A climate action evanston program
Plants native to Evanston
speaker series
@ Dr. Teresa Horton

Healthy People, Healthy Planet

Wednesday
March 18, 2026
6:30 pm
-
7:30 pm
Zoom

About our topic

How does Nature impact Human Health? Why is this important to maintaining a healthy planet? Humans, nature, and the planet exist in a dependent and reciprocal relationship. In this presentation, we will explore the role that basic research on the health benefits of nature to humans can play in evoking individual behavior and social-political change needed to enhance humans’ commitment to maintaining the health of our planet.

About the speaker

Dr. Horton received her Bachelor’s of Science in Zoology from the University of Washington and her PhD in Biology from the University of Utah. She is currently an Associate Professor of Research in the Department of Anthropology, subfield Biological Anthropology, at Northwestern University. As a human biologist, she combines the principles of biological anthropology, ecology, evolution, and physiology to investigate the mechanisms by which environmental conditions alter physiology and mental health.  More generally, she applies her work to help generate public understanding of the reciprocal relationship between human and planetary health with the goal of affecting public policy and programs.

Sponsored by Natural Habitat Evanston

We are an all-volunteer community group of about 1,500 members, spreading the word on creating habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. We aim to change the culture of lawns: leaving your leaves is the simplest first step; the second step is adding a native shrub or tree to shrink your lawn. We show how to transition from turf with low-cost cardboard methods, which keystone native plants to choose, that insects chewing on leaves is a ‘win’ (don't reach for pesticide), how turning off unnecessary lights saves insects and birds (and human health), and how to make your windows bird-friendly (because if you are going to invite birds to your yard, give them safe passage). We plant a lot of native trees and shrubs, especially at schools, parks and in the 2nd and 5th Wards. We encourage people to think outside the lawn with No Mow May. Our Pollinator Pledge is a central focus of all our outreach and education, and a great way to spread the word to your neighbors.
Natural Habitat Evanston is a program of Climate Action Evanston.