Don’t wait! Act now! (Supplies are plentiful)

National Public Health Week 2008 plans are well underway!

At the end of January, APHA hosted a planning meeting of public health partners and allies to discuss how everyone can help bring the connections between health and climate change to the forefront of discussions. During the meeting, APHA presented plans for the week and strategized with attendees about ideas for activities and ways to spread the word. With more than 70 people involved in the meeting, it was a great launch to the NPHW campaign.

To keep the momentum going, APHA will convene a virtual summit on March 4 (a great way to reduce the Association’s carbon footprint!). Specifically chosen for their areas of knowledge, invitees range from public health experts, climatologists and environmental scientists, to faith community advocates and representatives from vulnerable populations. We will also be soliciting input from the public, so check back at the blog in coming days. Through the summit, APHA will produce a consensus document highlighting key recommendations for adapting to and lessening the health impacts of climate change. Partners and others committed to addressing climate change will be asked to sign on to the document, which will be officially released during NPHW.

To help local communities get involved and plan their own events, the NPHW toolkit and planning materials will be released on March 1. Check back then to download the toolkit, which will include fact sheets, media outreach materials, suggested community events and much more.

You can also get involved by signing up to be a NPHW partner (there are already more than 100 partners from around the country — a number that grows daily!) and spreading the word about your NPHW events by posting them to our online calendar. You can also link to the NPHW website to help get the word out. And don’t forget to download the “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance” logos and include them in your own newsletters, Web sites and other promotional materials.

We look forward to working with you all to make the connection between climate change and our health!

Have an idea or a suggestion for NPHW? Post your comment below.