Renewables are growing fast, but not fast enough as air pollution threatens public health Providing information and ideas to build a healthier, more sustainable America. - November 2021 - Since the last update, we released reports on one of the main reasons we need to fight global warming – air pollution – and some of our best tools to do so: electrifying transportation and switching to renewable energy. On the blog, we wrote about issues with land use, recycling, cars and car loans, and EV charging. Everyone's doing it (breathing polluted air) In 2020, over 70% of the country was exposed to more than a month of ozone or particulate pollution above the level the EPA calls “good.” That’s one of the main findings from our report, Trouble in the Air, which examined EPA air quality data and discussed the (numerous and scary) health effects of air pollution, its sources and the ways it is connected to global warming. The report was covered by the Las Vegas Sun and the Los Angeles Daily News, among others. Sparking the electric revolution Electrifying the ways we move people and stuff, whether in the form of cars, trucks or buses, is key to reducing carbon pollution from transportation. Our new report, An Electric Vehicle Toolkit for Local Governments, has tips, suggestions and examples of the ways that cities and towns across the country can promote and support widespread use and adoption of EVs and raise awareness of their benefits. Beating predictions: renewable energy continues to expand U.S. wind, solar and geothermal electricity generation nearly quadrupled between 2011 and 2020, growing at an annual rate of 15% and accounting for more than 12% of all electricity generation nationwide in 2020. That’s one of the key findings from our latest report, the 2021 edition of Renewables on the Rise, which digs into the growth of solar, wind, electric vehicles, battery storage and energy efficiency with analysis and interactive tools. Renewables continue to outperform expectations and are set to keep growing quickly, but we’ll need them to expand even faster to fully decarbonize the country and fight global warming. On the blog Sarah Nick explores the history of her hometown, where a giant mall replaced fertile farmland, and argues for long-term thinking around land use; Adrian Pforzheimer explains what those triangular symbols on plastic containers actually are and how the plastics industry is intentionally misleading consumers; R.J. Cross shows that skyrocketing auto debt in the U.S. is a symptom of our car-centric society that forces people into driving; and Tony Dutzik notes that the fast-approaching EV future requires a massive investment in charging infrastructure. Coming soon Look for our upcoming reports: Transportation funding: We’ll explore a framework for the allocation of transportation funding to best serve people and the environment “Forever chemicals”: We’ll investigate the insidious class of manufactured chemicals known as PFAS – their ubiquity in products we use daily, their health effects, and the places they’ve been found infiltrating the natural environment. Frontier Group staff Susan Rakov, Director Tony Dutzik and Elizabeth Ridlington, Associate Directors and Senior Policy Analysts R.J. Cross, James Horrox and Adrian Pforzheimer, Policy Analysts Sarah Nick and Bryn Huxley-Reicher, Policy Associates Frontier Group is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Subscribe to this newsletter Frontier Group | 1129 State Street, Suite 10, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]