Today I had the pleasure of attending my very first Utah Clean Air Conference in Orem, Utah. Along with Utah Moms for Clean Air, other sponsors of the event included Intermountain Health Care, the American Lung Association of Utah, Utah Valley University, College of Science and Health, Breathe Utah, and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. With a star studded group of speakers in the field of medicine, science, economics and Moms, I was able to learn so much more about the physical dangers of our air quality. As grim, devastating and shocking the information on air quality and health affects was today, I did learn of some possible solutions to improve these issues. One very important solution is to educate others. Another is by contacting our elected representatives and requesting further discussion on implementing steps to cure the toxic air. After this winter's poor air quality and following today's discussions, I am forced by moral obligation to no longer sit back and ignore the issues we and our children are faced with. It is our time as mothers to work as a joined group and demand justice for clean air!
Are you all with me? I know I know, it seems like such a large task to take on. But really, it isn't. It is easy, and it begins right here...by educating the public. Here are some interesting facts I learned today that might convince you otherwise:
- Did you know that little tiny embryos are exposed to air pollution in utero from the air the mother breathes during pregnancy? Blood samples were taken from the umbilical cord of recently born babies immediately following birth and it showed a 50% increase of chromosomal damage. Chromosomal damage is what leads to types of cancer, leukemia, brain damage (therefore lower IQ's), asthma...and the list goes on. Basically, we can say (and as quoted by Brian Moench, MD and President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment) that we are what our grandparents inhaled. Furthermore, our great grand children will have damage to their systems due to the bad air we are breathing today. Not fair right? Right.
- Did you know that from the moment a baby is born, it is contaminated with over 200 chemicals in our air that are proven to cause health problems? Crazy huh? Our poor children...it's just so UNJUST!
As Cherise Udell, the Founder and President of Utah Moms for Clean Air said so well, it is our
moral imperative to do something about our air quality. We can no longer accept that the toxic air on average shaves off 2 years of our children's lives and increases their chance of a lifetime struggle with asthma. It is no longer acceptable that our children have no choice in the harmful affects of our air on their brain development and lung and heart health. It is no longer fair that we are forced to stay indoors because the air we breathe outside can make us sick, increase our chances of congestive heart failure, lung failure, and mortality. There are many things we can do to improve the quality of air we breathe. Please see the web sites below for more information on what you can do to ensure we breathe clean. The
steps are easy...as long as you are willing to sacrifice your time to educate yourself on the matter.
Some web sites for more information:
Thank you for listening. If you have any interest in joining Utah Mom's for Clean air, go to their web site. They are also on Facebook and
Twitter for more information and support.
Mommy Bridget
