This is National Public Health Week, and this year’s theme is Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance. 

“To help guide the work of the public health community, APHA has released a blueprint for combating the health impacts of climate change. The blueprint, which represents the culmination of a process involving some of the nation’s leading public health and climate change experts, provides specific recommendations for where the public health community should begin as it works to address this important issue.

Each day this week, NPHW participants are encouraged to take the Healthy Climate Pledge and adopt that day’s key behavior as a small change that can have a large impact on climate change if enough people make it a habit. Start making changes in your life by signing on to the pledge today!”

Monday’s tip was Be Prepared.  Check out this map of the U.S. and get familiar with the issues affecting your area.   Make a “Climate Kit” for your family to help you deal with climate change related emergencies.  Ready America has a great list of items to include in a basic preparedness kit, and then you can add anything necessary to your region.

Today’s tip is Travel Differently.

“Traveling differently is one of the many behaviors you can adopt that are not only good for the planet, but are also good for your health. Using your body to get around instead of your car means more physical activity and less greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.”

Check out ideas on how to change your means of travel here.

And don’t forget to take the Healthy Climate Pledge.   I’ll be going through their tips day by day for the rest of the week.  I think it’s great that the public health community is taking a stand on climate change, and I hope we can all help them get the word out.

Thanks, Brenda!