Some Atlanta schools are getting new electric buses, and experts say this will be beneficial to children's health.
DeKalb, Atlanta, and Clayton County schools each have about 25 electric buses, with plans to procure more, according to Healthbeat. The new vehicles mark the beginning of the transition to clean fleets in Georgia. Progress has slowed as the Trump administration has cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency, which helps the state secure the next-gen buses.
Diesel is fueling most school buses in Georgia, according to the World Resources Institute's Electric School Bus Initiative. Many of them are gas guzzlers made before 2009, meaning they were made when pollution standards were lower.
Diesel-fueled vehicles create air pollution that can increase health risks. Diesel fumes can trigger asthma attacks, which can prevent children from coming into school. Childhood asthma advocates have pushed for the implementation of more clean buses, saying it could reduce the risk of the condition.
Switching to even a few electric vehicles can improve air quality for kids. Sara Adar, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, told Healthbeat that air pollution can damage developing lungs.
"Their lungs are less irritated," Adar said in reference to children and the benefits of electric buses. "They're less likely to get sick or to have asthma attacks and therefore be at school more frequently."
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The new buses can positively impact kids' cognitive health, as Adar said air pollution damages the brain. They also help reduce noise pollution, which many parents believe would be beneficial to young students.
Electric vehicles can save individuals and organizations money on gas and maintenance costs. School officials in the Atlanta area have already noticed the difference with the buses they have.
"The buses have provided clean air for our scholars and reduced gas and maintenance expenditures," Denise Hall, executive director of transportation for the Clayton County School District, told Healthbeat.
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