Programs across the federal government are working to increase American health by making physical activity safer and more accessible, but most Americans still fail to get enough physical exercise, which has social and economic consequences.
“If you want your science to have an impact, you should find ways to elevate the visibility of your findings among policymakers.”
Over the last year we’ve devoted considerable effort to understanding wildfire in the context of U.S. federal policy. Here’s what we learned.
Movement, whether through structured exercise or general physical activity in everyday life, has a major impact on the health of individuals and as a result, on the health of societies.
Enhancing recovery rates among individuals grappling with mental health and substance use issues requires a multi-pronged approach.
As the wildfire season has grown longer in the West, smoke events now sometimes stretch for weeks and across the continent. What is the federal government doing about wildland fire smoke, and who’s doing it?
Extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer of Americans, yet receives minimal targeted federal support and dedicated funding for planning, mitigation, and recovery.
One-third of U.S. anthropogenic methane emissions come from cattle and other ruminants, and addressing these emissions could lead to a 3% decrease in the U.S. greenhouse gas footprint.
Housing costs have ballooned, far outpacing the broader cost of living in the U.S. Addressing the housing crisis is a bipartisan issue.
Comprehensive food labeling regulation reform can help consumers avoid deceptive marketing and allow farmers and grocers to compete fairly.
Our current models cannot predict this extreme fire behavior—nor can they reproduce recent catastrophic wildfires, making them likely to fail at predicting future wildfires or determining when it is safe to light prescribed fires.
Data infrastructure critical for identifying and minimizing smoke-related hazards is largely absent from our wildland fire management toolbox despite its life-saving potential.