It’s much easier to understand and tackle problems we can see. Often a very real health threat from some environmental condition is not getting the attention it deserves because it’s hard to see. But people are finding many creative ways to make environmental health hazards more visible, as a step towards making conditions healthier.
New data shows Boston hospitals have cut their energy use by six percent over the last three years, despite continued facility growth. These reductions have not only saved the hospitals $12 million—they have helped put Boston on track to achieving its ambitious climate goals.
Interested in what the federal government spends on environmental health? Read on to explore relevant line items in President Obama's recent 2016 budget request.
You may have heard post-election predictions that trade agreements are one of the only topics on which the President and the Republicans think they can find common ground. In fact, the proposed trade deals are about a lot more than “trade,” and they would be a disaster for public health and the environment. In this blog post, Shorey Myers of the Jenifer Altman Foundation summarizes the major concerns about these trade deals and what can be done about them.
“We have faith in a different vision of 2029, because we have witnessed our own power to change the future.” These encouraging words from Michele Prichard of the Liberty Hill Foundation opened and framed HEFN’s 2014 annual meeting, Fifteen Forward: Strategies for a Healthy Future, which was held on October 27-28 in Los Angeles, California. In this blog post, HEFN Director Kathy Sessions reflects on the takeaways from the lively two-day meeting, which used a problem-solving lens to explore visions, tools and strategies for shaping healthier realities by 2029.
A just-published Yale University study finding that people who live near natural gas wells suffer from higher rates of respiratory and skin ailments than people who live farther away has come under fire from pro-drilling industry associations. The Yale-led study, conducted in southwestern Pennsylvania with funding from The Heinz Endowments, was clear in its scope and limitations. It sought to determine whether living in close proximity to a gas well correlates with health effects of any kind.
Recently Amy Solomon stepped away from her program officer position at the Bullitt Foundation. In this blog post, Amy answers questions she'd been asked – or had asked herself – and she shares her reflections on her twelve years at the Foundation, on philanthropy and on moving to the next chapter in her professional life.
When Groundswell Fund entered the treacherous waters of capacity building around Integrated Voter Engagement (IVE) three years ago, they did so acutely aware of the pitfalls it would entail. But even that didn’t prevent missteps and many “teachable moments.” After an 18-month pilot, and the launching of a full 24-month program with 10 groups in early 2014, Vanessa Daniel of Groundswell Fund shares their top 10 lessons learned in this blog post.
As HEFN has bid farewell to HEFN Communications Associate Lauren Linville, who ably managed HEFN's blog, social media and programming, HEFN will downshift its posting on GivingInsight, from every week to once a month--on the first Monday of the month--plus occasional bonus posts.
In this guest post, Vanessa Daniel of the Groundswell Fund challenges funders to see the crisis in West Virginia as an opportunity to strengthen philanthropy and the state's grassroots power.
