implemented. If the plan did not work, the team goes back through the PDCA process again (NACCHO, 2024). By including the entire team in this pro- cess, you encourage creative thinking by fostering a sense of belonging. As everyone’s input is considered and valued, your team members will feel that they are part of the team and not just on a team. For larger issues where a local ordinance or a state law is needed, the same process can be used, but with di erent people at the table. You will need to have partners there that will be impacted by the new regulations to get their input and buy in. Depending on the topic, you could need additional subject matter experts from academia or the medical profession to participate. To show that the proposed solution will work, a voluntary pro- gram could be done for a few months or for as much time is needed to collect sucient data to show elected ocials why this pro- posed solution needs to be adopted. Overcoming Barriers and Implementing Innovative Solutions Public health, and in particular environmen- tal health, has been under resourced seem- ingly since its inception (Kelly & Anderson 2012). Resource scarcity paired with an ever- changing landscape of challenges highlight the necessity for implementing innovative solutions. In particular, three areas come to mind that environmental health profes- sionals should strive to add to their tool kit when attempting to maximize eciencies and address some of the emerging threats to healthy communities: 1.Embracing emerging technologies 2.Eco-friendly solutions and practices 3.Strategies for broader adoption and implementation The evolution of technology has been faster in the past decade than any other period of time in human history (Roser, 2023). Many of these tools can be leveraged to improve risk assessment, improve data driven decision- making, and analyze complex issues with improved clarity and narrower margins of error. In particular, environmental health pro- fessionals should begin to familiarize them- selves with and consider incorporating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive modeling. These two promising technology solutions can analyze large data sets in new
ways, often bringing to light novel methods for addressing chronic public health issues. Another area that has benefited the prac- tice but should be more widely incorporated is implementing eco-friendly solutions and practices. The integration of green infrastruc- ture, water conservation, alternative energy sources, climate protection, and environmen- tal conservation into planning e orts (not just retrofitting or remediation) has proven an e ective strategy for reducing resource use and improving sustainability. If you have not already ventured into these areas, familiariz- ing yourself with the benefits and tools avail- able is a great starting point. Since 1970, legislation has evolved under the National Environmental Policy Act (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024). Much progress has been made in building with green materials and conservation e orts in mind. Sustainable, low energy, or net zero construction is now also possible due to technology, new materials, project citing planning, and advances in the built environ- ment such as renewable energy incorpora- tion, water use reduction, or reclamation and other advances. Finally, environmental health professionals should consider using strategies for broader adoption and implementation of public and private programming. As the old saying goes, “It takes a village.” Using focus groups, case studies, pilot groups, and outreach cam- paigns, as well as building partnerships and coalitions, have all proven to be practices that increase buy-in, decrease resistance, and overall contribute to equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging or ownership that can pay in dividends toward the overall success of public health programs (Grieger & Cum- mings 2022; Wang et al., 2021). A quote often attributed to Albert Einstein is: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting di erent results.” Many times in our work as environmental health professionals we fall into the pattern of doing the same actions or activities many times over, either because we hope the results will be di erent (improved) or someone told us doing these actions or activities will give you the results you hope to achieve. An example we like to use from one of our authors is restaurant inspections. As a junior environmental health professional, they were told that scores would improve over time if
you did inspections in a certain way, which would improve how the restaurant operates in terms of food safety practices. Indeed, sometimes the scores would improve during the next inspection. In many cases, the res- taurant would slip back to a lower score and the restaurants were not improving their food safety handling. The environmental health professional had to change how they operated. They consulted with others who worked in food safety (e.g., subject matter experts in industry, academia, regulatory, behavioral scientists, epidemiolo- gists). The environmental health professional formed partnerships with many individuals and associations to improve their actions and activities to work with restaurants to improve their food safety operations and reduce food- borne illness. In addition and with the help of others, the environmental health profes- sional realized the rules, regulations, and pol- icies were not keeping pace with the science of food safety. Therefore, there was a need to work with local and state legislators to change some food safety regulations to match the recent science of food safety. This pro- cess was not always easy but was necessary to improve food safety and therefore reduce foodborne illness. Conclusion Fostering a culture of creativity and innova- tion is vital for tackling the complex chal- lenges we face in environmental health. When team members feel empowered to share their ideas and solutions, we not only boost their confidence and sense of ownership but also create a collaborative environment that values diverse perspectives. By integrating quality improvement processes, leveraging emerging technologies, and adopting eco- friendly practices, we can approach problems with fresh insight and develop e ective strat- egies that resonate with the evolving needs of public health. Forward-thinking is essential for suc- cess in this dynamic field, and it is crucial to embrace the passion, energy, and brain- power of professionals at all stages of their careers. From emerging professionals bring- ing fresh perspectives to mid-career experts with invaluable experience and sage legacy professionals o ering wisdom and insights— every voice contributes to a richer dialogue and more innovative solutions.
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