The Summer newsletter spotlights the HH&S story; a celebration of Norman Lear’s 100th birthday; our “lunch and learn” webcasts on possible solutions to the climate change emergency and AI’s impact on aging; the big picture on plastic waste; and how we’re living with drought.
A “lunch and learn” webcast discussion presented by Hollywood, Health & Society explored the health and wide-ranging effects of extreme weather, focusing on how do we lessen the impact of climate change, protect water resources, practice environmental sustainability and survive?
Hollywood, Health & Society presented a "lunch and learn" webcast that explored the ways artificial intelligence will revolutionize how we grow older—from predicting illness to enriching daily life through virtual reality.
While all women are at risk for getting breast cancer, Ashkenazi Jewish women, Black women, and those with a family history of breast or ovarian are most at risk for a breast cancer diagnosis at a young age. According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer are under the age of 45.
Aeden comes from the UNDP's Equator Initiative and has led various creative and policy strategies for non-profits and fortune 500 companies including the LA County Office of Sustainability and the GRAMMYs. She was a Film Independent Project Involve and Sesame Workshop screenwriting fellow, has multiple recording albums and directs film/tv projects that uplift environmental practices rooted in Black, brown, and indigenous traditions. Aeden holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Music from Duke University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Brandon Hall comes to HH&S with over 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry and another five as a middle and high school English and history teacher. He is an award-winning screenwriter and producer who also spent years working in unscripted development, helping to shape travel, adventure, renovation, and competition shows for Discovery, NBC, HGTV, and History among others. He has a BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Film and Television Production from USC.
Around 380 million metric tons of plastic is being produced annually, and most of it does not get recycled. Over half of that plastic is intended to be used once and thrown away, but virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some form—affecting human health (including reproductive health), and raising issues of environmental justice.
Plastic production is expected to quadruple by 2050, compounding waste levels and climate effects. By raising awareness, modeling reusable behaviors on TV and greening sets, entertainment can play a pivotal role in helping audiences envision a world free from single-use plastics.