Let’s Not Argue About Climate Change

The words “climate change” are slowly starting to become part of our national vocabulary. Many people now accept it as fact, but there are still some doubters, especially as we shiver in a cold winter, and mutter, “Boy, some global warming would feel good right now.” Is climate change real? 

But really, what does it matter? Even if you don’t believe in climate change, even if you deny the science behind it, there’s no doubt that air pollution exists. And air pollution kills people.

Air polluted with car exhaust and fumes from power plants is an issue that affects every one of us, no question. Air pollution can cause lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema. It’s already creating an epidemic of childhood asthma. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 7 million people die a year as a result of air pollution exposure, and that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. Reducing air pollution could save millions of lives.

Developing green and renewable sources of energy will not only create jobs, it will improve the lives of the people we care about. Breathing cleaner air could literally lengthen your life. Let’s not even waste time arguing with the skeptics about whether climate change is real. Let’s get to work to support developing sources of power that won’t poison the air we breathe. Let’s lower our risk of lung cancer. Let’s get our kids off the inhalers. Let’s breathe clean air.