Protect Our Health! Climate Action Party

The impacts of climate change are intensifying, with corresponding impacts on our health. From stronger and more frequent natural disasters to more deadly extreme heat days, it’s never been more crucial to take tangible steps to protect human health.

Some cities, states, and businesses have already made valuable efforts to safeguard health in the face of worsening climate impacts; however, this critical work is only beginning.

In this Climate Action Party, we’ll learn directly from health and climate experts, including Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, a practicing pediatrician and CEO of Ahimsa; Dr. Rebecca Morgenstern Brenner of the Cornell School of Public Policy; and Autumn Burton, Senior Associate of Climate, Health, and Environment at Federation of American Scientists.

While we learn from our health experts, you’ll also be invited to take action in support of a healthy future with the free Climate Action Now app. The actions you'll be invited to take were created specifically for this event by four incredible Cornell students. Thank you, Andrew, Gabriella, Annika, and Camilla!

About Our Expert Speakers

Dr. Manasa Mantravadi is a practicing pediatrician, founder of Ahimsa, and national leader in food-based public health. Named to Forbes Next 1000 and Inc. Female Founders 200, she was the keynote speaker at Good Housekeeping's Raise the Green Bar Summit and serves on the AAP’s Councils on Environmental Health and School Health. Dr. Mantravadi writes regularly on nutrition, prevention, and pediatric health innovation.

Dr. Rebecca Morgenstern Brenner, MPA, is a professor in the School of Public Policy at Cornell University. She also serves as a Cornell Atkinson Sustainable Future Senior Faculty Fellow, Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies Faculty Associate, and a Faculty Fellow in the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement. Dr. Brenner is a co-lead for the FEMA Higher Education Experiential Learning and Leadership Special Interest Group. Her current research and practice include managed retreat and equity, environmental justice, bridging policy with science, and building disaster resilience with vulnerable communities.

Autumn Burton is a Senior Associate at the Federation of American Scientists, where she works on in federal policy innovation, especially as it relates to climate resilience, health equity, and environmental policy. Autumn supports FAS’ collaborative efforts with policymakers across the federal government to develop and support policies that address environmental injustices, prepare communities for natural hazards, and ensure the health and wellness of American citizens during climate events. Based in Washington DC, she graduate of Duke University with a bachelor's in Environmental Sciences and Public Policy.

About Our Moderator

Dr. Marianne Krasny, Ph.D., is a professor in Natural Resources and the Environment at Cornell University where she directs the Cornell Civic Ecology Lab. Dr. Krasny is the Director of Food Policy for Climate Action Now, and is a regular Forbes contributor writing about sustainability. Her most recent book, In This Together: Connecting with Your Community to Combat the Climate Crisis, distills the research on how to scale up individual climate action—such as plant-rich diet, reducing food waste, donating to climate organizations, or advocating for climate policies—through social networks and activism.

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About Our Climate Action Parties

An Action Party is an online event that packs valuable information and concrete action into a 60-minute venue.

Each Action Party has an environment-related topic and features guests who are experts in that topic. We begin with a 10 minute presentation, followed by a panel discussion. Participants are invited to share questions for the panelists. Throughout the event, optional action-taking with the Climate Action Now app is available. The actions have been prepared in advance to help participants take the most impactful action in the shortest period of time. The party's moderator sets a goal for the number of actions to be taken and shows participants their progress towards that goal in real time with an online, automated goal tracker.

Action Parties are free and open to all who seek a more just and sustainable world, but we welcome donations to help us continue our mission of creating a just and liveable planet for all.

How to Get the Climate Action Now App

If you want to participate in the action-taking segment, you can get the free Climate Action Now app by scanning the QR code below with your phone's camera, or by searching for "Climate Action Now" in your app store and downloading it to your phone. The app is currently available to users in the United States only.