A clean energy advocacy group is calling attention to a powerful way to protect kids from childhood asthma — switching to electric school buses.
To mark World Asthma Day, Clean Energy Generation — a grassroots campaign by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy — joined forces with the Alliance for Electric School Buses to rally public support for cleaner rides to school. The day of action was especially focused on spreading awareness and support for the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program, which provides $5 billion to help schools replace diesel buses with electric ones.
Advocates collected handwritten postcards and digital signatures from community members urging lawmakers to keep the EPA program alive. Local chapters of Moms Clean Air Force, Sierra Club, and the League of Women Voters helped spread the word, showing how powerful community advocacy can be when people work together.
In a statement, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said its recent work "shows how, when many voices are singing from the same score, the chorus is harmonious and unmistakable."
Electric buses are a powerful way to protect school children's health, reducing exposure to diesel exhaust, a known asthma trigger. Vehicle exhaust — especially that of massive school buses — releases a mix of toxic pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and ozone. These potent pollutants have been linked to cancers and chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and more. And that includes childhood asthma.
"Diesel exhaust pollution is harmful for everyone, but is especially bad for kids as their lungs are developing," the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said in a statement.
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That's partly because children breathe faster than adults and inhale more air — and, therefore, pollutants — per body weight. Studies have shown that switching from diesel to electric school buses can reduce asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses, and school absences for children. A recent study found that smart global action on road pollution — including electric vehicle adoption and tightened pollution standards — could prevent 1.4 million new childhood asthma cases by 2040.
While there have been recent strides toward lowering road pollution, there's still a long way to go. That's why the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said it plans to keep the pressure on lawmakers — and invites supporters to raise their voices to advocate for clean energy and healthier kids.
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