Posts Tagged: clean air
Nuestro Futuro: Latinos a Growing Force for Climate Action
It's difficult to think about Los Angeles in the 1970s and not envision smog blanketing the city. I remember it vividly. My father, who worked downtown, would often talk about the thick haze, the dirty air. And on the occasions I ventured into the city center as a child, I experienced the pollution smothering our home firsthand.
From the beginning, I had a keen awareness of Los Angeles's severe pollution problem, and later on, after my family moved to Colombia for my father's job, the issue became even clearer to me. From air pollution and dirty water to energy and water shortages, my childhood was shaped by environmental problems.
Later on, not long after I began working as an attorney at NRDC, in 1999, I noticed that the U.S. Latino community in particular was incredibly impacted by the many environmental issues plaguing the country. What's more, I saw that despite not having a lot of information about these problems or support to deal with them, Latinos were committed to finding a solution. I saw the same type of awareness that I remember so clearly from my own childhood—and it has shaped my work at NRDC ever since.
Today, my colleagues and I are proud to publish a new, comprehensive report on U.S. Latinos and climate change, the most pressing environmental issue of our time.
“Nuestro Futuro: Climate Change and U.S. Latinos” explores the growing number and influence of Latinos in the United States and highlights the elevated climate-related threats the community faces.
Perhaps most important, however, is that it demonstrates that Latinos care about the impacts of climate change—and they want action now. Latino engagement on the issue, the report finds, can help secure a safer climate and a cleaner energy future.
There are more than 56 million Latinos living in the United States today, up from more than 50 million in 2010. This rapidly changing segment of our population is expected to grow from nearly 18 percent of all U.S. inhabitants in 2015 to 29 percent by 2060. At the same time, Latinos are disproportionately vulnerable to climate-related threats because of where they live, their occupations, and the financial challenges they face.
More than 60 percent of U.S. Latinos live in California, Texas, Florida, and New York, where severe heat, air pollution, and flooding pose greater risks than they do in other states. And because a large number of Latinos work outdoors in crop and livestock production, construction, and landscaping, they are more susceptible to the impacts of extreme heat fueled by climate change. Meanwhile, millions of Latinos across the country don't have access to health insurance and are ineligible for federal disaster assistance that would help them recover from an extreme weather event.
In the face of these challenges, addressing climate change presents a tremendous opportunity. Despite the great diversity of Latinos in the United States, they are overwhelmingly united by a desire for action on climate. In fact, 9 out of 10 Latinos polled in 2014 said they wanted the government to take action to protect future generations from the dangers of climate change. And 8 in 10 expressed support for President Obama's efforts to reduce the carbon pollution that's driving climate change.
Significantly, a majority U.S. Latinos don't believe there is a trade-off between protecting the environment and fostering economic growth. They understand that clean energy and energy efficiency come with the economic benefit of lowering electricity bills and creating millions of jobs. And even when clean energy comes with an initial cost, Latinos are still highly supportive.
Latino culture has always honored the environment?from their indigenous roots, where nature holds a sacred space, to family traditions that instill a duty to care for and protect the earth. It should come as no surprise, then, that this incredibly diverse group stands with strong commitment and unity when it comes to tackling climate change—and I'm heartened and humbled by this passion.
I've come a long way from the smog days of my childhood in Los Angeles. What motivates me more now are my kids and the knowledge that we could be doing so much more, so much better. But we're not, simply because we choose not to. My job, I feel, is to bring more people into the fold—people like the 56 million Latinos in the United States. Because if enough individuals bring an awareness of climate change and start demanding real action, I have to believe that others will listen.
Source: Published originally on NRDC Nuestro Futuro: Latinos a Growing Force for Climate Action, by Adrianna Quintero, October 13, 2016.
Latinos support conservation issues
"This report provides definitive proof to what we've seen across the country – there is a significant, growing Latino movement that is advocating for greater environmental protections of our parks and public lands and is willing to support candidates that share that same value," said Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. "The Latino population is the fastest growing segment in the country — their engagement in conservation is critical and could have a far-reaching impact."
Additional findings include:
- When it comes to policy priorities, water and air pollution are especially important to the overwhelming majority of Latino voters.
- Looking at Latino attitudes on a range of conservation matters, conservation is viewed as essential to a better quality of life.
- There is ample evidence Latinos in the West and Southwest have strong ties to the region and regularly partake in outdoor activities, all of which serve to sharpen interest in conservation and clean air and water.
- Latino voters believe individuals and governments have important roles in protecting natural resources and promoting healthy, clean communities.
- Latinos prefer policies and candidates that actively promote a cleaner environment and preserving public lands. They are more likely to vote for candidates based on their environmental positions.
"Clean air and water, preserving public lands, climate change and promoting clean energy solutions are all matters of concern for this rapidly growing electorate," said Dr. Adrian Pantoja, Senior Analyst for Latino Decisions and Professor of Political Studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. "Decision makers and advocates with national and regional constituencies will need to demonstrate their attention to these concerns and policy preferences as the Latino population and electorate continues to grow into the foreseeable future."
"We know that regardless of the issue, Latinos, like most Americans, will seek policy approaches that better the quality of life for them, their families, and their community," said Leo Murrieta, National Field Director of Mi Familia Vota. "From immigration reform to conservation, Latinos want candidates and elected officials who will best represent the issues they care about and will do so by promoting laws that will treat our community with dignity and respect. Ensuring that our families have access to clean air and water, cleaner environments, and preservation of outdoor recreational areas will continue to be important to Latino voters across the nation."
"When you recognize how many aspects of our lives are affected by the environment, it's not surprising that Latinos are so passionate about conservation," said Arce. "The outdoors provides a connection to their cultural heritage. Recreation, tourism and farming provide employment and financial security to many. Getting outdoors and experiencing nature benefits the physical and mental wellness of youth and adults. And unfortunately, Latinos are much more likely to suffer negative health issues due to environmental hazards," said Arce.
Source: Hispanic Access Foundation, New Report Shows Overwhelming Latino Support for Conservation, Underscores Potential Impact on Mid-term Elections in Western States, August 20, 2014.
Latinos disproportionately impacted by air pollution
Latinos are among those facing the greatest risk from efforts to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updates to health safeguards protecting Americans from ozone, mercury and other dangerous air pollutants, according to a report from the National Latino Coalition on Climate Change, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.The report highlights air pollution in states that are home to more than 75 percent of Hispanic Americans: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
One out of two Latino Americans already live in counties where the air is frequently unsafe for kids and adults to breathe. The researchers said that clean air is needed, and blocking efforts to strengthen air pollution safeguards hits Hispanic Americans who pay the price for dirty air. The growing U.S. Latino population, which includes millions who are uninsured, faces serious health and financial burdens brought on by air pollution.
Key findings in the report include the following:
- Hispanics became the largest minority group in 191 metropolitan districts last year, with the highest expansion in areas of concentrated vehicle traffic, industry, and power plant activity. Roughly one out of every two Latinos live in areas that frequently violate clean air rules.
- As of 2008, 4.7 million Hispanics had been diagnosed with asthma. In their lifetime, Latinos are three times more likely to die from asthma than other racial or ethnic groups.
- Exposure to air pollution can aggravate preexisting health problems – especially respiratory problems like asthma. For millions of uninsured Latinos, this can lead to additional emergency room visits in the absence of primary care.
- The pending EPA mercury rule is critical to public health and would protect the nearly 40 percent of Latinos living within 30 miles of a power plant.
Clean air rules are good for health and the health of the economy. The EPA projects that the proposed mercury and air toxics standards will create up to 31,000 short-term construction jobs and 9,000 long-term utility jobs, as workers are hired to bring power plants into compliance. Considering that, on average, Hispanic workers occupy two out of every three new construction jobs in the United States, these standards could bring relief to thousands of Latino families suffering under the economic downturn.
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council, “US Latinos and Air Pollution: A Call to Action”, August 19, 2011.