Stop the INSANE-ity for Earth's Sake!

“Because no matter who we are or where we come from, we're all entitled to the basic human rights of clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and healthy land to call home.” — Martin Luther King III

Like nature itself, the collection of systems that support economic stability, corporate growth, environmental stewardship, climate resilience, animal wellness and human health are complex and interconnected. Support for Critical Infrastructures – systems, facilities, and networks essential for a society to function – is of vital importance to every nation and all economies. Equally important, though, is support for addressing the long-standing environmental, social and health hazards that occur across all Critical Infrastructure sectors. The primary contributors to climate change, pollution, and negative heath impacts (including inequalities) are the following 12 Critical Infrastructure sectors:

• Chemical and Chemical Waste
• Construction Materials
• Defense Industry
• Emergency Services
• Energy
• Environmental and Climate
• Food and Agriculture
• Healthcare and Public Health
• Industrial and Manufacturing
• Sustainability
• Transportation and Maritime
• Water and Wastewater

The High Alert Institute examines all threats to humans, animals, and environments within an All Hazards One Health One Nature (AHOHN) framework. Using this lens, we have identified a set of failings common to the above Critical Infrastructure sectors that result in environmental injustices and health disparities. We refer to the 6 items below as “INSANE” failure modes, recalling the adage attributed to Albert Einstein that repeating the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity: ?

• Inefficient Operations
• Non-sustainability in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
• Storage and Redistribution of Waste Chains
• Atmospheric Release of Green House Gases and Other Forms of Pollution
• Non-Circular Material Chains and Economies
• Environmental Release of Thermal Waste

?So how can we stop the INSANE-ity? The solutions rest within all Critical Infrastructure sectors, each taking actions that are customized for their industries. Technologies, policies/best practices, regulations, legislation, and litigation are powerful tools available to all businesses and to the communities that they serve. These are proven methods that enable change, creating a pathway for turning sources of negative impacts into drivers of beneficial outcomes. Regardless of hazard or sector, the following objectives are achievable and would provide the most significant benefit to those currently facing the greatest inequities:

• Maximize the efficiency of operations – reduces waste of materials and workforce effort, enhances planning and communication, strengthens competitiveness and continuity
• Emphasize sustainability choices - provides protection against all hazards, increases economic stability, reduces corporate carbon footprint, improves financial metrics (Environment, Social, and Governance or ESG pillars)
• Create circular waste management practices – recycle, reuse, repurpose, recover vs linear waste chains that shift the problem from one area to another; corporate and global benefits while also reducing disparities in exposure to hazards inherent to waste chains
• Reduce release of pollutants into the environment – decreases contributions to climate change and related health impacts; reduces corporate carbon footprint; minimizes the need for costly, energy-intensive, and complex sequestration methods
• Support circular processes, material flows, and economies – preserves and extends product lifespan, uses waste as a resource, redefines business models to create joint value, inspires technological advancements
• Innovate and employ ways to harness vs release the heat created from business operations – promotes growth of the green energy industry, reduces fossil fuel consumption and accompanying emissions, decreases contribution to climate change and subsequent health impacts (which leads to further inequities across populations)

All too often, best business practices and environmental stewardship are viewed as being in competition. Consistent with AHOHN framework perspective, however, All Hazards (including environmental contaminants and climate change) affect the interdependent One Health of the planet and its inhabitants. Awareness and understanding of the negative health impacts from human activities continues to mount, underscoring the compounded impact of health disparities. Initiatives focused on climate resilience, environmental justice, and Critical Infrastructure innovation have increased significantly in recent years. But technologies, policies, regulations, legislation, and litigation must continue to pursue vigilant mitigation – if not resolution - of the “INSANE” failure mode impacts. The sustainability of businesses, populations, and environments are symbiotic and successful outcomes rely on our best stewardship efforts.

?

About the Authors:

Allison Sakara NP, MSN, RN, PHRN, is a nurse practitioner with decades of experience in pediatrics, hematology/oncology, regulatory affairs, disaster response and environmental stewardship. Allison is the Co-Founder & Executive Director of the High Alert Institute.

?

Maurice Ramirez, D.O., Ph.D. is a physician and innovator with over a quarter century of service in emergency medicine, consulting, computing, regulatory affairs, disaster response, green energy and sustainability. Dr. Ramirez is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Disaster Medicine and Co-Founder of the High Alert Institute.

The High Alert Institute is a 501c3 not-for-profit educational public charity dedicated to providing education and innovation to unserved and underserved communities, industries, and charitable organizations in an All Hazards, One Health, One Nature Framework. Learn more about the High Alert Institute at www.HighAlertInstitute.org