You want to rile people up and get something done? Call the moms.
The Moms Clean Air Force held its first summit in Albuquerque on Tuesday, talking about how global warming and climate change are affecting kids’ health. About 50 moms attended.
“One of our top concerns is we’re seeing longer warming periods because of climate change, and because of that there’s more particulate pollution in the air; for kids with asthma, allergies and respiratory issues, it’s particularly difficult,” said Celerah Hewes, a field consultant with Moms Clean Air Force.
“Because of the longer warming periods we have a longer allergy season, and now we’re at a point where the allergy and flu seasons are backing up on each other,” she said.
Moms Clean Air Force, which has been around for about five years, is a community of more than 1 million moms and dads around the country who are committed to talking about the health effects on children of air pollution and climate change, as well as discussing grass roots ways to improve the environment.
Hewes thanked Mayor Tim Keller for his leadership on climate issues and his commitment to increase renewable energy, energy efficiency in city buildings, and for being among the U.S. mayors to sign their own climate accord after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. as a signatory on the Paris Climate Accord last year.
“As the federal government rolls back protections on air, land and water, it becomes more and more important for local leaders to step up and for local community members to talk about what’s important to them,” Hewes said.
Anni Hanna, who has four kids ranging from age 4 to 9, said we need to try get a handle on global warming “while we still can,” as well as cease releasing plastics and other pollution into our environments.
“We need to make changes and soon,” she said. “This is the only planet we have, and I have kids so we need a healthy environment for them to grow up in.”
