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Diesel exhaust is responsible for three major types
of pollution: air toxics, soot and smog. These problems can lead to
negative health effects ranging from headaches and upset stomachs
to chronic respiratory illness and cancer.
A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists has found that 9 out
of 10 of America’s 454,000 school buses are powered by diesel, meaning
that children who take these buses are exposed to a considerable amount
of pollution on a regular basis.
One study found that "23 to 46 children out of every 1 million who
ride a school bus will someday get cancer as a result of their exposure
to diesel exhaust." More common, however, are the frequent asthma
attacks resulting from diesel exhaust. In smoggy urban areas, asthma
attacks are now the leading cause for missed school days.
What’s more, children are typically more susceptible to the effects
of air pollution than healthy adults. Their lungs are young and still
developing, and children also tend to have higher breathing rates
and spend more time outdoors than grown ups, exposing them to even
greater amounts of pollution.
Several studies have found that kids living near highways and other
busy streets have worse lung function than children living in cleaner
locations. Some environmental groups have pointed to the fact that
diesel bus depots are often placed in poor communities of color --
evidence of what is known as "environmental racism." Often times children
in these neighborhoods have less access to healthcare than children
from richer families, which can exacerbate the health problems caused
by their environment.
Luckily, realistic alternatives to diesel are currently on the market.
Many cities and towns are replacing old, diesel-powered buses with
buses that run on cleaner-burning compressed natural gas or zero-emissions
fuel cells. Groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists and West
Harlem Environmental Action are involved in campaigns to replace dirty
diesel buses with alternatives that are safer for our children’s health.
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