Written by Diane MacEachern

Montgomery County, Maryland released a Climate Action plan with a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 100% by 2035, and the cornerstone of the climate objectives is environmental justice.

Brands and retailers have an opportunity to ensure that clean products are available, accessible and affordable for every single customer.

Brands and retailers have an opportunity to ensure that clean products are available, accessible and affordable for every single customer.

Written by Ronnie Citron-Fink

Climate disasters impact our health and are terrifying to experience. The stress is especially disruptive and frightening for children.

The shortest route to achieving Biden’s climate and equity goals

Delivery vans zooming around our neighborhoods, trucks rumbling through city streets headed for warehouses, buses full of commuters and students — they’re delivering more than goods and people. They’re bringing polluted air to our communities.

That means more asthma attacks, more heart disease and ongoing inequity for the neighborhoods that already face the most pollution.

But President Biden and Vice President Harris have a chance — a narrow window for action — to make dramatic progress on this problem. They can keep the economy moving while also protecting our health by making those trucks and buses clean vehicles.

As the American Lung Association and 15 other non-partisan health groups recently wrote, “For the nation to achieve [Biden’s] vision of clean air, a safe climate, healthy communities and environmental justice, we must address emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.”

How the Biden administration can deliver

By setting pollution standards that accelerate the transition of short-haul trucks and buses to zero-emission vehicles, the Biden administration can deliver clean air and improve the health of millions of people who live in the U.S. At the same time, they can demonstrate that smart government policies can help generate good paying jobs.

The best part is that the administration has the authority to set protective pollution standards under the Clean Air Act. There’s no messy congressional fight required. Specifically, the administration should set a new generation of multi-pollutant emission standards that get us on the path to 100% of new trucks and buses being zero-emission by 2040.

The science tells us moving to clean buses and trucks can deliver huge public health benefits. Children riding a school bus are exposed to pollutants like particulate matter, ultrafine particles, black carbon and carbon monoxide, which results in inflammation, decreased lung growth and more missed school days.

Sign the “Go Bold, America!” climate action petition Some communities face a greater burden

Research by EDF and Google in Oakland, California, mapped neighborhoods with the most air pollution — they were all near highways and a port with heavy truck traffic. This shows the danger posed by the flow of delivery vehicles in the growing number of communities where warehouses have been built to serve our online, on-demand economy.

It’s no secret that these impacts are not the same for everyone. Nearly all neighborhoods have delivery trucks, and most places have school and transit buses. But a history of unjust policies have resulted in ports, warehouses, highways and other high-polluting commercial and industrial activity being located in Black, Latino and Asian communities.

A recent study found Black Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and other people of color in the U.S. are exposed to 37% more transportation-related air pollution than white residents. That means, to be blunt, people are breathing toxic air because of the color of their skin. It’s exactly the kind of injustice Joe Biden ran for president to fix.

Revving up momentum for the EV industry

We know the technology is ready to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles. All major vehicle manufacturers are already selling or have in development zero-emission trucks, delivery vans and buses.

That’s why companies like Walmart and FedEx have committed to moving their fleets to electric vehicles. These companies recognize that the future needs to be zero-emission and that zero-emission vehicles are increasingly available and delivering business value.

Boosting the U.S. clean vehicle industry will also mean these jobs are created here at home — rather than having all electric vehicles imported from places like Germany and China. Even so, individual companies can’t do this on their own.

We’ll only move fast enough to protect communities and save lives if we have strong leadership from Washington. Too many families have been left behind. It’s time to face this injustice and deal with a major source of climate pollution at the same time.

Our neighborhoods have lived with this pollution for decades — generations of American families facing illness, lost school days and shorter lives. But now we have a president committed to doing something about it. For those who had begun to doubt that government can act to protect the people and address injustice, Joe Biden may be about to prove you wrong.

Tell Congress to support our cleaner transportation future jkornegay July 9, 2021 - 11:45

The shortest route to achieving Biden’s climate and equity goals

Delivery vans zooming around our neighborhoods, trucks rumbling through city streets headed for warehouses, buses full of commuters and students — they’re delivering more than goods and people. They’re bringing polluted air to our communities.

That means more asthma attacks, more heart disease and ongoing inequity for the neighborhoods that already face the most pollution.

But President Biden and Vice President Harris have a chance — a narrow window for action — to make dramatic progress on this problem. They can keep the economy moving while also protecting our health by making those trucks and buses clean vehicles.

As the American Lung Association and 15 other non-partisan health groups recently wrote, “For the nation to achieve [Biden’s] vision of clean air, a safe climate, healthy communities and environmental justice, we must address emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.”

How the Biden administration can deliver

By setting pollution standards that accelerate the transition of short-haul trucks and buses to zero-emission vehicles, the Biden administration can deliver clean air and improve the health of millions of people who live in the U.S. At the same time, they can demonstrate that smart government policies can help generate good paying jobs.

The best part is that the administration has the authority to set protective pollution standards under the Clean Air Act. There’s no messy congressional fight required. Specifically, the administration should set a new generation of multi-pollutant emission standards that get us on the path to 100% of new trucks and buses being zero-emission by 2040.

The science tells us moving to clean buses and trucks can deliver huge public health benefits. Children riding a school bus are exposed to pollutants like particulate matter, ultrafine particles, black carbon and carbon monoxide, which results in inflammation, decreased lung growth and more missed school days.

Sign the “Go Bold, America!” climate action petition Some communities face a greater burden

Research by EDF and Google in Oakland, California, mapped neighborhoods with the most air pollution — they were all near highways and a port with heavy truck traffic. This shows the danger posed by the flow of delivery vehicles in the growing number of communities where warehouses have been built to serve our online, on-demand economy.

It’s no secret that these impacts are not the same for everyone. Nearly all neighborhoods have delivery trucks, and most places have school and transit buses. But a history of unjust policies have resulted in ports, warehouses, highways and other high-polluting commercial and industrial activity being located in Black, Latino and Asian communities.

A recent study found Black Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and other people of color in the U.S. are exposed to 37% more transportation-related air pollution than white residents. That means, to be blunt, people are breathing toxic air because of the color of their skin. It’s exactly the kind of injustice Joe Biden ran for president to fix.

Revving up momentum for the EV industry

We know the technology is ready to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles. All major vehicle manufacturers are already selling or have in development zero-emission trucks, delivery vans and buses.

That’s why companies like Walmart and FedEx have committed to moving their fleets to electric vehicles. These companies recognize that the future needs to be zero-emission and that zero-emission vehicles are increasingly available and delivering business value.

Boosting the U.S. clean vehicle industry will also mean these jobs are created here at home — rather than having all electric vehicles imported from places like Germany and China. Even so, individual companies can’t do this on their own.

We’ll only move fast enough to protect communities and save lives if we have strong leadership from Washington. Too many families have been left behind. It’s time to face this injustice and deal with a major source of climate pollution at the same time.

Our neighborhoods have lived with this pollution for decades — generations of American families facing illness, lost school days and shorter lives. But now we have a president committed to doing something about it. For those who had begun to doubt that government can act to protect the people and address injustice, Joe Biden may be about to prove you wrong.

Tell Congress to support our cleaner transportation future jkornegay July 9, 2021 - 11:45

This project is the largest multisector Colorado River conservation effort to date. It is an example of the unprecedented collaboration that is needed moving forward to build resilience to climate change and water scarcity in the West.

The post This landmark water conservation agreement is good news for Arizona. We need more like it. first appeared on Growing Returns.

This project is the largest multisector Colorado River conservation effort to date. It is an example of the unprecedented collaboration that is needed moving forward to build resilience to climate change and water scarcity in the West.

The post This landmark water conservation agreement is good news for Arizona. We need more like it. first appeared on Growing Returns.

This project is the largest multisector Colorado River conservation effort to date. It is an example of the unprecedented collaboration that is needed moving forward to build resilience to climate change and water scarcity in the West.

The post This landmark water conservation agreement is good news for Arizona. We need more like it. first appeared on Growing Returns.

To restore Louisiana’s coast, we need a suite of large-scale restoration projects across the coast working together to deliver maximum benefits to reduce land loss, restore ecosystems, and maintain healthy and diverse habitats. In our “Restoration Project Highlights” series, we take a deeper look at specific projects from our list of Priority Projects, highlighting why they’re needed and hearing local perspectives on importance. Louisiana’s barrier islands, remnants of ancient Mississippi River delta lobes,  represent some of the most unique landscapes in ...

Read The Full Story

The post Louisiana Embarks on Largest Project Yet to Keep its Barrier Islands from Disappearing appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

To restore Louisiana’s coast, we need a suite of large-scale restoration projects across the coast working together to deliver maximum benefits to reduce land loss, restore ecosystems, and maintain healthy and diverse habitats. In our “Restoration Project Highlights” series, we take a deeper look at specific projects from our list of Priority Projects, highlighting why they’re needed and hearing local perspectives on importance. Louisiana’s barrier islands, remnants of ancient Mississippi River delta lobes,  represent some of the most unique landscapes in ...

Read The Full Story

The post Louisiana Embarks on Largest Project Yet to Keep its Barrier Islands from Disappearing appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

Written by Moms Clean Air Force

The results from an EPA investigation found PFAS have have much broader, concerning implications for food, cosmetics, shampoos, household cleaning products, and other consumer products, as well as recycling.

Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director, Maricel Maffini, consultant, and Tom Bruton with Green Science Policy Institute.  Update August 11, 21 – Added FDA’s Response to FOIA. Results from an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into PFAS-contaminated pesticides have much broader, concerning implications for food, cosmetics, shampoos, household cleaning products, and other consumer products, as well […]

Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director, Maricel Maffini, consultant, and Tom Bruton with Green Science Policy Institute.  Update August 11, 21 – Added FDA’s Response to FOIA. Results from an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into PFAS-contaminated pesticides have much broader, concerning implications for food, cosmetics, shampoos, household cleaning products, and other consumer products, as well […]

Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director, Maricel Maffini, consultant, and Tom Bruton with Green Science Policy Institute.  Update August 11, 21 – Added FDA’s Response to FOIA. Results from an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into PFAS-contaminated pesticides have much broader, concerning implications for food, cosmetics, shampoos, household cleaning products, and other consumer products, as well […]

The post Beyond paper: PFAS linked to common plastic packaging used for food, cosmetics, and much more first appeared on EDF Health.

For nearly a decade, I’ve worked on sustainable fisheries management, traveling to small-scale fishing communities around the world to learn how best to build the capacity of local fishers, scientists and managers to ensure the sustainability of their fisheries. From Mexico to Myanmar, I’ve worked with communities to help them reach their goals so they […]

Written by Diane MacEachern

Can you imagine a day when you turn on your tap and not a drop of water comes out? If the warming trend continues, the Western drought is a preview of this climate emergency.