If there is any reason why the public can agree that environmental matters matter, it is for the health of the nation’s children. Kids are born into this world having played no role in the condition of the environment. Yet, they are the most vulnerable to the problems that exist within the water, air and overall environmental landscape.
The Huffington Post recently reported on the current air conditions in the U.S. Though improvements have supposedly been made to address air quality, kids are still suffering from the toxins that remain in the air that they breathe. The following are a few findings regarding contaminated air and children’s health:
- Two-thirds of children in the U.S. are breathing “bad air.”
- More than two-thirds of children in the U.S. live in areas where air pollutants exceed government-set limits.
- From 2001 to 2010, the number of U.S. kids who suffer from asthma increased by more than 3 million.
Children are vulnerable to many environmental conditions simply because of their immature development. Low air quality is not great for adults’ health, but can create more immediate, evident problems within children whose lungs and overall systems are not as strong and developed in order to combat pollutants.
Combating pollutants comes down to a fight against systems that might be contributing the compromised quality of the earth’s air and water. Some actions are clearly reckless and irresponsible and need to be met with resistance.
For those who believe that the quality of their land, community, health or the health of their children has been threatened by careless acts, an environmental lawyer could help answer questions and guide them through a potential lawsuit.
Source: The Huffington Post, “U.S. Air Quality: Children Still At Risk, Despite Recent Improvements,” April 25, 2013