Health Archives - State of the Planet

Earth Day 2021: What We Can Learn From the Past Year

A look back at the past year and lessons from the pandemic that might help in solving climate change.

by |April 7, 2021
scientist installing a sensor near a fence

First Air Quality Profile of Two Sub-Saharan African Cities Finds Troubling News

A new study finds that that even when air pollution in Kinshasa and Brazzaville is at its lowest, it’s still four times higher than World Health Organization guidelines.

by |April 6, 2021

In a Lamentable Year, Finland Again is the Happiest Country in the World

The 2021 World Happiness Report marks a somber moment as COVID-19 continues to rage on a little more than a year since it was declared a pandemic by the WHO.

by |March 19, 2021
healthcare worker puts vaccine into a woman's arm

COVID Vaccine Distribution Nears a Turning Point, but Equity Issues Remain

As production ramps up, experts hope the vaccine will reach areas that are underprivileged and often hardest-hit.

by |March 17, 2021
blue plastic glove in a puddle on the sidewalk

Please Stop Littering Your COVID Masks and Gloves

It’s infuriating to encounter discarded gloves and masks in public. People need better guidance on how to dispose of them, and more recycling options. 

by Anne Davis |March 11, 2021

Belinda Archibong: Estimating the Health and Economic Costs of Gas Flaring

In one of her projects, the environmental economist will quantify how air pollution from gas flaring affects human health and cognitive development in children.

by |March 8, 2021

Looking Back and Looking Ahead After a Year of Pandemic

Our human need for social interaction will influence our calculus and my hope is that when normal life resumes, we never again take it for granted.

by |March 8, 2021
baby with oxygen tube

Study Calls for Home Battery Storage to Protect Vulnerable During Outages

Battery storage can help protect medically vulnerable households as extreme weather makes power outages more commonplace.

by |February 25, 2021
women in hats and masks distributing supplies

In Virtual Exchange, Women Organizers Share Challenges and Successes From COVID Frontlines

Throughout the spring, grassroots women peacebuilders will meet online to discuss how they’re helping to build resilience in their communities.

by |February 16, 2021
two women researchers pouring water into containers

At the Intersection of Hudson River Microbiology and Environmental Justice With Elise Myers

She’s trying predict fecal bacteria contamination of the river, and researching how environmental degradation disproportionately harms disadvantaged communities.

by |February 11, 2021