Dear Editor:
Air pollution has been a huge problem in New Jersey for over a great number of decades. All the residents living in New Jersey are still being exposed to all these pollutants regardless the effort to reduce this bad air quality. I was reading on the internet on how many business and people try to make a change but still haven’t been able to make a difference. There are still people being hospitalized or dying from respiratory diseases and heart attacks because of all these chemicals in the air. There are women and babies facing death because of all these chemicals from cars, buses, trucks, including factories and power plants.
According to the Department of Environment Protection, “Emerging scientific evidence suggests that air pollution may cause adverse pregnancy outcomes, including effects on fetal growth and development,” the report says. “These public health impacts place air quality at, or near, the top of New Jersey’s environmental health risks.”
In other words, there have been studies of the pregnancy risks of this polluted air affecting the respiratory system as well as the growth of the baby. There have been studies done that show how mothers highly exposed to carbon dioxide (CO2) have a higher risk of adverse birth outcomes, pre-term delivery, low birth weight, and congenital heart defects. Although not all parts of United States have high levels of CO2, low portions of the air toxin do interfere with the health of the women as well as their children. Children are often spending more time outdoors than adults so they are easily affected by all these chemicals in the air. This leads children to develop asthma symptoms and other respiratory problems that could be risking their health enormously. Children miss school due to illness and they fall behind in class. Mothers have to take time out of work to take care of the child, which lessen her chances of a higher paycheck.
The air in the community impacts all different aspects of a family regardless the situations. There is always a solution though. The Clean Air Council has made 48 recommendations in their plan for our future air quality. They want us to use less energy and find and use “green” programs. Another way is using wind power. There are ways to clear the air and help families not suffer through living with the poor air quality that is affecting many citizens in New Jersey. This state has the potential to make clean energy history by improving air quality that will benefit many families and help many communities.
Gloria Rech