Overview
The Planetary Health Mutual Interest Group (MIG) brings together nurses across Wisconsin to apply a nursing perspective grounded in planetary health to climate, environmental, and energy-related issues that impact the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations.
Aligned with WNA’s commitment to public health, equity, and sustainability, the MIG will focus on educating nurses, elevating nurses’ voices in policy discussions, and supporting meaningful nurse engagement in advocacy.
Purpose
Nurses are trusted professionals who witness firsthand how environmental changes, like air pollution, extreme heat, unsafe water, and rising energy costs, affect patients and communities. This MIG creates a structured space for nurses to share experiences, build collective knowledge, and amplify nursing voices in climate, environmental, and energy policy conversations.
The MIG will center:
- Patient and frontline community experiences
- Population health and health equity
- Emergency preparedness, adaptation, and resilience
- Values-driven advocacy and action to protect public health and promote environmental justice
How this MIG aligns with WNA goals
1) Elevate the Profession of Nursing Throughout Wisconsin
This MIG will elevate nursing by highlighting nurses as credible leaders and advocates in planetary health through education, policy engagement, and collaboration with statewide partners.
2) Advance the Practice of Nursing to Improve Health and Health Care
The MIG will support nurses in integrating planetary health considerations into practice by strengthening understanding of evidence-based links between environmental exposures and health outcomes, paired with upstream policy solutions that reduce preventable illness and strengthen community resilience.
3) Promote and Support the Professional Success of Nurses in Wisconsin
Participation supports professional growth through advocacy, leadership, policy communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration, skills that translate across roles and settings.
Anticipated activities (Year One)
Nurses’ Day at the Capitol: Breakout session
A breakout session focused on data centers and their health and community impacts, including effects on air quality, water resources, energy costs, and local infrastructure with attention to implications for vulnerable communities.
Advocacy training for nurse engagement
Training to help nurses meet with lawmakers and advocate for healthy climate and environmental policy, including message development, storytelling, legislative basics, and respectful engagement across the political spectrum.
Educational webinar(s)
An educational webinar to build nurses’ understanding of climate/environment impacts on health across the lifespan and communities in Wisconsin grounded in real-world nursing experience and supporting informed advocacy and practice.
Collaboration with partner organizations
Collaboration with Healthy Climate Wisconsin and other aligned organizations to ensure nursing perspectives are integrated into statewide efforts, including coalition participation and translating complex issues into health-focused language.
Operational structure
The Planetary Health MIG will use a hub-and-spoke model. The hub (core leadership group) coordinates planning, communication, and alignment with WNA priorities and serves as liaison with WNA leadership and partners. Spoke members participate flexibly based on interest and expertise and may support specific activities (education, advocacy events, social media, partnerships) without long-term commitments.
Get involved
If you’re a WNA member interested in climate, environmental, or energy-related health impacts, we’d love to have you involved, whether you want to participate occasionally or help lead an initiative.
How to join:
WNA members interested in participating in this Mutual Interest Group are invited to complete the Interest to Serve form.
Once submitted, WNA staff will follow up with next steps and opportunities to get involved.
Complete the Interest to Serve form
Steering committee
Eric Ido-Bruce, BSN, RN
Cameron Kiersch, DNP, RN
Pamela Guthman, DNP, RN, APHN-PHN
Paula Pintar, MSN, ACNS-BC, AL-CIP, FAPIC