Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. (2019, December 20). A mountain of evidence on air pollution’s harms to children. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181220111818.htm

A new study led by the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) investigated the effects of air pollution in the US on children’s health. The study details the most prevalent outcomes in children as “adverse birth outcomes, cognitive and behavioral problems, and asthma”. The study also details the main perpetrators of the health consequences as fuel combustion by-products, additionally, toxic air pollutants such as particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide. The study also mentions that many of the adverse health effects caused by air pollution hurt children the most, claiming that “40 percent of the burden of environmentally related disease and about 90 percent of the burden of climate change is borne by children under five”.

The adverse effects of air pollution are obvious, given this study and so many others similar to it which detail the negative health effects of air pollution. But this article was especially compelling because it touched on the fact that a large majority of the victims of air pollution and climate change are innocent children. Children who have not done anything to contribute to the horrible state of the world and are simply a victim of their surroundings. It is very upsetting to know that they are defenseless victims and also know that currently, more children are becoming victims to air pollution and climate change. The way I fight against this is by being environmentally aware and to support legislation which will limit coal combustion and thus help the health of many children in the United States.