October 31, 2016

If you care about clean air, please VOTE next week!

11/30/16 Update: Well, so we voted. Now what? Trump has vowed to dismantle environmental regulations. We can’t let that happen. More than ever before, it’s time to get active.

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I have to admit, the current election cycle has me wanting to hide under my covers with a bottle of wine and a few choice edibles until the madness is over. It’s been weird and ugly, and I’m sure quite a few of us are exhausted and tempted to just stay home on November 8.

PLEASE DON’T DO THAT.

November 8 is not only about electing our next president, which is important in itself, but also electing the representatives and passing the propositions that will impact the state of our air, water, soil, and climate in the years to come.  Clean Air Mom’s Action — the political action partner of Mom’s Clean Air Force — is urging parents to get out and vote for the health of our children and those who are the most vulnerable.

Please visit Clean Air Moms Action and pledge to vote next week.

Who Should I Vote For?

Clean Air Moms Action does not endorse candidates, but I have no problem letting you know what I think.  To me, ensuring that Donald Trump DOES NOT become our next president is a no-brainer.  And not just because of the things he’s tweeted about climate change and environmental protection before he became the Republican nominee.

Trump says that his comment about the concept of global warming being created by the Chinese was a joke.  But his ACTUAL plans to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency and roll back current climate and environmental policies within his first 100 days is NO JOKE.  Here’s an excerpt from Trump’s “America First Energy Plan” (highlights added by me):

You might be thinking that Trump can’t possibly win the presidency.  I know of only one way to prevent this:  get out and vote.

Clean Air Senate and House Candidates

Possibly even more important than who we choose for president are the men and women we elect to represent us in the Senate and House.  They are the ones who will ensure that we pass effective environmental policies, despite who we install at the White House.

Check out the Sierra Clubs’ Climate Voter 2016 Election Guide, which lists all endorsements for federal candidates as approved by the individual state chapters.

What Does Clean Air Have To Do With Plastic?

The connection between electing clean air candidates and plastic pollution might not be readily obvious.  In fact, I personally didn’t understand what plastic had to do with clean air until 2012, when Mom’s Clean Air Force asked me to write a post to contribute to their blog carnival on Clean Air & Environmental Justice.  Read the full post here:  What’s Plastic Got To Do With Clean Air?  You can also read the original version on the Mom’s Clean Air Force website.

Here’s a summary of the key points:

• Most plastic is made from fossil fuels like oil and natural gas, which release toxic emissions when extracted from the earth.
• Petrochemical plants pollute communities and harm workers.
• Plastics contain additives that can offgas and contaminate the air in our homes and other personal spaces.
• Plastics release hazardous emissions when burned.
• Emissions from plastic recycling can be hazardous to communities and workers.

Choosing to reduce our personal plastic use is only one part of the solution.  We have to elect candidates that will pass laws to regulate the companies creating plastic and its associated pollution problems.

This post was produced with financial support from Clean Air Moms Action.  But as always, all of the opinions are my own.  Nobody puts Baby in a corner, and no one tells Plastic-Free Beth what to write!