 pm STAT Extreme Weather & health Action Network (virtual) Register
  • May 14th 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm AZ Community Grand Rounds [Zoom] “Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona” Register
  • May 20th 5:30 pm Zoom Monthly AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar: A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 1 May 2025 19:29:42 GMT Weekly Update - April 24, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510049 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=510049   

Update: OSHA’s Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings Rulemaking

OSHA is holding a virtual public hearing on June 16th, 2025, regarding its proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention rule.  If you wish to provide testimony or ask questions, submit a Notice of Intention to Appear (NOITA) by May 2nd, 2025 at https://www.osha.gov/form/heat-rulemaking-hearing-registration Learn more about the rule and future hearing information here: https://www.asha.gov/heat-exposure/rulemaking

 

Two Action Alerts

Honor Earth Day by acting on the two requests below. Nurses are trusted and listened to when we speak

Health experts oppose rollbacks of climate and clean air protections

In March, EPA Administrator Zeldin announced plans to repeal 31 critical EPA regulations that reduce air and water pollution nationwide. This would undermine health gains and progress made to clean up air and water pollution and protect Americans against climate change. Our partner, The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, is collecting signatures on a letter to the administrator expressing our grave concern at EPA’s effort to rescind dozens of pollution protections for millions, a direct contradiction to the Environmental Protection Agency’s mission of protecting public health and the environment and the expressed promise to ensure every American’s access to clean air. Add your name to the letter here. 

 

Tell Congress to Vote No on Attacks Against Clean Car and Truck Waivers

Join us and ANHE in calling members of Congress to reject any attempts to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waivers for vehicle pollution programs, and any other legislation that aims to weaken, repeal, or undermine state or federal clean car and truck standards. Clean car and truck standards clean up our air, protect public health, and tackle the climate crisis. They need to hear from nurses. Send a message to your representatives here. 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:30:35 GMT Weekly Update - April 10, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509740 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509740   

Earth Day: Our Power, Our PlanetTM

#EarthActionDay

Tuesday, April 22nd, is the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. The 2025 theme of Earth Day is Our Power, Our PlanetTM. The official poster, pictured to the left, is a powerful reminder that we have energy options, and that renewable energy can fuel our future without harming the planet. The artwork beautifully features a solar panel surrounded by lush nature and clear sky, symbolizing the renewable energy future we must embrace to safeguard both planetary and human health.

We hope each of you reading this will join this movement and act on Earth ‘Action’ Day.

What does that look like?  There are many ways you can get involved and make a difference for our planet on Earth Day and every day. Here are some ideas:

Climate-Related Mortality Survey

Help define the term “climate-related mortality” through participation in this Villanova survey. It will take less than 10 minutes to complete.

Click Here for Survey

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • April 14th 10:00 am: 2025 Arizona Heat Kickoff Event (Virtual) Register
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • April 22nd: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (ET) Climate and Health Summit by National Academy of Medicine Register.
  • April 23rd : 9:00 am (AZ) The Path to COP30 Green Growth through Green Innovation How nurses are leading climate action and sustainability through innovative healthcare solutions Register
  • Apri 24th: 12:00 pm (AZ) Reimagining Planetary Health: Critical Posthumanism’s Role in Environmental Justice hosted by ANHE Register
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:56:31 GMT Weekly Update - April 3, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509540 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509540   

Did you Attend?

Hands Off Our Clean Air and Water

On Saturday, April 5th, people in Arizona – and around the country – came together to say "Hands Off!" our democracy, jobs, and essential services.

 

The fundamental message of Hands Off! was that everyone deserves good jobs, reliable services, and a fair economy– but the current administration is showing they care more about rewarding their polluter friends. They're attacking YOUR fundamental rights when they attack climate science and environmental policies.

Here's how:

  • Rolling back investments in clean energy jobs and destroying livelihoods for people across the country is an attack on good jobs.
  • Padding the pockets of their fossil fuel cronies by banning cheaper clean energy, even if it means higher energy bills for the rest of us, is an attack on a fair economy.
  • Gutting the protections that ensure we have access to clean air to breathe and safe water to drink is an attack on reliable public services.

One way to combat the climate crisis is to address our national crisis. Thousands in Phoenix and hundreds of thousands across the country attended rallies to say, “Hands Off! “If you could not participate, you can still be active in this effort by contacting your federal representatives. Next week, we will have a follow-up as we approach Earth Day!

 

 

Last Week for Reply: Readers Requested

 

Have you read or are you interested in reading the ‘Heat Will Kill You First – Life and Death on a Scorched Planet’, by Jeff Goodell, AND being part of our group review column? Like a book club, we are collecting readers. However, those who read or will read this book by July 1st can meet via Zoom to discuss and write a brief review for a collective review published by the AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup in an upcoming Arizona Nurse issue. To participate or ask additional questions, contact us at aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • April 8th: 10:00 am (AZ): ANHE Nurse Led Healing Circle [offered second and fourth Tuesdays] Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 11th: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm (AZ): Building Resilience to Climate Trauma – A public health approach to mental well-being Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.Update: 2/24: Website states meeting postponed.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • April 22nd: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (ET) Climate and Health Summit by National Academy of Medicine Register.
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 3 Apr 2025 20:08:23 GMT Weekly Update - March 27, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509285 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509285   

Congratulations

                                                                       

The National Caucus of Environmental Legislators has selected Senator Lauren Kuby (LD8) as Arizona’s State Lead for 2025-2026!  In this role, she will play a crucial part in fostering collaboration among state legislators on the environmental issues that affect all Arizonans and Americans.  As a Senior Global Futures Scientist at ASU, she has partnered with communities, nonprofits, and academic experts to develop climate solutions, co-authored socioecological research, and directed the University's Stardust Center for Affordable Homes and Families. Although she retired from ASU in 2023, she continues to serve as a Global Futures Scientist.

 

Readers Requested

 

Have you read or are you interested in reading the ‘Heat Will Kill You First – Life and Death on a Scorched Planet’, by Jeff Goodell, AND being part of our group review column? Like a book club, we are collecting readers. However, those who read or will read this book by July 1st can meet via Zoom to discuss and write a brief review for a collective review published by the AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup in an upcoming Arizona Nurse issue. To participate or ask additional questions, contact us at aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.Update: 2/24: Website states meeting postponed.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • April 22nd: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (ET) Climate and Health Summit by National Academy of Medicine Register.
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 17:24:59 GMT Weekly Update - March 20, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509085 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=509085   

Readers Requested

Have you read or are you interested in reading the ‘Heat Will Kill You First – Life and Death on a Scorched Planet’, by Jeff Goodell, AND being part of our group review column? Like a book club, we are collecting readers. However, those who read or will read this book by July 1st can meet via Zoom to discuss and write a brief review for a collective review published by the AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup in an upcoming Arizona Nurse issue. To participate or ask additional questions, contact us at aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com.

 

Action Alert

Clean energy delivers massive benefits, from good-paying jobs to lower pollution risks and lower energy prices. The American people overwhelmingly support clean energy.  Clean energy investments are being offered to communities nationwide, and defunding clean energy will increase pollution and put people out of work. The cost of obstructing clean energy progress is too high: from slower job growth and lost economic benefits to volatile energy prices and increasingly damaging and expensive extreme weather disasters. Sign on to a letter to Congress, supporting ongoing support of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) clean energy investments and incentives.

   Sign Here

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • March 26th: 12:00 pm (AZ) The Aire We Share – Protecting Health Center Patients from Air Quality Issues Webinar Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.Update: 2/24: Website states meeting postponed.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • April 22nd: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm (ET) Climate and Health Summit by National Academy of Medicine Register.
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 20 Mar 2025 20:17:07 GMT Weekly Update - March 13, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508871 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508871   

Extreme Heat: Maricopa County & Southern Arizona Release Data

Southern Arizona hosted an Extreme Heat Summit on February 1st and has released a report from the event. Key takeaways include strengthening community resilience by increasing accessible cooling sites and transportation to those centers; expanding public health responses, such as messaging to educate communities about risks and available resources; enhancing workforce heat protection to improve outdoor workplace safety; expanding weatherization programs and reinforcing energy infrastructure; and increasing investments in sustainable infrastructure, along with coordination and policy initiatives that address Arizona’s unique climate challenges.

 

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health has released preliminary data from 2024, revealing 602 heat-related deaths that occurred in 2024, 43 fewer than in 2023. Eight other deaths remain under investigation. Sixty-one percent of all heat-related deaths were directly caused by environmental heat, meaning that heat was the primary cause of death in these cases rather than just a contributing factor. More than half of all heat-related deaths involved individuals aged 35 to 64 years, and 79% were among males. Outdoor conditions continue to account for most heat-related deaths, making up 77%, while 23% occurred indoors. Of those indoor deaths, an air-conditioning unit was present in 88% of the cases, but it was not functioning in 70% and was not in use in 18%. In Maricopa County, individuals experiencing homelessness represented the largest share of heat-related deaths in 2024, compared to any other living situation, at 50%.

 

Action Alert

Clean energy delivers massive benefits, from good-paying jobs to lower pollution risks and lower energy prices. The American people overwhelmingly support clean energy.  Clean energy investments are being offered to communities nationwide, and defunding clean energy will increase pollution and put people out of work. The cost of obstructing clean energy progress is too high: from slower job growth and lost economic benefits to volatile energy prices and increasingly damaging and expensive extreme weather disasters. Sign on to a letter to Congress, supporting ongoing support of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) clean energy investments and incentives.

                                                                        Sign Here

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • March 18th: 5:30 pm Monthly meeting AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Zoom
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.Update: 2/24: Website states meeting postponed.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • March 6th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:14:13 GMT Weekly Update - March 6, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508609 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508609  

Our Planet, Our Health Convention Highlights

Two nurses and a pharmacist from Arizona traveled to DC over the weekend to attend the Our Planet, Our Health Convention.  This meeting convened health professionals nationwide to discuss and hear recent research and policy activities regarding climate change, prevention and mitigation efforts.  Here are a few highlights from the two-day meeting:

 

  • During the open session “Theories of Change: Leveraging our Skills as Health Professionals for the Climate+Health Movement we were asked ‘do you have courage?’ Courage is needed to connect actions to outcomes in achieving large-scale change, which is needed today to address the planet's health. We cannot have health without a healthy planet.
  • An ecoAmerica study in 2021 surveyed health professionals, the vast majority think the climate crisis is a concern but are unsure what to do. Vast majority of the public are concerned too.
  • Plastic and chemicals: they are everywhere and some are causing health harm. Video to watch. When you have a choice, avoid plastic.
  • Day 2: we started with a compelling presentation by Senator Bill Frist, MD. “We are right on science and health impact, and we are the right storytellers to help. These issues impact real people. Demand hard data, interpret it, and share it in stories.”
  • There was much more, when the recordings are available, we will share them with you.

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • March 18th: 5:30 pm Monthly meeting AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Zoom
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th: 5:30 pm Monthly meeting AzNA Climate Change & Workgroup Zoom
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.Update: 2/24: Website states meeting postponed.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 6 Mar 2025 18:23:52 GMT Weekly Post - February 27, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508356 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508356    

Where Did Billions in Climate and Infrastructure Funding Go?

Look no further than this interactive map on Grist.org to learn about clean energy projects to bridges. This tool shows what projects lawmakers announced in your neighborhood.  Arizona has thousands of projects listed on the map. Add your zip code in the search location box to see a list of funded projects. Some are completed, some are underway, and others have been announced but not started. The current administration recently froze the funding for these.

In the past few years, lawmakers have announced nearly $700 billion in funding for infrastructure and climate-related projects under two bills passed during the Biden administration, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). 

The Climate Power research team recently created a resource titled ‘Cuts to Clean Energy Threaten Arizona’s Economy’ highlighting how clean energy expansion saves Arizonans money. Below are some key points. Read the full document here.

  • Since the passage of the IRA, new clean energy projects have spurred $12.75 billion in investment and helped create 18,703 new clean energy jobs in the Copper State.
  • Arizonaproduces 2.8 times as much solar and wind energy as it did in 2014.
  • Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Arizonareceived over $153 million for consumer home energy rebate programs.
  • In 2023, more than 88,000 Arizona familiesbenefited from more than $285 million in tax credits to lower the costs of clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades to their homes. 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.Update: 2/24: Website states meeting postponed.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 27 Feb 2025 17:01:41 GMT Weekly Update - February 20, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508129 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=508129     

Action: Safeguard the Inflation Reduction Act!

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law in 2022.

Since that time, the IRA has provided:

  • $60 Billion in Climate Investments to address pollution and climate change in frontline communities, often facing disproportionate environmental hazards.
  • Clean Energy Jobs: Billions in funding for clean energy projects create new employment opportunities in industries such as solar, wind, and electric vehicle manufacturing.
  • Small Business Support: Tax incentives and funding opportunities help Black-owned businesses participate in the clean energy economy.
  • Home Energy Tax Credits: Families can receive tax credits for installing solar panels, improving insulation, and making homes more energy efficient.
  • Affordable Prescription Drugs: The IRA allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices, lowering costs for seniors.
  • Capped Insulin Costs: Medicare recipients now have insulin capped at $35 per month, a significant relief for Black communities, where diabetes prevalence is high.

As Congress prepares to cut taxes further, there are reports that they want to eliminate the IRA’s investments. For too long, our communities have dealt with higher energy costs, increased pollution exposure, and limited access to healthcare. The IRA addresses these challenges by alleviating financial burdens, creating jobs, and investing in long-term climate solutions. Urge Congress to keep the IRA for our health!

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

(all about water this week)

 

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • February 26th: 1:00 pm (ET) Climate Conversations: Urban Fires Register
  • February 27th: 1:00 pm (AZ) ANHE Research Forum Presents: Building Multi-level Resilience as an Extension Scientist Register
  • March 1 – 4th, 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:23 GMT Weekly Update - February 13, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507893 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507893    

Natural Organic Reduction: An Ecological Alternative to

Cremation and Burial

 

In the January issue of the Arizona Nurse, AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup member Dr. David Hrabe, introduces us to a new option for disposing human remains called Natural Organic Reduction. The state of Arizona has legalized this method of disposition and you can read more about it from a nurse’s perspective at this site.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • February 19th: 12:00 pm: Health Center Preparedness & Response Forum: Extreme Heat Virtual Register
  • February 19th: 12:15pm (ET) Incorporating Sustainable Food Practices Register
  • March 1 – 4th, 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 5th – 9th Arizona Heat Preparedness Week
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • February 5th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 13 Feb 2025 21:50:45 GMT Weekly Update - February 6, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507692 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507692    

CDC Heat and Health Guidance Survey

Do you counsel patients on heat and health, or are you considering it? Take the survey.

By taking this survey, you are invited to help the CDC understand nurses’ familiarity and use of the CDC’s new heat and health guidance. The survey is open until February 14th.

The survey will also evaluate the usability and content of the guidance materials. We welcome feedback from nurses who have used these tools and those considering incorporating heat counseling into their patient visits. Please let us know your thoughts.

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • February 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Youth Climate Action Register
  • February 19th: 12:00 pm: Health Center Preparedness & Response Forum: Extreme Heat Virtual Register
  • February 19th: 12:15pm (ET) Incorporating Sustainable Food Practices Register
  • March 1 – 4th, 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date. The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar: A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 6 Feb 2025 18:41:35 GMT Weekly Update - February 3, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507455 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507455    

New Resource for Arizona: The Water Agenda

 

We are sharing a new publication that started this month, the Water Agenda.  Like the Arizona Agenda and the Tucson Agenda, this publication is an online resource available on Substack at no cost, though you can subscribe and support their work. Most of us have heard about the lengthy drought most of Arizona is facing, and what that means for water availability can be confusing and concerning. This new weekly publication aims to unpack water policy and provide facts about Arizona's water system, covering the plans and solutions available to conserve and use water wisely.  This first issue jumps right into the deep end with an overview of groundwater. We’ll track this resource and the water discussion at the capitol, sharing updates along the way. If you are interested in helping us track and educate nurses on this critical issue, let us know at azcchworkgroup@gmail.com.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • February 4th: 12:15 pm (ET) Clinicians Leading System-Wide Environmental Sustainability Transformation Register
  • February 5th: 1:00 pm (AZ) Schools, Health Systems, and the Inflation Reduction Act Register
  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • February 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Youth Climate Action Register
  • February 19th: 12:00 pm: Health Center Preparedness & Response Forum: Extreme Heat Virtual Register
  • February 19th: 12:15pm (ET) Incorporating Sustainable Food Practices Register
  • March 1 – 4th, 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:31:23 GMT Weekly Update - January 23, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507248 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507248    

The Arizona Clean Air Annual Poll

On December 17th, the American Lung Association in Arizona released updated polls showing that Arizona voters continue to view air pollution and climate change as serious problems and support clean energy and transportation solutions for the fifth consecutive year. More than 7 in 10 voters agree a transition to clean energy will positively impact air quality (78%) and the economy and jobs in Arizona (71%).  Read more:

The OSHA Heat Standard

In December, we asked Arizona nurses to sign in support of the OSHA heat standard draft rule that would create national standards to protect workers from extreme heat for the first time in history. Your state nursing organization, AzNA, joined 86 other organizations in signing a letter encouraging the implementation of this critical rule for the health of Americans.  Read the final letter and subsequent press release:

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • January 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ) Webinar: Environmental Health During Preconception and Pregnancy – Opportunities for Prevention Register
  • February 1st: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm 2025 Southern Arizona Heat Summit in Tucson Register
  • February 4th: 12:15 pm (ET) Clinicians Leading System-Wide Environmental Sustainability Transformation Register
  • February 5th: 1:00 pm (AZ) Schools, Health Systems, and the Inflation Reduction Act Register
  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • February 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Youth Climate Action Register
  • February 19th: 12:00 pm: Health Center Preparedness & Response Forum: Extreme Heat Virtual Register
  • February 19th: 12:15pm (ET) Incorporating Sustainable Food Practices Register
  • March 1 – 4th, 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 23 Jan 2025 16:21:43 GMT Weekly Update - January 20, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507107 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=507107    

The Impact of Climate Change Across the Cancer Control Continuum: Key Considerations for Oncology Nurses

 

The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)  has recently published a multipage white paper about the crossroads between climate change and cancer and the oncology nurse role. This pivotal ONS comprehensive document features the effects of climate change as intrinsically linked to cancer care outcomes. From the executive summary and LinkedIn posts from several lead authors, oncology nurse scientists are equipped to spearhead the drive to new knowledge and contribute to multifaceted solutions, while clinical care nurses can play a crucial role in assisting their healthcare system to become carbon neutral.  The AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup welcomes this news, is eager to help, and is very interested in oncology nurses joining us in our efforts to address climate change while mitigating and minimizing health impact.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • January 21st: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ) Save the Date. AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup meetingJoin Meeting
  • January 22nd: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (AZ) Climate for Health Ambassador Training co-hosted by APHA and Climate for Health Register for this free training designed for nurses and other health care professionals.
  • January 30th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ) Webinar: Environmental Health During Preconception and Pregnancy – Opportunities for Prevention Register
  • February 1st: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm 2025 Southern Arizona Heat Summit in Tucson Register
  • F
  • February 4th: 12:15 pm (ET) Clinicians Leading System-Wide Environmental Sustainability Transformation Register
  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • February 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Youth Climate Action Register
  • February 19th: 12:00 pm: Health Center Preparedness & Response Forum: Extreme Heat Virtual Register
  • March 1 – 4th, 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date.The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:12:21 GMT Weekly Update - January 13, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506830 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506830    

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

Join Us: Webinars & Events

  • January 15th: 12:00 pm MST Navigating Climate Challenges: Enhancing Transportation Resilience Register
  • January 21st: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ) Save the Date. AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup meeting
  • January 22nd: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (AZ) Climate for Health Ambassador Training co-hosted by APHA and Climate for Health Register for this free training designed for nurses and other health care professionals.
  • February 1st: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm 2025 Southern Arizona Heat Summit in Tucson Register
  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • February 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Youth Climate Action Register
  • February 19th: 12:00 pm: Health Center Preparedness & Response Forum: Extreme Heat Virtual Register
  • March 1 – 4th, 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • April 15th – April 17th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Save the Date. The 4th Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Meeting. Virtual sessions are free to attend.
  • April 22nd Earth Day
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

     

    Recordings

  • Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar: A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • Recording from 3rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 9 Jan 2025 16:20:16 GMT Weekly Update - January 6, 2025 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506746 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506746    

New Year, New Focus on Climate & Health Solutions

 

As noted in a recent Washington Post article, small changes alone won’t stop climate change or save our planet, but your actions are still worthwhile, and you shouldn’t feel helpless. With New Year’s resolutions poised to guide us toward better health in 2025, here are some steps to lower your carbon footprint while enhancing your well-being.

 

  • Create less food waste – The carbon footprint of US food waste is greater than that of the airline industry. The biggest proportion of food waste (37%), happens in the home.
  • Ditch your grass. This saves trillions of gallons of water a year, decreases pesticide and fertilizer runoff into waterways, and reduces the use of billions of gallons of gasoline to run lawn and garden equipment.
  • Shop sustainability by buying less – Very few things you can purchase actively benefit the climate. Refurbishing, repurposing, and redistributing items in your community is one idea for ‘greener’ economies.
  • Weatherize your home – Most utilities will help by offering home assessments to seal leaks and decrease energy waste on heating and cooling. Arizona’s Department of Housing provides Weatherization Assistance Programs, and assistance from APS and TEP is also available.
  • Trade in for an electric car or consider public transportation – One of the most powerful individual actions people can take against climate change is modifying how they get around. This is because the transportation sector is the biggest source of planet-warming emissions in the United States. Rebates remain available for electric car purchases.
  • PASS IT ON – Educating your peers, family, and community is a great way to multiply your efforts. Please share this information and help them take steps to make their lives more climate friendly.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

 

 

Join Us

  • Recording from December 10th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifeecycle Series: Plastics use and Demand Recording.
  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
  • January 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Health Hazards of Plastics: From Production to Disposal Register
  • January 21st: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ) Save the Date. AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup meeting
  • January 22nd: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (AZ) Climate for Health Ambassador Training co-hosted by APHA and Climate for Health Register for this free training designed for nurses and other health care professionals.
  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • February 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Youth Climate Action Register
  • February 19th: 12:00 pm: Health Center Preparedness & Response Forum: Extreme Heat Virtual Register
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
  • March 12th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Achieving Energy Independence in a Healthcare Setting Register
  • April 9th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Climate Change and Farming: Worker Protections and Community Resiliency Register
  • January 8th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Health Hazards of Plastics: From Production to Disposal Register
  • May 21st: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (MST): Impacts of Heat on Vulnerable Populations Register

 

 

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

]]> Mon, 6 Jan 2025 15:47:18 GMT Weekly Update - December 12, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506332 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506332    

Happy Holidays

 

This is our last post for 2024; AzNA will be on break until the new year. We will be back in 2025 with more news and steps you can take to address climate impact on health. Until then, have a wonderful holiday season, and if you have not done so, please act on the historic OSHA Rule to protect workers from extreme heat danger. AzNA and ANA have already signed on supporting this critical and landmark rule to protect workers from extreme heat danger. Your action is required by December 30th. Steps to action are below.

 

OSHA Rule to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat Dangers

Time to Act: Deadline December 30th

 

We are looking for more nurses’ signatures. Can you help?  If you signed already, THANK YOU. Could you share this alert with five other nurses so we can collect more signatures and get the word out about the importance of passing this OSHA rule?  If you did not sign yet, please do so this week.  If you need more information about this rule, read our post from Nov 21st.

   

Sign In Support of the OSHA Rule

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

 

Join Us

  • Recording from December 11th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording
  • January 21st: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AZ) Save the Date. AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup meeting
  • January 22nd: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (AZ) Climate for Health Ambassador Training co-hosted by APHA and Climate for Health Register for this free training designed for nurses and other health care professionals.
  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

]]> Thu, 12 Dec 2024 18:19:07 GMT Weekly Update - December 5, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506163 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506163    

Join Us: Webinar-Extreme Weather in Arizona

On December 11th, at 2:00 pm (AZ), the AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup’s Chair, Pat VanMaanen, will join the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and Climate Action Campaign’s webinar to discuss Arizona's Extreme Weather (heat). PoderLatinx and Unlimited Potential will also join the speaker’s panel. REGISTER

 

OSHA Rule to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat Dangers

ACTION ALERT

 

We are looking for more nurses’ signatures. Can you help?  If you signed already, THANK YOU. Could you share this alert with five other nurses so we can collect more signatures and get the word out about the importance of passing this OSHA rule?  If you did not sign yet, please do so this week.  If you need more information about this rule, read our post from Nov 21st.

   

Why This Matters

  • Heat is the most significant cause of extreme weather mortality
  • Nationally, heat-related deaths have steadily increased. 2023 has been the deadliest in AZ, and 2024 will likely be no different.
  • Agriculture industry: 19.5 deaths/100K (2021)
  • High temperatures lead to other climate-related events, including poor air quality, wildfires, and extreme weather events like flooding.

 

Why Your Voice Matters

  • Nurses are trusted sources of information for the public
  • Public trust extends to your role as a source of information about climate change; you are an effective messenger for communicating important information about climate change and health (George Mason Center for Climate Change Communications)

 

Sign In Support of the OSHA Rule

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

 

Join Us

  • December 10th: 5:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link
  • December 11th: 10:00 am: Arizona Extreme Heat Summit Report-Out [Zoom] Register
  • December 11th: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AZ Time) Arizona Extreme Weather in 2024 featuring AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup, hosted by ANHE and CAC. Register
  • February 12th: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm Sierra Club Environmental Day at the Capitol. Learn more about the day and register here.
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

]]> Thu, 5 Dec 2024 15:56:07 GMT Weekly Update - November 29 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506062 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=506062    

How Where You Impacted by the 2024 Extreme Heat Season

The AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup is compiling information about the 2024 heat season. We know hotter temperatures create potentially dangerous health situations for Arizonans. From burns and heat exhaustion to heat stroke and worsening of chronic conditions, health is impacted by extreme temperatures. As nurses, what did you see at work? We want to collect examples of what you saw patients experiencing due to heat. Were you impacted by the hot summer, and if so, how?

Please email us and share your stories, aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com.

 

OSHA Rule to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat Dangers

ACTION ALERT

 

We are re-posting this Action Alert to secure as many nurse signatures as possible.  If you signed already, THANK YOU. Could you share this alert with five other nurses so we can collect more signatures and get the word out about the importance of passing this OSHA rule?  If you did not sign yet, please do so this week.  If you need more information about this rule, read our post from Nov 21st.

   

Why This Matters

  • Heat is the greatest cause of extreme weather mortality
  • Nationally, heat-related deaths have steadily increased. 2023 has been the deadliest in AZ, and 2024 will likely be no different.
  • Agriculture industry: 19.5 deaths/100K (2021)
  • High temperatures lead to other climate-related events, including poor air quality, wildfires, and extreme weather events like flooding.

 

Why Your Voice Matters

  • Nurses are trusted sources of information for the public
  • Public trust extends to your role as a source of information about climate change; you are an effective messenger for communicating important information about climate change and health (George Mason Center for Climate Change Communications)

 

Sign In Support of the OSHA Rule

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

 

Join Us

  • December 6th: 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm (EST) Webinar: Climate Conversations: Reimagining Household Products Register
  • December 10th: 5:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link
  • December 11th: 10:00 am: Arizona Extreme Heat Summit Report-Out [Zoom] Register
  • December 11th: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AZ Time) Save the Date: Extreme Heat in Arizona featuring AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup.
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

]]> Mon, 2 Dec 2024 15:22:44 GMT Weekly Update - November 21, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505807 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505807    

OSHA Rule to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat Dangers

ACTION ALERT

Callings all nurses. We need you to sign on to a support letter. For the first time in US history, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed rules that protect indoor and outdoor workers from extreme heat risks. Fewer than ten states have standards, and Arizona is not one. Some cities, including Phoenix and Tucson, have ordinances for their workers. These rules protect our farm workers, construction workers, park and landscape workers, and other workers exposed to extreme weather. Once final, this rule will protect approximately 36 million workers. It will save lives and avoid illnesses.

 

Nurses see these workers in clinics and hospitals when they become ill after working on days that often reach 110 degrees or higher. As the heat rises and stays above 110 degrees, symptoms of heat cramps, exhaustion, or, worse, heat stroke are seen in greater numbers.

 

Why This Matters

  • Heat is the greatest cause of extreme weather mortality
  • Nationally, heat-related deaths have steadily increased. 2023 has been the deadliest in AZ, and 2024 will likely be no different.
  • Agriculture industry: 19.5 deaths/100K (2021)
  • High temperatures lead to other climate-related events, including poor air quality, wildfires, and extreme weather events like flooding.

 

Why Your Voice Matters

  • Nurses are trusted sources of information for the public
  • Public trust extends to your role as a source of information about climate change; you are an effective messenger for communicating important information about climate change and health (George Mason Center for Climate Change Communications)

 

Sign In Support of the OSHA Rule

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Join Us

  • December 6th: 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm (EST) Webinar: Climate Conversations: Reimagining Household Products Register
  • December 10th: 5:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link
  • December 11th: 10:00 am: Arizona Extreme Heat Summit Report-Out [Zoom] Register
  • December 11th: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AZ Time) Save the Date: Extreme Heat in Arizona featuring AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup, ANHE, and CAC
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

]]> Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:52:49 GMT Weekly Update - November 14, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505643 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505643    

Hot, Hotter, and Hottest

 

This year will be the hottest on record and the first to exceed the target set at the Paris Climate Conference in 2015. The temperature in 2024 will likely be more than 1.55C above the pre-industrial level, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said Thursday. The landmark Paris Agreement called for reducing carbon dioxide emissions to limit global warming to 2C (3.6 F), and ideally 1.5C, above temperatures at the outset of the Industrial Revolution. However, maintaining that threshold has been all but discarded as nations fail to move quickly. Scientists warn that the acceleration of global temperatures will lead to more significant climate disasters while pushing the planet closer to a series of tipping points from which there will be no return.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

Join Us

  • November 19th: 12:00 pm (EST) Webinar: Engaging Medical Health Professionals in the Fight for Climate Solutions Register
  • November 19th: 2:00 pm (EST) Webinar: Going Smoke – and vape – Free in Multiunit HousingRegister
  • December 6th: 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm (EST) Webinar: Climate Conversations: Reimagining Household Products Register
  • December 11th: 10:00 am: Arizona Extreme Heat Summit Report-Out [Zoom] Register
  • December 11th: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AZ Time) Save the Date: Extreme Heat in Arizona featuring AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup, ANHE, and CAC
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

 

]]> Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:43:42 GMT Weekly Update - November 7, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505455 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505455    

A Post Election Perspective

 

No Matter Who Wins

An Assemblage by Rebecca Faulkner

 

No matter who wins      I won’t give up          I will live                                

lightly on the land   wave to passing cars       embrace

those closest to me                listen                to less news & more music

Stand up          for what I believe in                No matter who wins

I will continue              to fight            for justice & human rights

solar panels will keep generating electricity              I will still ride my bike

share my story            through animation & music

keep working              to decarbonize my community

I will continue                          to restore the wildlife habitat where I live

No matter who wins                           I will advocate for individuals

living with mental illness                    be the best grandmother

make kindness my priority                 No matter who wins

I will champion reproductive rights                treat others

with respect & kindness                      I’ll continue to fight

be mindful of water usage                  advocate for gender equality

help build a more peaceful world                   be respectful of others

No matter who wins               I will support my family, friends & neighbors

Speak               with respect & empathy         champion humility

No matter who wins               I will smile at people               I won’t hide

From difficult things                I will stay positive

organize for peace                  racial equity & social justice

I will continue              to plant trees              No matter who wins

I will     show up

Make art         continue to love

No matter who wins

 

Join Us for Our November Meeting

The next Workgroup meeting is Tuesday, November 12th, at 5:30 pm. Please add this to your calendar to join us and invite a fellow nurse; we will have a guest speaker from Climate Action Campaign (https://www.actonclimate.com/), hear from attendees of the 2nd Annual Arizona Heat Summit, discuss and develop a response to the new OSHA Heat rule, and more.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

Join Us

  • November 12th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom Link
  • December 11th: 10:00 am: Arizona Extreme Heat Summit Report-Out [Zoom] Register
  • December 11th: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AZ Time) Save the Date: Extreme Heat in Arizona featuring AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup, ANHE, and CAC
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register
]]> Thu, 7 Nov 2024 15:59:56 GMT Weekly Update - October 31, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505286 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505286    

Climate Solutions Are Health Solutions

 

Video: Voting for Safe Climate and Clean Air

                                                               

VOTE: It’s Time

This is your last chance to vote; we have created three documents to assist you in voting for climate champions, each provided below. Visit www.arizona.vote to find a polling location near you.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Join Us

  • November 6th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm MST Plastics and Human Health: impacts and Healthcare Solutions Register here
  • November 12th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom Link
  • December 11th: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AZ Time) Save the Date: Extreme Heat in Arizona featuring AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup, ANHE, and CAC
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

 

 

]]> Thu, 31 Oct 2024 20:27:03 GMT Weekly Update - October 24, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505139 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505139    

2024 Arizona Heat Summit      

Over 200 health and community professionals attended the 2024 Arizona Heat Summit on October 23rd to discuss our most recent heat season and consider revisions to the state heat plan. Several AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup members and partners attended. Below are some takeaways from attendees and comments heard during the sessions offered throughout the day.

 

  • In 2024, Phoenix had 142 days over 100 degrees in Phoenix (a 113-day streak from May 27th to September 16th), and Tucson had 114 days over 100 degrees (so far). Phoenix had 62 days over 110 degrees. The average is 21 days.
  • 70% of 2024 emergency department visits for heat-related illness were in males; 50% were 18-44 years old.
  • 69% who died from a heat-related issue in 2023 lived in Arizona for 20+ years
  • In 2006, Maricopa County had 40 cooling centers; in 2024 there were 130 cooling centers
  • NEW: Maricopa County Public Health Heat-Related Deaths Dashboard
  • Tucson adopted Worker Heat Protection Ordinance and Heat Action Roadmap in 2024
  • Arizona has established a heat tier system for action, works closely with the National Weather Services for warnings and action
  • Overall, 1% of hospital visits are for heat-related illness
  • 1/3 of 911 heat-related illness calls in Phoenix occurred when cooling centers were closed, resulting in the city extending cooling center and respite site hours, adding a 24/7 site.

 

VOTE: It’s Time

Voting is underway and we have created three documents to assist you in voting for climate champions, each a provided below.

 

 

ACTION: OSHA Protection of Workers from Extreme Heat

OSHA has released a long-overdue proposal for a new rule that better protects workers from the dangers of extreme heat.  Our summers are growing longer and hotter, as noted by those who attended the 2024 Arizona Heat Summit last Wednesday. Heat exposure has been linked to higher rates of preterm labor and stillbirths, heat stress, heat stroke, respiratory distress, and even heart failure.  Heat can also interact with many common medications with dangerous outcomes. Health professionals know that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can be deadly. Yet too many workers still lack basic protections like regular water breaks, access to shade, and rest periods.

 

We’ve been waiting a long time for federal heat standards and protections; act today by submitting your comments to OSHA.  It’s easy by using this link. Add your own words to this draft message.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

Join Us

  • November 12th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup monthly meeting Zoom Link
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

]]> Thu, 24 Oct 2024 19:12:59 GMT Weekly Update - October 17, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505002 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=505002    

VOTE: It’s Time

Arizona is voting. Early voting by mail and in-person voting centers are open for registered voters to submit their ballots. Over the past year we have shared information regarding the link between environmental health and human health.  How do the candidates running for elected office address the links and concerns like air quality, accessible water, and extreme heat? The AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup created three documents for nurses to use; each will assist in gathering information about candidate priorities to help determine your best choice for office.  Two down-ballot boards are uniquely linked to the environment: the Arizona Corporation Commission and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board. A Voting Tool for each has been developed for your use.  Look at each and use them to assist you in completing your ballot.

 

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Join Us

  • October 23rd 8:30 am – 4:00 pm: 2024 Arizona Heat Summit Desert Willow Conference Center Phoenix Register
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

 

 

]]> Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:39:51 GMT Weekly Update - October 10, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504871 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504871    

Air Pollution raises stroke risk for women under 65

This study says, “There is no ‘safe’ level of air pollution.” Research like this is why the AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup is so focused on education, advocacy, and efforts for nurses to mitigate the health harms of air pollution and other environmental factors that impact our health. Join us in this critical work. 

 

OSHA Proposed Rule Protecting Workers from Extreme Heat

The Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA) estimates its proposed rule “Heat Injury Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings,” will reduce heat-related injuries and deaths by 65 to 95 percent. The Network for Public Health Law issue brief summarizes the key provisions of the proposed rule, which is now open for public comment. 

 

For additional information including solutions for addressing extreme heat and a summary of federal, state, and local laws and policies used to protect workers from extreme heat or thwart protections for them, see Law and Policy Considerations for Workforce Protections from Extreme Heat.

 

Public comment on the OSHA Proposed Rule is open through December 30th, in future issues of this newsletter, we will offer suggested language for submitting your own comment.  If you would like to take action now, here is the website where you start.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Join Us

  • October 15th 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup October Zoom Meeting.Zoom Link.
  • October 23rd 8:30 am – 4:00 pm: 2024 Arizona Heat Summit Desert Willow Conference Center Phoenix Register
  • March 1-4th 2025: Our Planet, Our Health 2025 Climate Action Convention Washington DC Register

 

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

]]> Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:03:19 GMT Weekly Update - October 3, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504736 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504736    

Those in the Path of Helene Could Use Our Help

 

Millions across the Southeast remain without power or running water in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy, particularly those who have lost loved ones.

 

Those affected need our help. If you can, please consider donating to the relief efforts led by the American Red Cross. (set up by our partner, the Climate Action Campaign)

 

While climate change does not cause hurricanes, we are sure it makes them more destructive. Humans have increased sea levels, leading to more damaging storm surges, and a warmer atmosphere produces more rain. And it's not just hurricanes: Climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and severe. As we continue to break temperature records yearly, we’re witnessing more frequent and intense extreme weather events like Helene. These events cause immediate destruction and have long-term implications for communities, economies, and ecosystems.

 

In the aftermath of Helene, let’s extend our empathy and support to those affected not only through our donations and relief efforts, but also by recommitting ourselves to the fight against climate change. Together, we can build a more resilient and sustainable future for all.

 

IRA: Creating Clean Energy & Jobs

📢 Two years in, the #InflationReductionAct fuels a $115B clean energy manufacturing boom! From #SolarPanels☀️ to #EVs 🚗 , this law is reshaping America’s energy future while creating thousands of jobs. Read more at: https://bit.ly/3XGuOc0

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Join Us

  • October 8th 7:00 am – 8:30 am: Webinar: Accelerating the National Climate and Health Movement: Mobilizing Toward Action from the National Academy of Medicine, Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the US Health Sector. Register
  • October 9th 4:00 pm: Webinar: A Movement on the Move: A Conversation about the State of Climate Advocacy in 2024 (Sierra Club) Register
  • October 10th9:00 am – 10:00 am: Safe Spaces: Protecting Student Health on Children’s Health Day and Every Day Register here.
  • October 15th 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup October Zoom Meeting.Zoom Link.
  • October 23rd 8:30 am – 4:00 pm: 2024 Arizona Heat Summit Desert Willow Conference Center Phoenix Register

 

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

 

]]> Thu, 3 Oct 2024 18:46:08 GMT Weekly Update - September 26, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504522 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504522    

Continuing Our Discussion on Heat

 

NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) reported that 2024 is the hottest summer.

 

Heat is the leading cause of death among all hazardous weather conditions in the United States. The groups most affected by extreme heat are outdoor workers, such as farm and construction workers, indoor workers who lack air conditioning, and emergency responders. The risks of extreme heat are felt especially hard by construction workers because of the need to wear helmets and goggles that trap heat on the head and the eyes. Unsurprisingly, these workers are disproportionately low-wage earners, people of color, and immigrants.

 

While construction workers accounted for only 6% of the total workforce, they accounted for 36% of heat-related deaths from 1992 – 2016.

 

Excessive heat in the workplace can cause several adverse health effects, including heat stroke and even death, if not treated properly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 479 workers in the U.S. died from exposure to environmental heat from 2011-2022, an average of 40 fatalities per year in that period. Additionally, 33,890 estimated work-related heat injuries and illnesses resulted in days away from work from 2011-2020, an average of 3,389 per year in that period. However, these statistics for occupational heat-related illnesses, injuries, and fatalities are likely vast underestimates.

Workers in outdoor and indoor work settings without adequate climate controls are at risk of hazardous heat exposure. Specific heat-generating processes, machinery, and equipment (e.g., hot tar ovens, furnaces, etc.) can also cause dangerous heat when cooling measures are not in place. Some groups, such as pregnant workers, may be more likely to experience adverse health effects from heat. In contrast, others are disproportionately exposed to hazardous levels of heat, such as workers of color in essential jobs who are more often employed in work settings with a high risk of dangerous heat exposure.

 

If implemented, this new rule would protect workers from extreme heat by ensuring breaks, shade, and water.

 

OSHA has posted the proposed rule for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings in the Federal Register, now available at https://federalregister.gov/d/2024-14824.

 

OSHA encourages the public to submit comments to the Heat Injury and Illness Prevention rulemaking docket at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/OSHA-2021-0009-4761. The comment period is open until December 30, 2024.

 

ACTION: Protect Clean Energy & Climate Investments in the Inflation Reduction Act

Our elected officials need to hear from us; they need to listen to how we support their passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and how we are just seeing the flow of new clean energy and the growth of the green economy in Arizona. We do not want to know about the funding cut when we see the benefits through affordable and equitable clean energy options for all Arizonans. The Arizona home energy rebate program just kicked off at the end of August [Efficiency Arizona], we shouldn’t stop it now when it is just starting.

 

Take action by letting our elected office know we support the Inflation Reduction Act, and cuts supported by the fossil fuel industry are a terrible idea.

 

Air Quality Monitoring

In partnership with CVS Health Foundation, the American Lung Association is implementing a Public Health Intervention to Reduce the Lung Health Burden of the Climate Crisis in Maricopa County.  The Lung Association is distributing PurpleAir air quality sensors throughout the county to measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Send your name, address, and a brief statement on why air quality is important to you to request a free Purple Air sensor for your home or business to sensors@lung.org.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Join Us

  • October 8th 7:00 am – 8:30 am: Webinar: Accelerating the National Climate and Health Movement: Mobilizing Toward Action from the National Academy of Medicine, Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the US Health Sector. Register
  • October 10th9:00 am – 10:00 am: Safe Spaces: Protecting Student Health on Children’s Health Day and Every Day Register here.
  • October 23rd 8:30 am – 4:00 pm: 2024 Arizona Heat Summit Desert Willow Conference Center Phoenix Register
  • October 15th 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup October Zoom Meeting.Zoom Link.

 

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

]]> Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:00:24 GMT Weekly Update - September 19, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504378 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504378

   

HEAT: How to Reduce Health Risks

In the news and this weekly post, we shared information and article after article about the extreme temperatures here and in many other states this year. We are in September, when fall should bring us cooler temperatures, foliage changes, and pumpkin-flavored everything in stores. Yet Arizona is still experiencing hotter than usual temperatures. We were planning to talk more about this topic today, and soon after submitting the September 16th post, we received several more alarming articles about extreme heat, indicating our plan was on target. One such post we received comes from Conversations on Health Care, and their latest discussion entitled How to Reduce Health Risks When September Temps Reach 100+ was spot on and provided us with the information we wanted to share with you. Please listen to this critical discussion and share your questions and experiences with your patients with us [EMAIL US HERE]. Consider joining the speaker's bureau (below) if this topic interests you and you would like to learn more about it and become more involved in this health topic.

 

Speakers Bureau: Extreme Heat

Are you interested in discussing extreme heat?  Our partner, the Alliance of Nurses for Health Environments (ANHE), is working with the Climate Action Campaign to create a list of Arizona nurses and health professionals who could speak to the media about extreme weather and how it has impacted our care for patients or patients who have been affected by extreme weather.  We are collecting names now; if you are interested, please email us at aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com.

 

Voting Rights Checkup: Vote.gov

From our friends at Climate Hawks Vote:

 

You take your kids to the doctor for a checkup. You take your car in for a checkup.

 

Now it’s time for a voting rights checkup! Check your registration. It’s quick and easy. And it’s essential for a livable climate, family and friends, and American democracy.

 

Check yourregistration.

 

Vote.gov is an official website of the United States government —and was recently recommended by none other than Taylor Swift. It will link you to your own state’s voter registration portal. Even if you’re sure you’re registered, check. If you’ve moved in the last few months or need to re-register, you can do so quickly from the same site.

 

Once you have completed your checkup, please share this message with five others and ask them to pass it on, too. That way, all voters will be ready to vote in this year's election.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

**When you read this, we will be nearing 110 consecutive days of 100-degree-plus heat in the Phoenix area. From the most recent AZ Climate Weekly, here, read about this record weather event.

Join Us

  • September 24, 2024 11 am – 12:00 pm (AZ) Disaster Preparedness What if the power went out for several days? This webinar will teach you about identifying your disaster risks, making your preparedness plan, purchasing insurance, safeguarding essential documents, and protecting your home. Register Here.

 

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

]]> Thu, 19 Sep 2024 18:02:31 GMT Weekly Update - September 12, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504198 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504198    

AzHPCA Annual Summit

The Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action (AzHPCA) Annual Summit occurred last Tuesday. Keynote speaker Dr. Ed Maibach, Director of George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication, spoke on the latest research and findings about climate change and health communication. This presentation helps us understand and promote public engagement in climate change while assisting our patients in protecting their health. A recording is available on the AzHPCA’s YouTube page to view this compelling presentation, where he even shares the findings about what terms the public connects with on the topic and whether it is climate change, climate crisis, environment, extreme weather, or yet another.

 

Speakers Bureau: Extreme Heat

Are you interested in discussing extreme heat?  Our partner, the Alliance of Nurses for Health Environments (ANHE), is working with the Climate Action Campaign to create a list of Arizona nurses and health professionals who could speak to the media about extreme weather and how it has impacted our care for patients or patients who have been affected by extreme weather.  We are collecting names now; if you are interested, please email us at aznacchworkgroup@gmail.com.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

**When you read this, we will be nearing 110 consecutive days of 100-degree-plus heat in the Phoenix area. From the most recent AZ Climate Weekly, here, read about this record weather event.

Join Us

  • September 16th: 8:00 am—9:00 am (AZ)—Webinar: PEER2PEER Seminar Series: Transboundary Water Governance and the Colorado River, presented by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This webinar will trace the evolution of this 75+ year transboundary relationship, outlining its history and examining the modern governance context. It will reveal the role of science, non-state actors, and institutional arrangements to foster collaboration and promote diplomacy in the face of broader inequities and governance failures. Register Here.
  • September 16th: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm (AZ) Green Opportunities Fair at the Arizona Science Center [600 E Washington St Phoenix].Dream.org and Climate Power team up to help Arizonans take advantage of the historic levels of climate funding. Attend this event to learn more about the green energy opportunities for you and your family. Register Here.
  • September 18th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ) — PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Michigan: Actionable Information for Healthcare Providers. Join speakers Dr. Courtney Carignan, MSU, PFAS Exchange, and Erica Bloom, The Ecology Center, Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, for a one-hour webinar to discuss the scope of PFAS exposure in Michigan, as well as resources for clinicians and advocacy opportunities. ANHE will offer one-hour CE. Register here.
  • September 21, 2024 8 am – 4:30 pm Wheezing and Sneezing in the Desert hosted by the Arizona Asthma Coalition 18th Annual Clinical Conference. Register Here.
  • September 21, 2024 9 am – noon Hike and Learn about Wildlife in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. Register Here.
  • September 24, 2024 11 am – 12:00 pm (AZ) Disaster Preparedness What if the power went out for several days? This webinar will teach you about identifying your disaster risks, making your preparedness plan, purchasing insurance, safeguarding essential documents, and protecting your home. Register Here.

 

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

]]> Thu, 12 Sep 2024 20:25:34 GMT Weekly Update - September 5, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504051 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=504051    

Action Alert

Defend Our Climate Sign-On Letter to Congress : to our leaders in Congress, to stand up to attacks by big polluters and their allies. Please Defend Our Climate by:

-Blocking efforts to roll back investments in our communities and in clean energy jobs passed under the Inflation Reduction Act

-Opposing CRAs that aim to repeal limits on pollutants from power plants, cars, trucks, and harmful pollutants

-Protecting the climate-smart ag investments in the Farm Bill

-Saying NO to efforts to cut critical funding to combat climate change in the federal budget

 

Stock up on education brochures for patients on climate and health Fill out this form to request an order of ClimateRx Brochures to easily share information with patients and community members on how to protect health in a changing climate. 

 

Submit a comment to protect outdoor workers from heat injury We invite you to submit a comment on the Occupational Safety and Health's (OSHA) proposed rule calling on President Biden, Acting Secretary Su, and Assistant Secretary Parker to show strong support for the proposed OSHA rule.

 

Share resource for home energy rebates to cover costs of air conditioning HEAR These programs comprise the Home Energy Rebates, contributing to a healthier environment while combating climate impacts and making energy efficiency more affordable.

 

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

The Second Half Of The Decisive Decade: Potential U.S. Pathways On Climate, Jobs, And Health America faces a fork in the road starting in January 2025, with two climate and energy policy pathways that are highly divergent. These future policy pathways result in stark differences for our health, our pocketbooks, the economy.

 

How Oakland Schools obtained an all electric fleet of buses that feed INTO the power grid for peak hours.  …the buses will prevent about 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases from entering the environment each year — the amount it said that 74 diesel buses would likely produce.

 

Arizona law suit over power plant expansion Attorney General Kris Mayes and two environmental organizations filed complaints against the Arizona Corporation Commission on Thursday over its June decision to exempt an energy company from an environmental review of its power plant expansion. 

 

100+ days of 100+ degrees for new Phoenix record

Why it matters: Extreme heat is becoming increasingly common in Phoenix and the Southwest.

 

Electric School Buses: The Best Choice for Our Kids and Communities

The iconic yellow school bus is a familiar sight on our streets no matter where you live in the US, transporting millions of kids safely to and from school every day. While the color of school buses is…

 

BOOKMARK: Heat and Medications Guide This document is intended to alert health care providers to the impact of ambient heat on patients taking certain medications and provide recommendations.

 

Way to GO MESA!! Mesa has taken concrete steps toward becoming more eco-friendly, such as purchasing 71 electric work trucks, installing LED lighting at the Red Mountain Baseball Complex and planting 2,400 shade trees.

 

Watch PBS Documentary  Infected Earth.  Effects of climate change of the human body through the eyes of an emergency room physician.

 

National Heat Strategy This includes but is not limited to: workers in hot environments, We recognize that our vision for a thriving, heat-resilient nation is all-encompassing and includes safety, health, and economic well-being across disciplines  and timescales. socioeconomically disadvantaged people, older adults, people with disabilities, people with chronic health conditions, people who are unhoused or poorly housed, communities of color, pregnant people, children, Tribal Nations, Indigenous communities, rural communities, members of the military, and  more. Place and identity matter, and our differential vulnerability to heat has a profound impact on environmental justice. We seek to address this challenge through each of the goals outlined in  the document

 

 

 

Join Us

  • September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm (in lieu of our monthly Working Group meeting) Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link
  • September 10th: The New Age of Water Webinar: Morning Scoop with the Arizona Capitol Times In this Morning Scoop, we’ll provide the latest updates on the recent water shortage declaration and its implications for Arizona. Additionally, we'll explore the innovative conservation programs being introduced by Arizona’s cities and towns, delve into current water legislation, and highlight cutting-edge technologies in water management.
  • September 15th: 4:00 pm — In Conversation: Arizona’s Water Present….and Future with speakers Sarah Porter (Kyle Center for Water Policy) & Sandy Bahr (Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter). Hosted by Civic Engagement Beyond Voting Register here
  • September 18th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ) — PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Michigan: Actionable Information for Healthcare Providers. Join speakers Dr. Courtney Carignan, MSU, PFAS Exchange, and Erica Bloom, The Ecology Center, Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, for a one-hour webinar to discuss the scope of PFAS exposure in Michigan, as well as resources for clinicians and advocacy opportunities. ANHE will offer one-hour CE. Register here.
  • September 21, 2024 8 am – 4:30pm Wheezing and Sneezing in the Desert Arizona Asthma Coalition 18th Annual Clinical ConferenceRegister Here
  • September 24, 2024 11 am Disaster Preparedness What if the power went out for several days? In this webinar, you will learn about identifying your disaster risks, making your preparedness plan, purchasing insurance, safe-guarding important documents, and protecting your home. Register here

 

 

 

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

 

]]> Thu, 5 Sep 2024 20:08:06 GMT Weekly Update - August 29, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503901 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503901

   

Action Alert

Add your name to the Sierra Club coalition to shut down Line 5 pipeline

Tell the Army Corps: No permits for Line 5. For more than two years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been reviewing feedback and preparing a draft Environmental Assessment of Enbridge's proposed Line 5 reroute. 

 

Monitor the Public Health Heat Related Dashboard Please check weekly updates that inform your nursing practice for Maricopa County Heat Related Injury and Deaths. This incredible tool provides demographics, maps, hospital visits and more. PIMA COUNTY Data is available in a slightly different format.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Phoenix MD dies while hiking with other physicians. This can happen to anyone in extreme heat!  If you read nothing else from this week’s newsletter, read this true story! Extreme heat is taking an incredible toll on our lives right here in Arizona, right now.

 

We Should Have Better Answers by Now: Climate Scientist Baffled by Unexpected Pace of Heating 

In a remarkably candid essay in the journal Nature this March, one of the world’s top climate scientists posited the alarming possibility that global heating may be moving beyond the ability of experts to predict what happens next.

 

South Korea Recycles 98% of its Food Waste. What Can it Teach the World?

DAEJEON, South Korea — Starting at 5 a.m. each day, dozens of trucks bring more than 400 tons of stinky, sticky food waste from restaurants and homes to a facility the size of two football fields — which transforms it into enough green energy to power about 20,000 households.

 

Fast Facts from the UN  The world can no longer wait to take bold and resolute international climate action,” he stressed during his visit to Samoa, highlighting that high and rising sea levels are already causing severe damage and disrupting people’s lives in coastal communities in the Pacific region and other places around the world.

 

It isn’t all bad news. The following 3 stories bring hope!

 

Great News for Arizona!! Several Rural Arizona small businesses were selected for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) awards for clean energy projects

USDA Invests $3.5M to Support Entrepreneurs, Clean Energy Growth, and Community Infrastructure

 

Maricopa County to receive $15 million for EV charging station infrastructure  The Maricopa County Air Quality Department will receive $15 million to install publicly accessible EV charging stations at facilities that participate in the Maricopa County Travel Reduction Program, which includes schools and businesses with at least 50 employees.

 

We can learn how to combat urban heat from Ancient Rome! As intense heat breaks records around the world, a little-reported fact offers some hope for cooling down cities: Under even the most intense periods of extreme heat, some city blocks never experience heat wave temperatures.

 

 

 

Join Us

  • Help Spread the Word!
    September 4-5: NASEM Health's Food Forum will host a virtual public workshop to explore science-based risk management, assessment, & communication strategies to improve food safety in domestic & global #FoodSystems. Register.
  • September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm (in lieu of our monthly Working Group meeting) Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link
  • The New Age of WaterWebinar: Morning Scoop with the Arizona Capitol Times In this Morning Scoop, we’ll provide the latest updates on the recent water shortage declaration and its implications for Arizona. Additionally, we'll explore the innovative conservation programs being introduced by Arizona’s cities and towns, delve into current water legislation, and highlight cutting-edge technologies in water management.
  • September 15th: 4:00 pm — In Conversation: Arizona’s Water Present….and Future with speakers Sarah Porter (Kyle Center for Water Policy) & Sandy Bahr (Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter). Hosted by Civic Engagement Beyond Voting Register here
  • September 18th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ) — PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Michigan: Actionable Information for Healthcare Providers. Join speakers Dr. Courtney Carignan, MSU, PFAS Exchange, and Erica Bloom, The Ecology Center, Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, for a one-hour webinar to discuss the scope of PFAS exposure in Michigan, as well as resources for clinicians and advocacy opportunities. ANHE will offer one-hour CE. Register here.
  • September 21, 2024 8 am – 4:30pm Wheezing and Sneezing in the Desert Arizona Asthma Coalition 18th Annual Clinical ConferenceRegister Here

 

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

]]> Thu, 29 Aug 2024 18:58:32 GMT Weekly Update - August 22, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503732 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503732   

Action Alert

Extreme Weather Events lead to disasters in our communities. Nurses are essential to disaster response and recovery. As essential workers, nurses and future nurses are called upon to respond to disasters in their communities. Despite the clear need for nurse preparedness, nurses and future nurses may be under-prepared for disaster related events.  

The purpose of this study is to evaluate nurse and nursing student disaster preparedness.  

If you are English speaking, 18 years or older and a Registered Nurse or Nursing Student, we are asking you to participate in this study by completing a brief survey.  Institutional Review Board approval has been obtained. 

Your input may contribute to a better understanding of disaster preparedness among nurses. The survey can be completed in 10-15 minutes or less.   

You may access the anonymous survey at the following link:

https://odu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Org6AHtLYHjpSm  

 

 

This November, we have the opportunity to elect leaders who are ready to put the climate crisis at the top of their agenda. We’re just 70 days away from deciding between a climate future where our leaders roll back years of progress OR a climate future where we are all free to drink clean water, breathe clean air, and ultimately thrive.

Sign ON to elect leaders ready to take on a climate agenda

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

A few years ago, while visiting Hiroshima, Japan, I attended a talk by a well-known peace activist and hibakusha — an atomic bomb survivor. Keiko Ogura had been 8…

As the 2024 Legislative session opened on January 8th, nearly everyone agreed that Arizona needed to take action on water, especially as wells in rural Arizona continued to be pumped dry by industrial agriculture and an assured water supply was no longer available in…

 

 

Join Us

  • Help Spread the Word!
    September 4-5: NASEM Health's Food Forum will host a virtual public workshop to explore science-based risk management, assessment, & communication strategies to improve food safety in domestic & global #FoodSystems. Register.
  • September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link
  • September 15th: 4:00 pm — In Conversation: Arizona’s Water Present….and Future with speakers Sarah Porter (Kyle Center for Water Policy) & Sandy Bahr (Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter). Hosted by Civic Engagement Beyond Voting Register here
  • September 18th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ) — PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Michigan: Actionable Information for Healthcare Providers. Join speakers Dr. Courtney Carignan, MSU, PFAS Exchange, and Erica Bloom, The Ecology Center, Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, for a one-hour webinar to discuss the scope of PFAS exposure in Michigan, as well as resources for clinicians and advocacy opportunities. ANHE will offer one-hour CE. Register here.
  • September 21, 2024 8 am – 4:30pm Wheezing and Sneezing in the Desert Arizona Asthma Coalition 18th Annual Clinical ConferenceRegister Here

 

]]> Thu, 22 Aug 2024 17:04:14 GMT Weekly Update - August 15, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503569 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503569  

Action Alert

Oppose Roll Backs of EPA’s Clean Vehicle Standards

 

You acted in 2024 to ensure the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the clean truck and car standards. These standards tackle the climate crisis, clean up our air, and protect public health. However, some members of Congress are attempting or planning to introduce legislation that could roll back these health-protective standards.

 

The clean car standards have massive benefits in addressing climate change and improving public health. They must remain intact as we move towards a zero-emission future.

 

Our partner, the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE), calls on nurses to send a message to their congressional representatives asking them to vote against any Congressional Review Act Resolution or any other legislative mechanism that aims to roll back EPA’s car and truck standards.

 

The Congressional Review Act and Threats to Environmental Health Explained

 

Send a message

 

Barbara Kingsolver writes the ‘pledge’ for the

American Climate Corps

 

Last month, the first 9,000 members of the Climate Corps committed to Kingsolver’s oath:

I pledge to bring my skills, respect, and compassion to work every day, supporting environmental justice in all our communities.

I will honor nature’s beauty and abundance, on which we all depend, and commit to its protection from the climate crisis.

I will build a more resilient future, where every person can thrive.

I will take my place in history, working with shared purpose in the American Climate Corps on behalf of our nation and planet, its people, and all its species, for the better future we hold within our sight.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

 

 

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

 

]]> Thu, 15 Aug 2024 20:29:35 GMT Weekly Update - August 12, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503463 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503463

AzNA Signs Organization Letter in Support of a

White House CEQ Nursing Roundtable

 

The Arizona Nurses Association (AzNA) recently agreed to join other nursing organizations to sign a letter the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) is currently organizing to a nursing and climate change roundtable with the Biden Administration to discuss how nurses can support national climate and health efforts around extreme heat.  “This work aligns well with our strategic priorities and the efforts of our Climate Change and Health Workgroup,” said Wendy Knefelkamp, AzNA CEO.

 

This will be the second roundtable when scheduled. The original one took place in 2016. During the original event, ANHE and nursing representatives from about 20 other national nursing associations attended the "Climate Change, Health, and Nursing Roundtable" held at the White House with the Obama Administration.

 

This is a perfect time to regroup because of the recent World Health Organization (WHO) Assembly decisions. The WHO has dedicated its Work Program to focusing on climate change and health in the coming years. In addition, there is growing concern about the upcoming extreme heat this summer and the recent release of the CDC's Heat and Health Index (HHI).

 

Workgroup Meeting Tomorrow

 

Join our monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 13th to join our discussion about climate change and health questions to ask candidates running for elected office, hear about the September 10th Second Annual AzHPCA Summit with guest speaker Dr. Ed Maibach, and updates from workgroup members.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

Join Us

August 13th: 5:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link

September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link

 

 

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

]]> Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:08:52 GMT Weekly Update - August 1, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503229 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503229

Lead and Copper Rule: Opportunities for Nursing Action

 

In Fall 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a plan to pursue the Biden administration’s priority of replacing all lead service lines in the next ten years. Nurses know that access to safe lead-free drinking water is essential for families to live healthy and productive lives, as there is no safe lead level. Communities across the country should be protected from exposure to lead and health care providers are a vital part of lead exposure prevention. This webinar aims to provide resources for the clinician and highlight areas for nursing advocacy and action. 

 

Please see below for some additional resources provided by Yanna Lambrinidou PhD from the Campaign for Lead Free Water regarding water filters:

 

EPA has a helpful brochure on selecting the right dually certified lead-in-water filters. Filters certified under both NSF/ANSI Standard 53 (with a claim of lead reduction) and NSF/ANSI Standard 42, are made by companies that include:

 

* Pitcher-style: LARQ, Brita, and ZeroWater

* Faucet-mount filters: Brita, Pur, and Culligan

* Countertop connected to sink faucet systems: Aquasana, Stream, and WaterChef

* Refrigerator filters: Kenmore, Frigidaire, and GE

* Travel bottle filters: LARQ, Nalgene, LifeStraw

 

Campaign for Lead-Free Water

Website: www.campaignforleadfreewater.org

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

Join Us

August 13th: 5:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link

September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link

 

 

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

 

]]> Thu, 1 Aug 2024 18:11:16 GMT Weekly Update - July 26, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503070 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=503070  

Confronting the Climate and Health Crisis: Pathways for Action

 

At recent National Academy of Medicine (NAM) climate events, industry professionals discussed the significance of building a “climate-savvy” health workforce, addressing systemic inequities, and breaking institutional barriers to advance climate resilience and mitigation efforts. Learn more in the feature story.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

Climate Now Recordings

 

Join Us

July 16th Webinar Recording: NAM Climate Crossroads Summit 2024

August 13th: 5:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link

September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Registration Link

 

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

]]> Thu, 25 Jul 2024 17:49:24 GMT Weekly Update - July 18, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502928 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502928

It Keeps Getting Hotter

 

12

This is how many months in a row global average temperatures havehit or exceededa key climate threshold of 1.5C, highlighting the challenge in limiting global warming (Bloomberg).

 

Climate Health Organizing Fellowship 2025

The Center for Health Equity, Education, and Advocacy (CHEEA) at Cambridge Health Alliance Fellowship 2025 is open to applicants. To learn more about the program, go here.
Letter of Interest Deadline: August 9, 2024*
Complete the Letter of Interest Form here.
Application Deadline: September 20, 2024

*Not required for application submission, but recommended to receive feedback from course directors

Reminder: Action Alert

Sign by July 29th

Please consider signing and sharing the Greater Boston PSRopen letterto AstraZeneca asking the company to bring Symbicort Turbuhaler to the U.S. market. Signatures can be submitted through thisformand both individuals and organizations can sign on.  This dry powder form of Symbicort (budesonide-formoterol) is the formulation used in many of the asthma trials, and is readily available in Canada, UK, much of Europe, China, and other Asian countries – but not the U.S. 

 

Sign on Here

   

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

 

Join Us

August 13th: 5:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link

September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link

 

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

 

 

]]> Thu, 18 Jul 2024 19:27:40 GMT Weekly Update - July 11, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502780 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502780

AZ Climate: Who’s hitting the gas in sunny Arizona?

(AZ Republic)

IT'S HARD TO FIND A sunnier spot in America than Arizona's Mohave County. That’s the first seemingly odd point of contradiction in a recently renewed push by rural utility cooperatives to build a gas-fired “peaker” power plant in this haven for solar energy generation. First, the Mohave Electric Cooperative (MEC) and the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) proposed a new plant in Fort Mohave; after a community protest, it was moved to the low-income agricultural community of Mohave Valley, near tribal lands and several schools. Why?  Who benefits? Read the in-depth story that spotlights financial suspicion and overall scrutiny about resistance to adding clean energy sources.Read More, especially if you live in Mohave County. You will want to know all the details and who’s behind these plans.

 

Reminder: Action Alert

 

Sign by July 29th

Please consider signing and sharing the Greater Boston PSRopen letterto AstraZeneca asking the company to bring Symbicort Turbuhaler to the U.S. market. Signatures can be submitted through thisformand both individuals and organizations can sign on.  This dry powder form of Symbicort (budesonide-formoterol) is the formulation used in many of the asthma trials, and is readily available in Canada, UK, much of Europe, China, and other Asian countries – but not the U.S. 

 

Sign on Here

   

What We Are Reading & Listening to this Week

 

Join Us

July 18th: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm enviroVOICES Forum on Extreme Heat at Mountain Health Park Center, Maryvale Clinic. RSVP

August 13th: 5:30 pm: AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup Meeting Zoom Link

September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link

 

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

]]> Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:04:57 GMT Weekly Update - July 5, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502617 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502617

Action Alert

Please consider signing and sharing the Greater Boston PSR open letterto AstraZeneca asking the company to bring Symbicort Turbuhaler to the U.S. market. Signatures can be submitted through this form and both individuals and organizations can sign on. Sign by July 29th.

This dry powder form of Symbicort (budesonide-formoterol) is the formulation used in many of the asthma trials, and is readily available in Canada, UK, much of Europe, China, and other Asian countries – but not the U.S. 

 

As background, the propellants in pressurized metered dose inhalers (MDIs) are potent greenhouse gases that are responsible for roughly 4% of the National Health System's greenhouse gas emissions. In 2020, the greenhouse gas emissions from metered dose inhaler use in the US were the equivalent of driving 500,000 cars for a year. Switching from pressurized MDIs to dry powder inhalers, when appropriate, can significantly reduce these emissions. The specific propellant in Symbicort MDI (HFA 227ea) has 3,350 times the global warming potential over 100 years as compared to that of CO2.  It is critical that patients, in the U.S., have access to low emissions dry powder inhalers like Symbicort Turbuhaler, especially as budesonide-formoterol is an important tool included in global and national asthma management guidelines.

Sign on Here

   

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

 

Join Us

July 9th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup June. Zoom Link

July 11th: 12:00 pm (AZ)  ANHE Policy & Advocacy Forum: The Lead & Copper Rule: Opportunities for Nursing Action Register

September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link

 

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

]]> Wed, 3 Jul 2024 17:35:42 GMT Weekly Update - June 27, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502433 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502433

Action Alert

 

The Lung Association and 30 leading patient, provider, and professional organizations have sent a letter to Congress regarding the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform or SOAR Act (S. 3821/H.R. 7829). 

 

 You Can Help Now:Tell your member of Congress to cosponsor this vital and important piece of legislation.Your actions really do make a difference.

Further reading:Navigating Challenges of OxygenAccessibility.

Climate Rx

Prescription for Climate Action

  • We all want to help protect our patients from climate-related hazards
  • We need to reframe climate change as a health problem, but also an opportunity
  • As a health professional, your voice matters
  • ClimateRx is a tool you can use to engage your patients and colleagues on climate and health
  • Best of all, you don’t need to interrupt your busy schedule or be an expert on climate and health to make a difference

     

    https://www.climaterx.org/

    Care for your health, care for our climate

     

  • As a health professional, join ClimateRx to bring climate action to your everyday work. Get started today!
  • Access ClimateRx information and resources on the impacts of climate change on health and what you can do to care for your health. 
  • Learn how to care for your health through actions you can take at home and with neighbors as well as policy & systemic action.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

 

Join Us

July 2nd: 12:00 pm (AZ) Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) Food & Agriculture Committee Webinar: Plant-forward Diets: Benefits for Health and the Planet Register

July 9th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup June. Zoom Link

July 11th: 12:00 pm (AZ)  ANHE Policy & Advocacy Forum: The Lead& Copper Rule: Opportunities for Nursing Action Register

September 10th: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Annual Virtual Summit Zoom Link

 

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

]]> Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:02:52 GMT Weekly Update - June 20, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502281 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502281

Arizona has some of the nation’s filthiest air,

and it’s making our patients sick

 

Our Opinion Editorial with Dr. Brian Drummond with the Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action was published in the Arizona Republic recently. Take a look.  Based on the recent Lung Association’s annual State of our Air Report, most Arizonans live in a county with at least one failing air quality grade, which hurts us all.

 

NPR’s Deep Dive into Plastics

 

Over the past seven decades, plastic has become embedded in nearly every part of human life.Many scientists say companies make too much plastic now for society to manage sustainably. The U.N. says the problem is further fueled by a "worrying shift" toward single-use plastics, designed to be used once and disposed of. Here'show the plastic industry ingrained the material into our lives— and what activists are trying to do about it. 

➡️Synthetic plastic was patented in the early 1900sand marketed as a sturdy, reusable material. 
➡️In 1956, at an annual conference, trade magazine editor Lloyd Stouffer urged executivesto stop emphasizing plastic's durability and focus instead on making many inexpensive, expendable materials. 
➡️It was hard to convince people to throw away plastic items.Adults in the 1950s lived through the Great Depression and World War II, and they were trained to save, not dispose.
➡️When people became concerned about the amount of plastic litter and waste seen in public,the industry pushed recycling as an environmental solution. However, multiple investigations have shown that plastic industry representatives have long known that recycling would probably never be effective on a large scale.
➡️Activists say lawsuits, like the one New York State Attorney General Letitia James filedagainst PepsiCo for endangering the public with plastic pollution, are one way to hold companies accountable.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

 

 

Join Us

June 6th Recording: "PFAS: Federal Drinking Water Standards & Opportunities for Nursing Action" hosted byANHE's Policy & Advocacy Forum. Here is the recording of the June 6 Webinar.

July 9th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup June. Zoom Link

 

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

]]> Thu, 20 Jun 2024 17:41:44 GMT Weekly Update - June 13, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502112 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=502112

Action Item: Stop Attacks Against

Strong Carbon and Soot Pollution Standards

 

Arizona needs all nurses to help defend our climate and our clean air! We need your help to stop attacks on recently implemented strong carbon and soot pollution standards. We need Congress is defend the new standards set by the EPA, you can ask them to do this by signing on to this letter. When completing the Form, check both carbon and soot boxes and add the AzNA Climate Change and Health Workgroup in the “Other Referral Organization” line.  Act Today and ask your nurse colleagues to sign on too. Thank you!

 

ANA Supports Nurses’ Engagement in Addressing

Climate Change, Climate Justice & Health

 

ANA’s Position Statement on the nurses’ role in addressing global climate change, climate justice, and health was updated and approved last September. It is important to revisit this statement and review the components of this important document created for nurses to remain updated and informed about our role in addressing this major health issue in our communities, country, and world. Worldwide, we have reported 12 unprecedented straight months of heat records. These record-warm temperatures are expected to continue. The ANA’s position statement provides several resources and ways nurses can become more engaged, provide help, and even lead efforts to help mitigate the health impacts of climate change. Nurses can be a source of hope, knowledge, and wisdom. It can feel overwhelming, yet necessary for nurses to jump from the sidelines into the game plan working on climate change in your community or workplace. Some ways for nurses to get involved are listed below. What stands out to you?

 

Nurses can play a role in professional settings including:

  • Learn about climate change and how it impacts health, and then educate patients and colleagues about climate change efforts and mitigation strategies.
  • Support the decarbonization of the health sector by joining your workplace sustainability committee or decarbonization committee. Several small steps build to larger ones to reduce your healthcare system’s footprint.
  • Model and promote strategies to reduce as well as respond to the impacts of climate change.

 

In the community, public policy, and government, nurses can:

  • Advocate for policies and vote for elected officials that advance just and equitable climate responses in the health setting as well as community resources
  • Support and encourage nursing organizations to participate in multidisciplinary efforts to advance climate action.
  • Serve in local governing bodies, on boards, on committees, or in public office to promote climate change and climate justice interventions.
  • Participate in local and national climate change and climate justice discussions to share evidence-based information, enhance knowledge of advocacy efforts, and work to mitigate and adapt to climate change effects in all communities.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

 

 

Join Us

June 18th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Developing Evidence for Climate Change and Health Action: The NIH-wide Climate Change and Health Initiative

June 18th: 3:00 pm – 4:30pm Climate Change & Health: How to Help Patients Webinar

July 9th: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup June. Zoom Link

 

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

]]> Thu, 13 Jun 2024 17:39:29 GMT Weekly Update - June 6, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501931 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501931

Every Last Drop

 

Water is arguably the most precious resource on Earth, essential to all forms of life. And the Colorado River has long been a lifeline for the Southwest. From ancient civilizations to modern times, it has allowed humans to inhabit the harsh Sonoran Desert and surrounding areas.

But now, the river and its largest reservoirs are drying up. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are at alarmingly low levels, and the Southwest is struggling to balance the worst drought in 12 centuries with an ever-expanding population.

As the water levels continue to fall, concern is rising among residents. People are asking what they should be doing, what the government is doing, and whether it’s even viable to continue living in the desert.  Read Articles here.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

 

 

Join Us

NOTE: The AzNA Climate Change & Health Workgroup will not be meeting in June. Join our next meeting on July 9th at 5:30 pm.  Zoom Link.

June 12th: 11 am-12 pm (AZ): Healthy People 2023 Webinar. Air Quality Matters: improving Health and Lung Function

 

 

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

]]> Thu, 6 Jun 2024 17:56:30 GMT Weekly Update - May 29, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501668 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501668  

Life Kit

We have the skills to step in during a health emergency, we know CPR and first aid. More and more, the emergencies we face are linked to our environment and require different tools. Recently we saw a list of ‘life kits’ that were very informative, we are sharing these and hope you pass them on as well.

 

Google Vote

Young artists across the U.S. created Doodles sharing their wishes for the next 25 years. After careful deliberation, finalists in several grade levels were selected. Now your help to choose a National Winner is needed. Check out the gallery of submissions, many of which have a climate and science theme, and cast your vote before June 4, 2024 at 11:59 PST.

 

Be sure to check out the Arizona submission in the 6-7 grade category, described as ‘My wish for the next 25 years is to use renewable energy in place of fossil fuels. The skies are so polluted you can't see the stars. The G represents a smoggy city while the E represents a clean environment. So, join me on a 25-year journey from start to finish, from gray to green.’  Vote Here.

 

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

 

Join Us

June 6th: 10:00 am – 11:30 pm (AZ): Heat Pumps: An Emerging Tool to Support Better Health, Cleaner Air, and More Affordable Energy for All. From The Network for Public Health Law

 

June 6th: 12 pm -1 pm (AZ): PFAS Federal Drinking Water Standards & Opportunities for Nursing Action. From Alliance of Nurses for Health Environments (ANHE). CEs available. Register even if you can’t attend so you can receive the recording.

 

June 12th: 11 am-12 pm (AZ): Healthy People 2023 Webinar. Air Quality Matters: improving Health and Lung Function

 

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

]]> Wed, 29 May 2024 18:38:26 GMT Weekly Update - May 23, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501525 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501525

Climate Resources

Join Us

 

May 29th: 12-1 pm: A Discussion with Dr. Eugene Livar, Arizona's 1st Chief Heat Officer, about the Governor's Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89679461903?pwd=drcLOh0tEXZbqVnbJaNIjWKQdE1EJS.1

Meeting ID: 896 7946 1903
Passcode: 579314

May 31st: 9:30 am – 10:45 am (AZ): Climate Conversations: Community-Driven Relocation From NASEM Climate, a discussion about centering community well-being in planning for climate-induced relocation.

June 12th: 11 am-12 pm (AZ): Healthy People 2023 Webinar. Air Quality Matters: improving Health and Lung Function

 

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

]]> Thu, 23 May 2024 18:19:25 GMT Weekly Update - May 16, 2024 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501219 https://www.aznurse.org/members/blog_view.asp?id=2101367&post=501219

Nurse’s Week

 

During Nurse’s Week LinkedIn hosted a webinar “Nurses’ Roles to Address Climate Change” and it is recorded to watch now.  It is one of the best presentations, by nurses for nurses we’ve seen this year. We recommend you set aside some time to watch this panel of nurses delve into healthcare as an industry that has one of the world’s largest carbon footprints, yet there are steps we can take to decrease our impact on climate change.  Holly Carpenter of the American Nurses Association; Cara Cook, MS, RN, AHN-BC of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments; Teddie Potter, PhD, RN, FAAN of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing; and Elizabeth Schenk of Providence, all of whom have done significant research and work in this area provide nurses with resources and ideas to be part of the climate change solutions.

 

Sign up for the Heat Beat Newsletter

The Heat Beat newsletter informs those concerned about extreme urban heat in their communities. Subscribers will get updates on urban heat mapping campaigns as well as information about upcoming funding opportunities, events, jobs, and current news related to extreme heat. The newsletter is distributed every other week during "heat season," and as needed the rest of the year. Sign up here.

 

What We Are Reading & Listening to This Week

 

 

Join Us

 

May 29th: 12-1 pm: A Discussion with Dr. Eugene Livar, Arizona's 1st Chief Heat Officer, about the Governor's Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89679461903?pwd=drcLOh0tEXZbqVnbJaNIjWKQdE1EJS.1

Meeting ID: 896 7946 1903
Passcode: 579314

June 12th: 11 am-12 pm (AZ): Healthy People 2023 Webinar. Air Quality Matters: improving Health and Lung Function

 

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

]]> Thu, 16 May 2024 16:28:22 GMT