By Callie Stephenson

I am afflicted by a certain nostalgia. It’s a hot muggy night, barefeet in damp grass, and the smell of skin slicked with sweat. It is summer. Denim shorts and pine needles mixed with sweet, heavy lake water. It is Americana: all fireworks and sunscreen grease. The voices of people around me saying how absurd I am to revel in the heat of the evenings, and the comfort I find in the deafening accumulation of a dozen fans whirring at different pitches. It is my contempt for air conditioning coupled with full body resignation every time I enter a building that has been pumped full of that delicious, refrigerated air.

The Montana Chapter of the Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate are excited to announce a new free program to help raise awareness of air pollution.

In the midst of yet another summer filled with wildfire smoke, understanding how it may affect our health and that of our families is crucial. This video features testimonials by members of both the environmental and health communities in Montana, who explain their own experiences with wildfire smoke over the years and how it impacts heath, recreation, and other aspects of normal Montana life. This video is highly informational, and helpful to anyone seeking help in protecting their health and that of their families during wildfire season.

On August 4, a landmark decision was made by Judge Kathy Seeley, who ruled that the 16 youth plaintiffs can proceed to trial.

The new IPCC report is out. The world, and what's possible for our children's futures, is being transformed before our eyes, and the predictions are very dire if we do not act now. In order to ensure the best possible future for our families, parents and caregivers must call on our leaders to address the climate crisis. Action is our hope.