Nursing group pushes for clean power

As a prominent environmental advocate in a past career, Kelli Avanzino was perfectly positioned to be one of Montana’s representatives at a recent Health Environments summit in Washington, D.C.

But sometimes life gets in the way.

Storms around the country prevented the North Valley Hospital employee from traveling to the Capitol to advise legislators, but she was able to offer input and get a summary of the summit and its topics.

“We are seeing hotter, drier weather than ever before. We are seeing record highs in June,” she said. “We are even seeing our hiking season cut short, the air quality is so bad.”

The event, which was scheduled to have 35 health-care providers from 10 states, was conducted by the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. The group operates under the belief that public health and environmental health are inexorably linked.

The nurses involved urged legislators to take action on climate change through initiatives such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan.

Another Montana nurse, Beth Schenk of Missoula, was at the summit.

Avanzino used to be co-chairwoman of a group called Health Care Without Harm, which seeks to lessen the impact of health care on the environment.

“Health care has a major influence on the environment,” she said. “When the environment is involved, the best way to impact it is through policy.”

The Montana delegation met with Montana Sen. Jon Tester’s office. Coal was a common topic at the summit — finding a way to preserve jobs but also preserve Montana’s landscape and air quality.

Air quality is one of the things that Avanzino said drove her into environmental advocacy.

In 2014, Flathead County dropped from an “A” air quality rating by the American Lung Association to a “C.” What could develop into a strong fire season this summer could drop it even further.

According to the group of nurses, carbon pollution has become a public health concern.

“We’re seeing more asthma and respiratory disease,” Avanzino said. “So we are pushing to reduce CO2 by 30 percent around the country.”

The Clean Power Plan backed by the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments would place restrictions on coal-fired power plants. Avanzino said, as far as health goes, it was an easy choice.

“The newest figures show that for every $1 spent on the CPP, there will be $7 in saved health-care costs,” she said. “We need to look into renewable energies for our own health.”

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.