Welcome!
My name is LaDonna Gaines, and I’ll be writing blog posts for the Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC) over the coming months. The TEC has spent decades helping protect Tennessee’s natural resources and equipping communities to care for the places they call home. I’m honored to contribute to that mission by sharing practical information that helps connect environmental conservation with human health. Our first blog topic will explore the fascinating world of Purple Martins, but before we dive in, I’d like to introduce myself and share why I’m so passionate about environmental health.
I am a Registered Nurse with a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, with a specific concentration in Environmental Health. During my MPH program, I learned about environmental health, environmental justice, and the many ways our air, water, soil, and built environments influence our well-being. That experience sparked a passion in me and inspired me to do more than I could in my regular nursing role.
In 2023, I completed a year-long environmental health fellowship with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE). As part of the fellowship, I partnered with GASP, (Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution), a community-based organization, that works to improve air quality and environmental health, to complete an environmental health project.
Later that year, I participated in the Climate Advocacy Lab’s Climate + Health Peer Learning Circle, a six-month program created to increase health professionals’ climate knowledge. Other goals were to increase commitment to climate work, strengthen ability to communicate effectively about climate issues, and engage communities in climate action.
As part of that experience, each participant created an educational resource for others in the health field. I chose to launch The Environmentalist Nurse Podcast, where I discuss environmental and climate-related health topics with nurses, public health professionals, and other experts. Through conversations and educational episodes, my goal is to make these important topics understandable, practical, and relevant to the nursing profession as well as everyday life.
Now, I’m excited to bring that same passion for education to the Tennessee Environmental Council. Through this blog, I’ll be sharing information on a variety of environmental topics and explaining how they affect our health, our communities, and the natural world around us.
When I’m not working, you’ll usually find me traveling, spending time outdoors, caring for my plants, spoiling my pup, or volunteering in my community.
Over the next several months, you can look forward to posts about purple martins, pollinators, trees, climate and health, and many other topics that discuss the connection between the environment and healthy people.
If there’s an environmental topic you’d like to see featured, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to email me at writing@theenvironmentalistnurse.com with your suggestions.
Now, let’s get started by learning about one of Tennessee’s most fascinating annual visitors—the purple martin!