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| John, Today is Earth Day, and while it might be hard to think about the environment in the context of the ongoing pandemic, we’re seeing how far-reaching the effects of pollution can be. Folks who have preexisting respiratory conditions like asthma, and folks who’ve undergone cancer treatment, are more at risk for COVID-19. And EPA studies have linked air, water, and soil pollution to conditions like asthma, and in extreme conditions, some cancers. Worse still, it’s poor communities, rural communities, and communities of color that bear the brunt of these pollution-linked diseases. While environmental protections are about protecting our planet, they’re also about protecting our health. Polluted air and water are just as harmful to people as they are to the environment. That’s why, this Earth Day, I’m asking: Can you add your name to our petition calling on Congress to include environmental regulation to any bill improving our national pandemic preparedness? We’ve done this before. For a long time, we have been tightening the limits on particulate pollution in our air, drastically reducing the amount of harmful chemicals like lead we’re exposed to, and seen the public health results to back it up. We can and should continue to look at environmental protections as not just good for the earth -- but also an investment in our public health. Better public health means that we’ll be better prepared for the next pandemic, and fewer preexisting conditions in our at-risk communities would mean fewer people get seriously ill from a disease like COVID-19. Reducing pollution has tangible benefits for people’s health. Add your name beside mine today in calling for better pollution regulation as part of pandemic preparedness. Thank you, and happy Earth Day! Standing Tall for All, J.D. Scholten  |
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