A study has found that electrifying U.S. school bus fleets could result in $1.6 billion of health and climate benefits.
School Transportation News summarized the research, led by the World Resources Institute and Carleton University.
The authors found that people in every state would reap the benefits of converting diesel school bus fleets to electric, but New York, California, Florida, and Texas stand to gain the most.
To obtain the results, the team analyzed estimated deaths from fine particulate matter in the air. A dollar value was then assigned to "how much society is willing to pay for small reductions to the risk of dying from health conditions that may be caused by environmental pollution."
The polluting impact of school buses was assessed by establishing the social cost of carbon, a metric that encompasses societal damage from extreme heat, sea-level rise, food insecurity, and other impacts of the climate crisis.
"This data reinforces the need to ensure that those most impacted by diesel exhaust pollution are among the first to benefit from electric school buses," said Sue Gander, director of WRI's Electric School Bus Initiative.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
This is not the first study to point out the benefits of electric school buses, which produce no tailpipe pollution, unlike their diesel counterparts. For instance, one review of 13 studies found that electric buses can help clean up the air, keep kids safer, and save money.
Many school districts are already making the switch to electric buses. Michigan, for instance, announced that Dearborn schools will be getting 18 electric buses. California is spending $500 million to purchase 1,000 new electric buses, which will be distributed to more than 130 school districts in rural and low-income areas.
Matt Berlin, CEO of New York City School Bus Umbrella Services, spoke about what he called years of "outsized impacts of diesel pollution" in New York.
"As this new data from WRI proves, school bus electrification makes sense for New Yorkers," he told STN. "Investing in electric school buses means making the bus ride for kids and bus attendants and drivers on the bus quieter and healthier. Beyond the bus itself, reducing pollution near schools and in the communities where we all live means we all enjoy these benefits."
TCD Picks » Stasher Spotlight
💡Stasher's reusable food storage options make it easy and affordable to live life with less plastic
The study's authors added, "The findings are intended to inform policymakers, school districts, manufacturers, and utilities by providing monetized estimates of health and climate impacts, enabling data-driven decisions about school bus fleet modernization."
|
Do you think your city has good air quality? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 🥰 
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
