WE ARE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH


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Our Focus Areas

Community Health

Communities are facing increased risk of illness, disease, and even death from our changing climate. We urge for state leaders to take action to protect the health of our communities from climate change.

Health Justice

Lower income communities and communities of color are disproportionately exposed to the impacts of climate change, leading to higher risk of health consequences. We advocate for bold policies and efforts to protect our front-line communities.

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Awareness

A survey conducted by Yale showed that most Americans have not considered how global warming might affect people’s health. Our network of health professionals work to educate our decision makers and the public that climate change is a public health crisis.

HAWC Update - Greetings from our new ED Alex Boian

By HAWC Colorado • March 3, 2025
Hello HAWC Advocates and Friends! As I begin my third week as the new executive director of Healthy Air and Water Colorado, I wanted to send this brief note to introduce myself and express my gratitude to all of you in HAWC’s network of climate advocates and health professionals. My first few days have been filled with listening, learning, and getting to know many of you, your interests, and the incredible work you do to address climate change in order to protect public health. I join HAWC after more than 20 years in federal and state public policy working on natural resource issues, land use, sustainability, and in collaboration with local communities to ensure equitable access to clean and healthy air and water in Colorado, and across the country. Throughout my work, one thing has always been true, and that is the tremendous power of passionate individuals who come together, a coalition united by a common cause seeking real and lasting change. The HAWC network and our partners in climate advocacy are the coalition that is needed now more than ever to take action and advocate for policies that address the health impacts of worsening air quality, extreme temperatures, and threats to water availability and quality. I am thankful to each of you for the work you do every day at the crossroads of public health and climate policy, and for the time, energy, and enthusiasm you contribute. We are planning some in-person events and advocacy trainings so we have an opportunity to connect with you all and energize our work going forward. Stay tuned for more. I look forward to joining you in the work ahead! With gratitude, Alex Boian Executive Director Healthy Air and Water Colorado

Press Release: Colorado Takes Important Step in Cutting Methane Pollution, But More Action is Needed

By HAWC Colorado • February 26, 2025
Colorado air quality leaders vote in favor of cutting oil & gas emissions

The Harrowing Health Impacts of Transportation Pollution

By Megan Kemp - HAWC Advocacy Manager • November 17, 2022
Health professionals across Colorado see it daily: our poor air quality is having debilitating and sometimes deadly impacts on our communities. While they understand it in the aggregate, they are experiencing it one patient at a time. Kids with higher rates of asthma. Adults who are forced to stay indoors during the summer heat or wildfire season because underlying conditions make it impossible for them to breathe. People who can no longer effectively manage their diabetes due to rising temperatures. More babies born prematurely or at low birth weights. The reality is that the impacts of climate change aren’t just showing up in large scale changes in the frequency and severity of storms and the creeping changes to our seasonal weather patterns, the impacts of climate change are literally written on our bodies. For historically red-lined communities that have ended up along neighborhood destroying highways, these impacts increase exponentially. A major driver of this climate change and the concentric circles of public health distress is transportation, the cars we drive and the trucks that transport our goods and services. If we can bend the curve on transportation, we can make a significant difference in the quality of our air and the ground level ozone that debilitates so many and adds to the real challenges to our public health. Pollution from transportation typically comes in two forms and impacts public health in different ways. Particulate pollution from vehicle tailpipes can result in premature death in people with heart or lung disease, heart attacks and irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma and other respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing. These challenges can be particularly pronounced in the very young and the very old.
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