Transcript:
Lisa Patel, a pediatrician at Stanford, is worried about the growing danger of air pollution.
Patel: “I am really concerned that a child born today is likely to breathe poorer air quality than what we enjoyed.”
As the climate warms, extreme wildfires are blanketing many cities and towns in thick smoke.
That smoke can contain tiny particles called PM2.5, which have been linked to health problems like asthma.
Young children, whose lungs are still developing, are especially vulnerable to this pollution.
And they can even be exposed indoors. For example, Patel remembers walking into the neonatal intensive care unit during a wildfire in 2020.
Patel: “And there was so much smoke outside that our filtration systems couldn’t keep up. And you could actually smell it inside of our NICU.”
Patel also worries about the Trump administration’s efforts to repeal some air pollution regulations.
Power plants, vehicles, and factories also emit PM2.5. But the Trump administration recently took steps to loosen stricter standards on this pollution that were set by the Biden administration.
To help protect children’s health, Patel encourages people to speak up for cleaner air and climate action.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
