I had the privilege of attending the 13th annual Net Zero Conference recently. Hosted by Verdical Group, a sustainability consulting firm dedicated to building an equitable net zero future, the conference brings together innovators, leaders, creators, and changemakers who are working to advance solutions for the health of our planet across multiple industries. By creating space for a variety of industries, conversations, and cross-pollination on everything from the built environment to public health, The Net Zero Conference highlights the diversity in approaches needed to build a more sustainable future. 

Often, when attending so many conferences and climate weeks, the messages can start to feel a bit redundant. We hear about the urgency, read about how to live a more sustainable life, and listen to the emphasis placed on collective action. While these conversations and panels are all necessary, I’ve found myself interested in topics that may not receive as much attention or are not talked about enough. The Net Zero Conference did a wonderful job of platforming topics and perspectives that don’t always receive as much attention…and two panels in particular captured my attention: Net Zero Without Health Equity is Not Net Zero and Influencing For Good: Using Your Social Platform to Inspire Change. Though health equity and social media may seem like entirely different topics, both conversations emphasized the importance of putting people and purpose at the center of solutions and action. For me, together, both panels shifted the conversation beyond emissions targets and graphs to consider impact, accessibility, and equity…and overall what meaningful action can look like in practice.

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Net Zero Without Health Equity is Not Net Zero

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“Look around today, how many health professionals have you met here? How many health booths or exhibits have you seen? How many other sessions have talked about the intersections of sustainability and health?” - Diamond Spratling (Girl Plus Environment, Founder)

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Girl Plus Environment founder, Diamond Spratling, and Program Director, Dr. Ashley Carmenia, discussed the connection between public health, equity, and climate in their panel titled Net Zero Without Health Equity is Not Net Zero. With backgrounds in public health, Diamond and Dr. Carmenia’s conversation highlighted an aspect of sustainability that often goes overlooked or is underrepresented in larger conversations: the relationship between the environments we create and the health of the individuals and communities who are living in them. 

When we talk about sustainability and creating a healthier planet, the conversation usually centers on protecting wildlife and nature (which is super important)…however what I found most engaging about this panel is that it challenged me to consider what a more sustainable future could look like from a personal and public health perspective. With the multiple heatwaves that plagued our summer months, I think we can all understand the importance of access to cooling and affordable energy to be able to cool down your home. Diamond emphasized how extreme heat and air quality are not only environmental concerns, but also public health issues as well. The panel really made me think about how the climate solutions we have heard about and advocate for (or even the lack of solutions) directly affect the long term health and quality of people's daily lives. Diamond and Dr. Carmenia offered such an interesting perspective on the intersection of climate and public health, and I’m glad that the Net Zero Conference created space for them to be able to speak on such an important issue in the climate conversation. 

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