Nurses advocate for patients every day—but advocacy doesn't have to stop at the bedside. In this episode of The Environmentalist Nurse Podcast, we're exploring why nurses belong in climate and environmental health policy conversations and how you can get involved—even if you've never considered yourself an advocate. We'll look at recent Climate Health Headlines, break down what advocacy and environmental health policy actually mean, and explore the many ways nurses can use their knowledge, experiences, and trusted voices to help create change. I'll also share lessons from my own advocacy journey and experiences with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE), along with practical ways to start small. And in this episode's Environmentalist Nurse Prescription, we'll walk through six levels of advocacy—from simply learning about an issue to stepping into leadership. You don't have to be a policy expert, testify before Congress, or travel to Washington, D.C. to make a difference. Sometimes advocacy begins with learning, educating others, showing up, and using the voice you already have. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Headline Links OSHA Proposed Heat Protections for Workers. Two Years Later, They're Still Not Final. EPA Announces $11.75 Million to Help Protect Drinking Water from Cyberattacks and Extreme Weather Events _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ANHE Roadshow Links Past Midwest Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin South Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas West Arizona, California, and Nevada Southeast Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee Upcoming Registration Link for All October 7th @ 8-10 PM ET (5-7 PT, 6-8 MT) – Pacific Northwest Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming October 21 @ 7PM ET/4 PT – South West Colorado, Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Utah November 5th @ 5:30 PM CT / 6:30 PM ET – New England Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont November 18th @ 5 PM ET – Mid-Atlantic Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C, and West Virginia December 2nd @ 3 PM ET – Northeast New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Nurses Shift Change _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ANHE Resource Page Includes academic resources, assessment tools, organizations, etc. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ References Cambridge University Press & Assessment. (n.d.). Advocacy. Cambridge Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/advocacy Cambridge Dictionary Byrnes, L. (2026). What is environmental policy? A plain-English guide. Everglades University. https://www.evergladesuniversity.edu/blog/what-is-environmental-policy-a-plain-english-guide/ Everglades University LinkedIn. (n.d.). Environmental health policies. https://www.linkedin.com/top-content/science/science-and-public-health/environmental-health-policies/ Fitchburg State University. (2024). Why nurses should understand health policy: Gain insight with an RN to BS in nursing. https://online.fitchburgstate.edu/degrees/nursing/rn-to-bsn/nurses-understanding-health-policy/ Fitchburg State University Online
