After suffering, through what many believe was one of the hottest summers in recorded history, in the United States of America. We should understand that phasing out fossil fuel is one of the main drivers of climate change is paramount. We can, and must rapidly transition to clean, affordable, resilient, and safe energy. It’s time to electrify everything. From, powering our homes, cars, trains, buses, and businesses with clean energy while ensuring no community is left behind.
Let’s look at the facts, fossil fuel pollution accounts for one and five deaths here in The United States. Communities living near oil and gas drilling sites and refineries near freeways are disproportionately, low income, communities, and communities of color that face greater health risks, including asthma, cancer, adverse birth outcomes, and mental health issues.
Related Links:
https://lasentinel.net/acfc-forward-uses-lifestyle-brand-to-battle-climate-change.html
https://lasentinel.net/newsoms-water-supply-strategy-geared-to-combat-drought-climate-change.html
What are some of the solutions that have been put in place? The fossil fuel industry has touted carbon capture storage (CCS) which is to remove carbon dioxide from power plants and industrial processing plants, placing the carbon dioxide in long-term storage facilities. Not one of these facilities has been put in place and the technology is not effective.
The Direct Air Capture (DAC) that extracts the CO2 from the air by pulling air through filters, where it reacts with chemicals and is stored in fluids. This is as effective as a filter on a cigarette in terms of the exposure and the over 1000 other toxic gases that are not filtered out.
The real solution is natural base sequestration(NbS) with absorption of CO2 in soil, trees, plants, wetlands, and urban green spaces. We are starting to see this in multiple areas in our community here in Los Angeles. Parks are being reimagined, reducing the amount of asphalt and cement. Thus, restoring it to natural greenery and trees.
In order for this to be affective, long-term, we must phase out fossil fuels. First, we need to ban fossil fuel advertising. This will stop the industry from their greenwashing campaigns and help to push for real accountability. Secondly, we must ensure that the fossil fuel industry is unable to lobby lawmakers or influence, global climate negotiations.
Finally, we must demand that government and the fossil fuel industry acknowledge the true public health crisis that has been created and reinvest in the health of our communities for our health, the health of future generations, and the health of our planet. It’s time to kick the addiction to fossil fuels.
Dr. Alfred L. Glover is a practicing podiatrist in Los Angeles, Climate, Health, and Equity Fellow, The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
