My interest in clean air is pretty basic: I breathe and pollution hurts. I’m a mom and a healthcare worker, so understanding the impact of air quality on children has influenced a lot of my life choices. We don’t live in a place where public transit is an option, so we drive hybrid vehicles. We choose non-toxic and petroleum-free cleaners and detergents to keep our home air quality up. We have house plants.
Nature conservation is a value my husband and I try to model for our children by exposing them to as much nature as possible. We hike very frequently. We are state parks members, so our donation goes to forest conservation efforts.
We make an effort to reduce our carbon foot print in the food choices we make and the products we buy. We avoid purchases like bottled water that require a lot of fuel and emissions to ship.
Most of our concern is about reducing the global impact of pollution because our planet has to sustain us for generations. Children are vulnerable to poor air quality more so than adults. I would rather avoid children developing chronic illness like asthma than have to use lifelong treatments.
I’m a certified lactation counselor and frequently work with babies who are born preterm. The lungs are one of the last organs to develop, so prematurity is a risk factor for respiratory issues. These babies don’t need the added stress of air pollution. They’re working hard enough to grow already.
The science is pretty solid that humans have the power to influence climate change. With our intellect and creative capacity, there is simply no excuse for continuing to rely on petrochemicals. The sun makes plenty of energy, and we are smart enough to harness it. I’m willing to vote with my dollars and support clean energy. I hope other mothers out there are too.
Written by Danielle S.
