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Dirty and Unhealthy Fossil Fuel - Time to Go! 

Climate change is the biggest global-health threat of the 21st century 

14 May 2009 http:(/www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0905/09051501 

"A major report on managing the health effects of climate change, launched jointly by 

'The Lancet' and University of the City of London (UCL) today, says that climate change 

is the biggest global-health threat of the 21st century. " 

"The UCL team focused on key areas: patterns of disease and mortality, 

food security, water and sanitation, shelter and human settlements, extreme 

events, and population migration. 

Professor Costello says: 'The big message of this report is that climate change is 

a health issue affecting billions of people, not just an environmental issue about 

polar bears and deforestation. The impacts will be felt not just in the UK, but all around 

the world- and not just in some distant future but in our lifetimes and those of our 

children.' " 

"Carbon pollution causes climate change, whose rising temperatures worsen healthharming air pollution. Fossil fuel-fired power plants are responsible for 40 % of manmade carbon dioxide emissions." [NRDC. 3/5/12; Clean EnergyWebpage, Accessed 

12/2/11 

"Fossil fuels also account for more than So% of US global warming pollution. Global 

warming, if unchecked, threatens to fundamentally change the planet that has sustained our 

civilization. In the US, we're already seeing some of the effects-wildfires tearing through 

western states, devastating floods in the midwest, and historic droughts in the southeast." 

G REENPEACE http://www. green peace. org/ usa/ en/cam pa ig ns/ g loba 1-wa rm i ng -andenergy/ 

Carbon and air pollutants like toxic mercury and dirty soot from coal plants are linked 

to asthma attacks, lung disease, and neurological disorders. According to the Clean Air 

Task Force's recent study, "The Toll from Coal," coal pollution in the United States 

results in more than $100 billion annually in health costs. 

"Stanford University Study Directly Links Carbon dioxide Emissions to Increased 

Human Mortality. The study concludes that each increase of 1 degree Celsius or 1.8 

degree F. caused by carbon dioxide would result in air pollution that would lead 

annually to about a thousand additional deaths in the US and about 21, ooo deaths 

worldwide." [Jacobson, M.Z. (2008), On the causal link between carbon dioxide and air 

pollution mortality, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, Lo3809, doi:10.1029/2007GLo3110L] 

Asthma was responsible for 3,384 deaths in the United States in 20054 and it is 

increasing rather than decreasing. 
4

American Lung Association, Epidemiology and Statistics Unit, Research and Program Services. Trends in 

Asthma Morbidity and Mortality. November 2007. (ALA age group analysis of NHIS through 2005). 

Centers for Disease Control and PreventiOn, Vital Signs, May 201l.Asthma http://www.aaaai.org/aboutthe-aaaai/ncwsroom/asthma-statistics.aspx So, I believe, that it is apparent to all of us here 

that intervention ASAP is called for to stop this road to oblivion. 

"The Solutions (GREENPEACE) 

With current technology, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and 

geothermal can provide 96% of our electricity and 98% of our total heating 

demand- accounting for almost all of our primary energy demand. 

Investing in renewables could jumpstart our flagging economy, creating millions 

of jobs that can't be shipped overseas. It could put the US back at the forefront 

of the 21st century economy, in front of China, which in 2009 became the 

largest global investor in renewables." Green peace 

http://www. green peace .org/usa/ en/cam pa ig ns/g lob a 1-wa rm in g -and -energy/ 

Additionally, we also have to improve our energy efficiency as Europe, for example, far 

outpaces us and therein can we fill the gap of our energy needs. 

So are we going to lead the world community or follow in the wake of 

countries like Germany and even China? It is time to get ahead of the 

curve and break the chain of inertia and status quo. Yes, fossil fuel industries 

will go kicking and screaming off the main stage but alas and alack they have 

already long overstayed their welcome. The tide is turning as the Heartland 

Institute's most recent conclave of climate change deniers last week is slated to 

be the last. The public outcry overcame their concerted farce at keeping 

retrograde policies in effect. 

The question then comes to mind here: Why are we talking about the next 20 

coal powered plants coming down the pike? Why are they even in the planning 

stages? I say NO! Give them some tax deduction incentives and let them be 

the first to implement Greenpeace's new technology and renewable energy 

plan! It is time to take our place, in the forefront of energy policy)!: the w9rld. 

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Let's move forward! Let's break these chains of the Big, Dirty Fossil Fuel 

industry and the downward spiral to self and environmental destruction.