Parents demand action on concerning hazard that threatens children across US: 'It's very scary'

Over 1.5 million parents have joined forces to fight dirty air and keep their kids safe from harmful air, reported Yale Climate Connections.

Moms Clean Air Force unites mothers, fathers, and caregivers around one shared mission: safeguarding kids from toxic air and a hotter world. The group calls itself "Mompartisan" because it feels child health shouldn't divide political parties.

Isabel González-Whitaker works with the organization and understands the threat firsthand. "It's very scary because it's not abstract, right? Like, my son has pretty severe respiratory issues," she told Yale Climate Connections.

The group initially focused on pollution from energy facilities, transportation, and industrial sites that can trigger asthma flare-ups and lung issues in children. Today, they address both air toxins and rising temperatures.

As the White House scales back air quality protections, the organization is changing tactics. They're directing their efforts toward state and municipal action, where progress remains possible.

Their efforts include pressuring state lawmakers to adopt stricter air quality standards, capping orphaned drilling sites that leak methane (methane traps heat in the atmosphere at rates far exceeding carbon dioxide), and championing electric school buses that produce zero tailpipe pollution.

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The group equips parents to advocate through writing campaigns, offering statements at government hearings, and speaking with government representatives.

What sets the organization apart is its commitment to equity. They champion solutions that prioritize communities breathing the dirtiest air, acknowledging that some areas face far worse air quality than others.

Parents don't need special expertise to join. The group offers guidance, educational materials, and tools to help anyone become an effective advocate for cleaner air.

You can join Moms Clean Air Force online. You can also contact your state and local representatives to tell them that clean air matters to your family, and ask your school district about switching to electric buses, which improve air quality around schools by cutting pollution.

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González-Whitaker sees parent activism as the path forward during difficult times. "I think the more that we rally and the more that we provide voice to our discomfort and our disappointment, the less long, hopefully, that we have to live under circumstances that are super scary," she told Yale Climate Connections.

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home?

Yes — often 😬