Advocacy and Engagement
We can all take action in our communities to help prepare for climate change impacts and reduce the pollution that causes it. These actions, in turn, can protect our health and provide us with a greater sense of security and self-efficacy. Ideas to get started today are below.
Advocacy on Climate and Health
We all care about our health and the health of our families. Knowing that taking action on climate can help to protect our health is a powerful way to engage others to advocate for climate solutions. Advocacy can take many forms, start with where you're comfortable and continue to amplify your impact by bringing more people into the movement for climate solutions.
Start with people closest to you: your family, neighbors, community, and workplace.
-
Talk about climate solutions and their health benefits. Use our tools and communication guides to help!
-
Learn about existing projects, whether it is tree-planting or emergency preparation, and help to strengthen them.
-
Share the information from ClimateRx and build a team to work on shared projects together.
Educate and engage appointed and elected officials on the need for systemic climate action.
-
Look for local opportunities to increase sustainability and resilience.
-
Ask your local officials to commit to climate action and report regularly to the community. This could be more charging stations, better bike/bus infrastructure, or reduced reliance on fossil fuel energy.
-
Advocate for state and national solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in restoration and resilience for communities at risk.
You don't have to be a policy expert to take action on climate change and health. The Climate for Health Moving Forward Guide helps to lay-out steps for meaningful systemic climate action. There are actions you can take right away that will make a difference.
Talking with policy-makers can seem intimidating, but remember five key steps to make your engagement as productive as possible:
-
Start with people: center your message about your audience's concerns and values, as well as the values and concerns that you share with them.
-
Make it real: focus on local realities and tangible issues. Tell a story about how you or someone you know has experienced climate change's impacts on health.
-
Focus on solutions and personal benefits: climate solutions reduce people's exposure to poor air quality, save money, and create new good jobs. Climate action is not about sacrifice.
-
Inspire and empower: Emphasize that we can make a difference. Most Americans are concerned about climate change but might feel helpless or overwhelmed. Ditch the doom & gloom.
-
End with your ask: Encourage your audience to take act on climate with steps they can take that are meaningful, accessible, and relevant.
Read this two-page guide on engaging with policy-makers for more practical tips.
Get Trained as a Climate Ambassador
Ready to take conversations, action and advocacy for healthy climate solutions up to the next level? You have several four-hour training options offered by ecoAmerica, which you can do online and on your own time. Whether you want to take the training that focuses on engaging in your local community, connecting with your faith community, or as a health professional, you will strengthen your knowledge about climate change, working for climate solutions, and how to speak and advocate on the issue with confidence and success. The training is FREE and comes with presentation resources and an invitation to join a community of practice and collaboration.