Policy
Courses tagged with "Policy"
We hear from Liz Scott, Senior Director of Nationwide Advocacy, Clean Air at the American Lung Association, who speaks to how progress towards zero-emission transportation, including electric vehicles, is being threatened by federal actions, what the different regulatory mechanisms are (greenhouse gas standards, CAFE standards, tailpipe emissions standards) and why it’s important the community continue to advocate for a healthier transportation future.
This session explores the development and implementation of a three-part, interactive, case-based learning activity designed to integrate the Political Determinants of Health (PdoH), Planetary Health (PH), and Climate Justice (CJ) through the lens of the exposome model and local context. Developed at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, this initiative served as a scaffold for future coursework and deeper integration of planetary health and climate justice across the curriculum.
PFAS are commonly known as ‘forever chemicals’ due to their extreme persistence in the environment and human body. PFAS cross the placental barrier, accumulate in the growing fetus, are excreted in breast milk, and have been linked with a wide range of health effects including high cholesterol, several cancers, infertility, and low birth weight. This webinar discusses the scope of PFAS exposure in Michigan as well as resources for the clinician, including ANHE’s PFAS Toolkit, as well as advocacy opportunities.
This presentation discusses the information provided in ITRC Coordinator Bob Doppelt’s new book Preventing and Healing Climate Traumas: A Guide to Building Resilience and Hope in Communities (Routledge Publishing). It describes the urgent need, methods, and multiple benefits of using a public health approach in communities to build population mental wellness and resilience for the climate emergency. During the presentation, Doppelt also describes how the “Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023” that has been introduced in Congress would fund and support these community initiatives.
Climate change is impacting the health of our communities. From increasing temperature, to more extreme weather events, to rişing sea levels, health impacts are being felt globally. Nurses, as the most trusted professionals, are in a unique position to advocate for climate health.
In this webinar, Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, Barb Sattler, RN, DrPH, FAAN explores how nurses are on the frontlines of multiple, intersecting threats to health—from climate change, racism, and gun violence to addiction, food insecurity, isolation, attacks on immigrants, LGBTQ+ rights, and reproductive health.
Toxic chemicals in plastics have been linked to cancers, damage to the immune and reproductive systems, impaired intellectual functions, developmental delays, and other serious health conditions. With more than 4,200 of these chemicals being identified as substances of concern, plastic additives and substances in food packaging and the capacity of chemical additives to migrate into food and drinks is a growing concern. This webinar will also discuss opportunities for nursing action at the federal level and, if applicable, the state level.
Plastic pollution harms the climate, wildlife, ecosystems, and human health. It is estimated that of the 14 000 tons of waste generated daily in US health care facilities, about 20% to 25% is plastic. Yet, the majority of plastics, including those used in health care, are not recycled and have created a plastics crisis for our environment. This webinar will provide an overview of the health harms from plastics and how plastic is a hazard at every stage of its life cycle - beginning with extraction of the coal, oil and gas from which nearly all plastics are made, production and use, and to the disposal of plastic waste. Speakers will also discuss how medically unnecessary plastics in the healthcare sector are contributing to the plastics crisis.
This presentation describes the work of "Keep Antibiotics Working," a national coalition that works to ensure that untreatable super bugs resulting from overuse of antibiotics on farms do not reverse the medical advances of the past century. Presenters teach about the issue of resistant super bugs, use of antibiotics on farms, and describe past and future policy work.
This webinar presents information on noise as a public health hazard. It describes sources of noise, the physiological mechanisms it activates in the body, and its contributions to numerous diseases, health problems, and learning disorders. We summarize the results of numerous studies in the US and around the world documenting these effects of noise. We also discuss noise exposure as an environmental justice issue; low income and minority populations are disproportionately affected by noise due to road, train, and air traffic, as well as nearby industrial areas, predisposing them to poorer health and learning outcomes. The webinar concludes with a discussion of actions to be taken to reduce noise exposures, in order to prevent disease and promote health.
Concerns are rising among Indigenous Peoples, frontline communities, scientists, and other representatives of civil society about the involvement of the fossil fuel and chemical industries, whose interests are in direct conflict with Global Plastic Treaty treaty objectives. In Alaska and the circumpolar Arctic, the combined effects of destructive extraction of fossil fuels, releases of oil and toxic chemicals associated with exploration and production of fossil fuels, and climate change are harming the health and well-being of communities. This webinar discusses the Global Plastic Treaty and how groups like Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) are participating in these negotiations. This webinar also discusses opportunities for nursing action where nurses can work strategically at the local, state and federal level.
Pennsylvania stands at a crossroads when it comes to jobs, health, and climate. The IRA has brought historic investments in clean energy and climate resilience - creating opportunities for healthier communities and stronger local economies. However, H.R. 1, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” now threatens to rollback these gains by reducing or eliminating the clean energy tax credits that families and businesses count on to lower costs, create jobs, and improve health. This educational event unpacks what the IRA means for Pennsylvania’s communities, highlight the risks posed by H. R. 1, and explores how state level action can help protect and maintain clean energy progress. Attendees will leave with knowledge and tools to understand what’s at stake, how federal and state policies shape our future, and how Pennsylvanians can take action to advance climate and health opportunities across the Commonwealth.
This webinar discusses the importance of pesticide elimination and advancement of organic agriculture and land management for public health and human health. Max Sano will provide updates on the latest developments Beyond Pesticides has tracked in terms of Appropriations and Farm Bill developments, including attempts from chemical corporations to strip a legal right and protections away from cancer victims and permit them to hide behind weak product labels based on previous human health risk assessments and carcinogenicity classifications (a.k.a. failure-to-warn and pesticide preemption).
Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, otherwise known as “DEHP,” is a chemical that makes plastics more flexible. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is also a known endocrine-disrupting compound for which there is no safe level of exposure. Despite decades of research demonstrating that exposure to phthalates, such as DEHP, can increase cancer risk, reproductive and developmental risks, and other endocrine abnormalities, DEHP remains in IV bags and tubing and is still legal in 49 states. This webinar covers successful state legislation in California and current efforts in North Carolina to ban DEHP in IV tubing and bags.
he Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments gathered on June 4, 2025, at the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta, GA, for a half-day, in-person symposium for health professionals exploring how historic investments in clean energy and climate action are already creating healthier, more sustainable communities—right here in Georgia.
Investments in clean energy, climate resilience, and pollution reduction are directly improving air quality, expanding access to zero-emission transportation, and strengthening public health. At this symposium, expert speakers highlighted how these initiatives are already making an impact in local Georgia communities and shared real-world case studies and success stories. Attendees gained valuable insights into how nurses and health professionals can support and amplify this progress at the state and community level.
Designed to empower and inspire, this event provides the knowledge, tools, and connections needed to lead in advancing health-centered climate solutions and shaping a more equitable, sustainable future for all.
ANHE and speaker, Gretchen Salter discuss per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or “forever chemicals” and policy implications for nurses. This webinar will underscore the importance of state level action, the need for a science based PFAS definition and the need to regulate the nearly 12,000 PFAS chemicals as a class. Participants will leave the webinar understanding the need for ongoing clinician education and advocacy regarding PFAS policy along with the need to adopt upstream measures to address the ongoing PFAS crisis. This webinar will feature Gretchen Salter, the Policy Director for Safer States.
While heavy duty vehicles contribute to air pollution, less attention is often given to the ports where these vehicles originate. Join ANHE for a discussion about ports, emissions and health outcomes, especially as they relate to the potential policies and actions of the new administration.
Join speaker Regina Hsu, Senior Attorney in Earthjustice’s California Regional Office, where she works on the Right to Zero campaign. Regina primarily works to accelerate transportation electrification in California and nationwide. Much of her work centers on electrifying the goods movement industry and reducing pollution at the San Pedro Bay Ports, the largest port complex in the United States and single largest stationary source of pollution in the Los Angeles region.
Electric vehicles (EV) drastically reduce tailpipe pollution. While transitioning to a zero emissions transportation system is critical to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, the extraction and mining process to obtain the critical minerals needed for EVs creates concerns relating to environmental health impacts for communities near these extraction sites. As demand for critical minerals is growing, it is important for nurses to be aware of the potential for health impacts and what can be done to reduce harm. In this presentation, Jordan Brinn from the Natural Resources Defense Council provides a general overview of the relationship between electric vehicles and the reliance on mining of these minerals. Jordan also discusses how we can improve the mining process and reduce the need for mining, as well as the potential actions nurses can take to ensure health is protected in the transition to a zero emissions future.
Historic investments made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), present an opportunity to make lasting, positive health outcomes for all Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act offers incentives for businesses, school districts, governments, and health systems to transition to zero-emission vehicles and renewable energy. This webinar will provide examples of programs implemented through IRA funding, specifically relating to electric school buses and clean energy programs in health systems.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) together represent the largest investment in climate resilience in the nation's history and are providing much-needed resources to communities across the country. The IRA alone delivers nearly $400 billion in federal investments to rapidly accelerate the transition toward zero-emission vehicles, reduce climate pollution and carbon emissions, improve air quality, and strengthen communities. These historic investments present an opportunity to make lasting, positive health outcomes for all Americans. This webinar provides an overview of how climate investments improve health outcomes, examples of local benefits to communities, and opportunities for nurses to promote implementation at a state and local level.