Moms, Kids From Across U.S. Hold "Play-In" Protest On Hill Urging Climate, Air Pollution Action
Cause for Concern: Hundreds of Child Deaths, 150,000 Juvenile Asthma Attacks Per Year
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Raising the alarm about hundreds of premature deaths and 150,000 child asthma attacks per year linked to climate change and carbon pollution, an estimated 400 moms and kids gathered in a park on Capitol Hill to hold a "Play-In" protest. Organized by the Moms Clean Air Force, the mothers and their children called for action on climate change and air pollution, as well as to voice support for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Power Plan.
Photos of the 2nd annual protest will be available on line as of 2 p.m. EDT today at https://www.flickr.com/photos/momscleanairforce.
In making the case for the Clean Power Plan, organizers and speakers cited the following EPA data: "These reductions will lead to climate and health benefits worth an estimated $55 billion to $93 billion per year in 2030. This includes avoiding 2,700 to 6,600 premature deaths and 140,000 to 150,000 asthma attacks in children. These climate and health benefits far outweigh the estimated annual costs of the plan, which are $7.3 billion to $8.8 billion in 2030. From the soot and smog reductions alone, for every dollar invested through the Clean Power Plan, American families will see up to $7 in health benefits."
The family-friendly "Play-In" protest began at 930 a.m. with family activities, including music, hula-hoops, capoeira instruction, yoga, puppets, storytelling, and crafts. At 11 a.m., a news conference was held featuring the views of protest event attendees from across the U.S. The morning's activities ended with an 1130 a.m.-noon march on US. Senate offices.
Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley, retired senior pastor, Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, said: "We have all come to Washington DC because I believe that every person has the right to clean air -- it is a civil right -- and I am here to fight for the civil rights of all children. We are here to stand up and speak out -- we won't sit down."
Maria Cardona, CNN political contributor and founder of Latinovations, said: "Asthma is epidemic in our communities. Hispanic children are 60 percent more likely to develop asthma compared to non-Hispanic white children. Hispanic children are more likely to visit the ER for asthma, compared to white children. With Latino children making up more than a quarter of the kids in kindergarten today, we need action on climate change and carbon pollution if we want our next generation of leaders to be healthy and ready to keep our country at the forefront of global competitiveness."
Katie Huffling, RN, MS, CNM, director of programs, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, said: "As a nurse, I see firsthand how climate change is impacting health now - such as more kids with asthma, longer allergy seasons, and more patients with Lyme disease. To protect the health of our patients and prevent further disease we need strong action to address climate change."
Laura Burns, Ohio mother, blogger and biologist, said: "Just like we as parents expect our children to be responsible for the way they treat others we believe that the fossil fuel industry should behave in a responsible manner since we all share the same air."
Rev. Dr. Yvette Griffin, grandmother and co-pastor, Pilgrim Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan, said: "In Michigan, over 250,000 children suffer from asthma -- asthma that is made worse by poor air quality. For our children, this is a life and death situation."
ABOUT THE GROUP
Moms Clean Air Force is a community of half a million moms -- and dads -- working together to combat air pollution, including the urgent crisis of our changing climate. For more information, go to www.momscleanairforce.org.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Photos from the event will be available by 2 p.m. at https://www.flickr.com/photos/momscleanairforce. A streaming audio replay of the 11 a.m. news conference will be available online at http://www.hastingsgroupmedia.com/MCAFPlay-In2015.mp3.
SOURCE Moms Clean Air Force
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