Environmental Health

Vision

All Washingtonians will thrive in a broad range of healthy environments — natural, built, and social.

Commitment

We will lead broad efforts that address external factors impacting health, safety, and well-being, recognize the intersection of people, animals, and environment, and incorporate principles of environmental justice and shared responsibility for community health.

Key Strategies

  1. Support systems and policies that promote optimal individual and community health by investing in proactive efforts to advance a broad range of healthy environments and interactions where people live, learn, work, worship, and play.
  2. Ensure our policies, planning, and programming incorporate environmental justice principles with the goal of reducing health inequities and promoting community well-being.
  3. Incorporate data-driven approaches and community engagement strategies, assets and strengths, into public health and response planning efforts aimed at building resilience against the health and social impacts of climate change and other environmental challenges.
  4. Ensure communities likely to bear the worst climate-related and environmental health impacts have resources and support to foster resilient communities that promote true health and well-being.
  5. Support initiatives that promote safe and active living, commuting and recreation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase community cohesion.
  6. Communicate and promote the health benefits of behavior change and interventions that protect our environment, while ensuring equitable access to health opportunities through robust data systems and information sharing.