First Name | Joseph |
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Last Name | Ramirez |
Email Address | josramz6@gmail.com |
Affiliation | Elementary School Teacher |
Subject | Cutting Diesel Pollution |
Comment | I just read an article in the LA Times regarding this issue. I have been following the growing concern over soot pollution in LA for sometime. I have worked in the Santa Monica school district for 15 years, four of those as a Elementary PE Teacher. I have been monitoring PM 2.5 for some years now via SCAQMD and honestly it's scary. The NW Coastal pollution and traffic congestion is a growing plague, though probably not as bad as the port areas. Growing up in Los Angeles as a child in the 70s, I remember the "Smog Alerts" and having to spend the day indoors. It seems that we have not been doing much at all to protect today's young lives who play hard in particulate pollution almost every single day. It is very hard for me to send my students out to PE or any outdoor physical activity just knowing that the PM 2.5 levels are in the "yellow" or "orange" range. It's much harder to watch those who have inhalers, asthma or students with heart problems play with their friends in the polluted air. I have a four year old and a two month old of my own and I just don't even feel comfortable taking them to the park unless we're in the "green," which doesn't happen nearly enough. If installing particulate traps on diesel polluting vehicles is a remedy until we can get more alternative fuels flowing, then this should become mandated for our entire state to not only protect people, but wildlife, and a warming planet. It could create jobs and provide for almost immediate relief, as PM pollution can be controlled. I think that traps should be extended to trains, all heavy machinery, planes, boats and all diesel vehicles--most importantly and way over due, every school bus in our state and beyond should be either on alternative fuel or in the least be retrofitted. There are still way too many buses that spew out pollution and it's an embarrassment, and testament to how much we value our children. Finally, I'm heading up to our local mountains in Big Bear this week to relax before school starts. I wonder what the air will be like there? I know that even our local mountains are also affected by this type of pollution. There's no way of escaping it. Please do what you must to enforce these public safeguards and help take the steps to move California beyond fossil fuels--we are running out of time. Paying particular attention to a pollution problem with a word that begins with the letters, "DIE" I think should be taken seriously. This fall I will teaching my third grade students much more about this horrible reality we have to deal with and educate them about doing what they can to do help. I guarantee they will be very excited and about it and more than eager to do their part, will you? Thank you for you time, Joseph Ramirez |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2012-08-13 09:46:38 |
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