Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Polluters

  1. #1
    Featured Member discretedancer's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2004
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    1,004
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Polluters

    This should bring a fun thread:
    http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=564421

    NEW YORK, NY*– New evidence shows that more groups are at risk from air pollution and that the health risks are even more serious than experts previously believed, according to the annual American Lung Association State of the Air: 2005 report released today.* The report also warns that continued threats to relax federal rules for corporate polluters will jeopardize public health.

    “Dirty air threatens the lives and health of far too many Americans,” said John L. Kirkwood, president and chief executive officer of the American Lung Association.* “Unfortunately, some of the largest producers of dirty air are big energy companies, who have worked with their friends in Congress on legislation to change the rules so they don’t have to clean up their pollution. Fortunately, the Senate recently blocked that bill, but the vote was very close. We need to ask ourselves: Why was Congress even considering a bill that protects corporate polluters instead of the public?” he said.*
    Go
    More than 152 million Americans live in counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of air pollution, according to the State of the Air: 2005 report.* The report ranks the cities and counties with the dirtiest air, and provides county-level report cards on the two most pervasive air pollutants: particle pollution and ozone (more commonly called “smog”). According to the report, exhaust fumes from idling diesel trucks and buses, smoke from dirty power plants and factories, and soot released from indoor and outdoor wood burning combine to create particle pollution and are also the key raw ingredients of ozone pollution.

    *

    New Evidence Shows Air Pollution Can Cause Premature Death
    The State of the Air: 2005 report cites recently published studies showing that as ozone levels increase, the risk of premature death increases as well. Ozone is an extremely reactive gas that irritates the respiratory system and can kill people with severe respiratory problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (with includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis), and asthma. The studies also found that ozone causes shortness of breath and coughing, triggers asthma attacks and increases the need for emergency room visits and hospital admissions. Children, the elderly, and those with asthma or other lung diseases are most at risk from ozone.

    In addition, the Lung Association now adds diabetics to the list of groups most at risk from particle pollution, based on increased evidence of their vulnerability to these tiny particles. Particle pollution is a mixture of microscopic solids and aerosols that has been found to take months to years off a person’s life. Other at-risk groups include children, seniors, those with asthma and lung diseases and those with cardiovascular diseases.* Particle pollution has also been shown to induce heart attacks and strokes, cause lung cancer, trigger asthma attacks and increase the need for medical care and hospital admissions

    “Evidence is mounting each year underscoring just how dangerous air pollution really is,” explained Norman H. Edelman, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. “The more we learn, the more critical cleaning up the air becomes.”

    Administration Delays and Proposals Jeopardize Public Health
    In the State of the Air: 2005 report, the American Lung Association cites threats to public health that target protections in the Clean Air Act.* The Clean Air Act requires that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and states clean up dangerous pollutants and ensures residents have air that is safe to breathe by 2010.*

    “Big energy companies are pushing Congress to change the law to let them get in an extra 10 years of pollution and to increase pollution at their oldest and dirtiest plants,” said Janice Nolen, director of national policy at the American Lung Association.* “In March, the Senate blocked a bill that would do just that, but the fight is not over. We must continue to be vigilant about protecting the Clean Air Act from the polluters,” she said.

    The Lung Association has taken legal action to stop this rollback, and encourages everyone to join them in supporting strong national, state, and local pollution control programs, by participating in community reviews of air pollution and sending e-mails or faxes to urge members of Congress to protect the Clean Air Act.* To contact members of Congress to oppose revisions to the Clean Air Act, including loopholes for polluting power plants that would weaken existing laws, log onto www.lungusa.org.

    Counties Across the Country Have Dangerously High Particle Pollution and Ozone Levels
    The State of the Air: 2005 report shows that about 50.2 million Americans live in counties with unhealthy levels of both ozone and particle pollution.* Here are some of the cities ranked among the worst in the nation for ozone and/or particle pollution:

    •*West: Los Angeles, Calif.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Fresno, Calif.; Hanford, Calif.; Visalia, Calif.
    •*Northeast: New York, N.Y.; Newark, N.J.; Bridgeport, Conn.
    •*Mid-Atlantic: Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Md.; Pittsburgh, Pa.
    •*Midwest: Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Chicago, Ill.; Detroit, Mich.; St. Louis, Mo.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Provo, Utah
    •*Southeast: Birmingham, Ala.; Louisville, Ky.; Atlanta, Ga.; Charlotte, N.C. Knoxville, Tenn.
    •*South: Houston, Texas; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
    •*Northwest: Eugene, Ore.; Springfield, Ore.

    What People Can Do To Protect Themselves From Air Pollution
    “The American Lung Association produced the State of the Air: 2005 report to help all Americans understand the quality of the air in their community. But it can’t stop there,” said Kirkwood. “Air, and the pollution carried in it, doesn’t respect city and county boundaries.* Americans have the power to protect themselves and the air we’re all breathing.* It’s time for everyone to pitch in and help.”

    To find out what you can do to get involved, protect yourself, your family’s health, and the Clean Air Act, go to www.lungusa.org.

  2. #2
    God/dess montythegeek's Avatar
    Joined
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    2,103
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 9 Times in 5 Posts

    Default Re: American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Polluters

    These folks think Utah is in the midwest. Tell that to Brigham Young.

  3. #3
    Featured Member Destiny's Avatar
    Joined
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    1,355
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts

    Default Re: American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Pollute

    Okay, I'll take the bait.

    This gloom and doom report masks the truth: Our air is getting cleaner and is predicted to continue to do so.

    According to the EPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI), air quality has improved an average of 53 percent in the 10 cities that had the worst air pollution in 1990.

    Cities with the dirtiest air were the ones showing the greatest improvements. Four of the top five most-improved are in southern California. And while ozone still exceeds the standards, it was at its lowest level ever last year. The good news is that air pollution is predicted to continue declining. The EPA’s own emissions models project that emissions from the auto fleet will decline by more than 80 percent over the next 25 years.

    The fact that our air is predicted to continue getting cleaner shouldn't really be a surprise. Major air pollutants have been declining since the mid 70's

    Ozone (1-hour standard) -31%
    Nitrogen Dioxide -42%
    Sulfur Dioxides -72%
    Carbon Monoxide -76%
    Particulates (PM10)* -31%
    Lead -98%

    Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as published by the Pacific Research Institute.


    "New Evidence Shows Air Pollution Can Cause Premature Death" the report screams. Well, okay. But in the interest of "balance", shouldn't the report have pointed out that our air is much cleaner than it was when our parents were our age? These type of "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" reports may be a good way to generate donations to the American Lung Association. However, they don't do anything to further people's understanding of the true situation and they sure as hell don't reflect real science.
    Dancing is wonderful training for girls, it's the first way you learn to guess what a man is going to do before he does it. ~Christopher Morley, Kitty Foyle

  4. #4
    Featured Member discretedancer's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2004
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    1,004
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default Re: American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Polluters

    Without having read either report in entirety, I don't see that they're exclusive of each other. It may be better than in the past...but that doesn't mean we don't still live with pollution (go out in the woods, then come home, and tell me there's no difference) and it doesn't mean the pollution we have isn't dangerous.

    Look at the headline, one of the challenges the report is aimed at is our current administration's desire to ROLL BACK the advances you herald so strongly.

  5. #5
    Featured Member Destiny's Avatar
    Joined
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    1,355
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts

    Default Re: American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Pollute

    The entire tone of the "report" by the American Lung Assoc. is, "OUR AIR IS KILLING US!!!!". In fact, our air is cleaner than is has been in a generation. The report does state, "Despite Modest Air Quality Improvements...". Modest? An imrovement of on 53 percent in the 10 cities that had the worst air pollution in 1990 is just "modest"? These type of chicken-little "reports" are why the vast majority of the American population have tuned enviornmentalists out.
    Dancing is wonderful training for girls, it's the first way you learn to guess what a man is going to do before he does it. ~Christopher Morley, Kitty Foyle

  6. #6
    Featured Member discretedancer's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2004
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    1,004
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default Re: American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Polluters

    again...cleaner does not mean good enough.

    Federal officials are looking hard at rolling back the protections....hence the report (simple opposition to that stated threat).

    BALANCE is not inappropriate. Warning of the existing or potential problems (even with gains) is not chicken little...unless you think warnings of drunk-driving dangers are irresponsible just because fewer people do it now than they did before.

  7. #7
    Featured Member Destiny's Avatar
    Joined
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    1,355
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts

    Default Re: American Lung Association Calls On Congress To Stop Siding With Corporate Pollute

    Quote Originally Posted by discretedancer
    again...cleaner does not mean good enough.
    What would be good enough? Last decmial point compliance?

    The tone of the report was not, "our air is good, but could be better". The report started out, "... the health risks are even more serious than experts previously believed," and in bold type linked breathing air to premature death. I'd be willing to bet that the release of this "report" coincided with a fund-raising letter they sent out. The really deceptive part is that they only dicuss "risks". I'm not particularly concerned with the risks, I'm concerned with the likelihood. The risks of serious bodily injury or even death from being struck by lightening are great. However, on any given day, the likelihood of that happening are slim. A more, "BALANCED" report would have discussed the likelihood, not just breathlessly screamed about the risks. But then such a report would not have been as good for continuing the myth that our air is killing us and generating donations.

    Like I've said before, this constant gloom and doom doesn't do anything to enhance the reputation of the environmental movement.
    Dancing is wonderful training for girls, it's the first way you learn to guess what a man is going to do before he does it. ~Christopher Morley, Kitty Foyle

Similar Threads

  1. Cuba Releases Lung Cancer Vaccine
    By AngelKing in forum The Lounge
    Replies: 39
    Last Post: 09-13-2011, 04:51 PM
  2. coughing up lung tissue?
    By Lena in forum Body Business
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 01-15-2008, 01:45 PM
  3. what the hell is the "North American Exotic Dancers Association"?
    By xoxoGracexoxo in forum Stripping (was Stripping General)
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 05-16-2006, 11:58 AM
  4. Replies: 21
    Last Post: 08-09-2005, 10:22 PM
  5. American Diabetes Association (ADA)
    By DJ_Duane in forum The Lounge
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 05-03-2005, 09:08 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •