I want the following items, too, because it’s not enough to have more and better research, treatment, and medical access for asthma sufferers. We’ve also got to ensure cleaner air.
Here’s What Else I Want for Christmas
1. For the U.S. to stop dragging its feet at international global warming conferences.
Seriously, it took pleading in Bali before the U.S. would agree to……uh, just meet about global warming again? That’s it?
That’s our only concession despite our dubious role as the top C02 emitter on the entire freaking planet? China’s apparently on the brink of claiming first place, but moving to second doesn’t really let us off the hook. You can read more here and here about how my country refused even to set any emissions reduction targets at all even though Canada, Russia, and Japan all pledged to reduce 1990 C02 levels by 25 to 40% with a target date of 2020.
Then again, you might not want to visit any of those links, seeing as how this is the season for hope and good cheer and all.
Moving along.
2. More research into clean fuel technologies rather than an emphasis on biofuels.
Ethanol is not the miracle fuel everyone’s hoping for, and at least one study shows widespread usage of it could increase ozone pollution deaths by 4 percent compared to the number of ozone pollution deaths for current gasoline usage. This study was a computer simulation, mind you, but it’s pretty clear we need to shift the emphasis from ethanol and other biofuels to truly clean alternatives.
3. I’d really love for whichever candidate this country chooses next November to stick to the strong environmental stance of his/her campaign once in the Oval Office.
Assuming, of course, we vote in one of the greener candidates.
4. And please don’t let the green living movement flame out when it stops being so trendy.
Better yet, if it takes trendiness to keep people worried about all the crap we throw into the air and therefore willing to reduce their part of the pollution load, then by all means let’s make sure green living stays hip and fashionable. Whatever it takes to keep the air clean, especially for pulmonary patients like my Asthma Girl. (Check out the Sierra Club’s The Green Life, one if the sidebar links, for quick tips to make your life a little greener. The tips are easy to read, easy to implement. What more can you ask?)
5. Can we also keep the talk about air pollution and children’s asthma from getting lost in all the climate change debate? Which is not to say global warming doesn’t carry its own health risks, but that topic makes the news daily (speaking of trends), and I fear it will obscure the very real problem toxic emissions pose for asthma sufferers everyday. Air pollution makes lung problems worse and can harm health in a variety of other awful ways, too.
Thanks a whole bunch, big guy. I promise not to ask for anything else, not even a pony.
