Speak Up for Clean Air!
We received this important Action Alert from MomsRising and hope you'll take action and post the link on your Facebook page:
On March 19th MomsRising will host an Internet radio discussion with Lisa Jackson, the first African-American to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discuss how families across the country can work together for clean air. MomsRising wants you to share your thoughts about kids' health, asthma, and clean air with Lisa Jackson, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Why take part? Lobbyists for some big businesses don't recognize the importance of clean air for healthy children, and are working to weaken or eliminate the landmark 1970 Clean Air Act. If they succeed says MomsRising, we can "say hello to more asthma and more bioaccumulation of mercury in our fish."
Administrator Jackson hears plenty from corporate lobbyists who are opposed to clean air standards. What about your voice? MomsRising wants your voice to be part of the discussion, and will share your thoughts and questions with Administrator Jackson before the Internet radio program. Then on March 19, you can listen in to hear her answers and a lively conversation about the issues.
The Painful Truth: MomsRising says: "Clean air is important. Asthma afflicts about 7
million children in the United States, or about one in 10 kids. [1] It
is the reason for some 800,000 emergency room visits a year, [2] and is
the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under the age
of 15. [3] And the numbers are only getting worse: From 2001 to 2009,
Americans with asthma grew from 20.1 million to 24.6 million, a jump of
more than 12% over eight years, with children disproportionately
affected.[4]
"In this Internet radio program, we will look at the
connection between air pollution and asthma and the “controversy” of
clean air. Finally, we will talk about parenting, why the fight for
clean air is absolutely personal and how we can win."
1) Speak up for clean air and healthy kids at:
http://action.momsrising.org/go/1669?akid=3184.1910090.Pju_e0&t=3
2) Then tune in on March 19th:
INTERNET RADIO PROGRAM: "Mom to Mom - The Controversy of Clean Air in the Middle of an Asthma Epidemic"
When: March 19, 2012, 4:15-5:00 PM EST
Where: BlogTalkRadio. Tune in to MomsRising BlogTalkRadio on March 19th at 4:15 pm EST at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/momsrising/2012/03/19/mom-to-mom-the-controversy-of-clean-air
Speakers: Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Dr. Sumita B. Khatri, Co-Director, Asthma Center, Cleveland Clinic; Lydia Rojas, Steph's Mom; with moderator Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director, MomsRising.
Share your questions and thoughts about clean air for Lisa Jackson today:
http://action.momsrising.org/survey/BTR-2012/?akid=3184.1910090.Pju_e0&rd=1&t=2
Related Resources:
- See Green Schools Initiatives' Green Cleaning Toolkit for Asthma-Safe Schools
- Learn more about eliminating toxics at school in our Strive to Be Toxics Free pages
[1] Akinbami, Lara J., et al, “Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use, and Mortality: United States, 2005–2009,” National Health Statistics Report, No. 32, 12 January 2011, PP. 3.
[2] Ibid.
[3] http://action.momsrising.org/go/1665?akid=3184.1910090.Pju_e0&t=13
[4] "Asthma in the US Growing Every Year." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 4 May 2011. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 30 May 2011.