Healthy Air is Healthcare Champion Dr. Keisha Callins recently published this op-ed highlighting the benefits of electric school buses in the Macon Telegraph. Dr. Callins is an OB/GYN serving rural and underserved populations through Community Health Care Systems in central Georgia. She is a current Climate and Health Equity Fellow; serves on multiple state and medical boards; and is a Professor at Mercer University School of Medicine. A longtime advocate for women’s and children’s health, she lives in Macon and practices in Middle Georgia.
Every school day, more than 1 million children across Georgia climb onto a school bus. For many families, these buses represent safety and access to education. But for too many children, that ride to school may come with invisible harm and lasting effects from exposure to harmful diesel emissions that threaten their health and development and impact the environment.
Around the time of Earth Day, this is a wonderful time to recommit ourselves to protecting the environment for current and future generations. We must also recognize that protecting children from air pollution is paramount as an environmental and a public health imperative.
As a Georgia trained OB/GYN, I have dedicated my lifetime career of almost 20 years to working with families in rural and underserved communities across the state. I’ve seen firsthand the impact that environmental factors have on the health of some of the most vulnerable — moms and babies — from increased rates of asthma to developmental concerns tied to pollution exposure. The science is clear: dirty air is dangerous, and children are especially vulnerable.
Like math, for every problem, there is a solution. But the awesome fact is that electric school buses are more than a clean energy solution — they’re a health intervention.
Did you know that diesel exhaust contains over 40 toxic air contaminants including nitrogen oxides? These pollutants are especially harmful to children, whose lungs are still developing and who breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. That’s why children are more susceptible to exposure to diesel pollution — whether while riding on the bus, waiting at the curb, or walking to school — can lead to asthma attacks, missed school days, hospital visits, long-term respiratory damage and even deaths.
In Georgia, one in twelve children has asthma. That’s about 100,000 students. When children can’t breathe, they can’t learn well. When they’re home sick, parents miss work. When conditions worsen, families are burdened with costly ER visits and long-term health management.
Electric school buses eliminate tailpipe emissions and significantly reduce our children’s exposure to pollutants. They are also quieter, helping create a calmer environment for students—including those with sensory sensitivities and autism spectrum disorder. And for children with asthma and co-occurring conditions, like autism, clean air can make the significant difference between thriving and struggling.
News flash — Georgia is already helping lead the way. Right near my hometown of Macon, Blue Bird — the iconic school bus manufacturer — has become a national leader in producing electric school buses. Their innovations are being deployed in communities across the state, from Savannah to DeKalb County, and even in rural communities like Wilkes County, helping schools lower fuel and maintenance costs while creating healthier rides for students and healthier environments for where our children live, learn, and play.
The week of Earth Day this year, we have a chance to match Georgia’s manufacturing innovation with bold public health leadership. This requires continued investment in electric school buses and a commitment from policymakers and community partners to prioritize the health of one of our most Georgia’s investment – our children, because frankly their pursuit of education should not be harmful to their health.
When we talk about school readiness, we often focus on test scores, meals and safety drills. But the environment and ride to school matters, too. No child should have to sacrifice their lungs for a seat on the bus.
Science is crystal clear, and we know that science saves lives. Technology is a gamechanger and we know it makes a difference. We are extremely fortunate and exceptionally grateful to companies like Blue Bird. In fact, we are feeling “pretty peachy” that the buses are already being built right here in Georgia.
Let’s work harder than ever to advocate for the health of our precious children by protecting the air they breathe. Georgia, let’s “electrify the school bus ride” for our current and future generations — toward a cleaner, healthier, happier, and smarter future. They are totally worth it!
