The mission of the Florida Clinicians for Local weather Motion, a gaggle of clinicians throughout the state representing a various set of specialties, is to coach well being professionals and the general public in regards to the impression of a warming local weather is presently and growing having on our well being.
We be a part of collectively now to ask College of Florida President Kent Fuchs and the UF board of trustees why they haven’t acted on the evaluation offered by the Rocky Mountain Institute to offer for UF’s power wants by tapping into renewable power and making upgrades to power effectivity and storage. As detailed in The Solar in March, the institute’s clear power proposal could be greater than $100 million lower than the UF trustees’ present plan, which remains to be outlined on their web site, to construct a methane-burning plant known as the Central Power Plant .
The Central Power Plant proposal would use what’s arguably the worst fossil gasoline in the case of fueling the local weather emergency. Methane, typically known as “pure” gasoline, is a super-pollutant which is greater than 80 instances as potent in warming the planet in its first 20 years in comparison with carbon dioxide. Though coal produces extra air air pollution within the type of particulate matter than methane, this doesn’t make methane a secure or clear fossil gasoline.
Burning methane kills individuals. Methane has been related to vital well being hazards and lowered social welfare at each stage of its life cycle. Methane extraction causes contamination of floor and floor water, radiation releases, earthquakes, ecosystem injury and dramatic air air pollution at manufacturing and compressor websites. The substances inflicting this air air pollution trigger most cancers, cut back lung operate, trigger and worsen lung and coronary heart illnesses, and are acknowledged by the Facilities for Illness Management and the Nationwide Institutes of Well being as hazardous respiratory pollution.
These hazards add up. The Massachusetts Institute of Expertise’s Laboratory for Aviation and the Surroundings estimated that air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, together with methane, kills 9 million individuals yearly all over the world, together with 200,000 individuals within the US That makes air air pollution from burning fossil fuels the fourth highest explanation for demise within the US and globally — deaths that might be swiftly prevented by taking pathways such because the one introduced to UF trustees by the Rocky Mountain Institute.
Moreover, local weather change has been referred to as “the best risk to human well being” by the Lancet Fee since 2009. Extra lately, the World Meteorological Group introduced “there’s a 50:50 probability of the annual common international temperature briefly reaching 1.5°C above the pre-industrial stage for not less than one of many subsequent 5 years.”
In 2015, the prospect of this was zero, underscoring the fast tempo of human-caused local weather change. We merely should not have time to waste constructing fossil fuel-burning vegetation, particularly when cheaper clear and renewable choices can be found.
UF is a distinguished establishment, final fall named a top-five public college by US Information and World Report. Whereas it’s a outstanding achievement, the college’s fame is now below risk because of the UF board of trustees’ continued dedication to this outdated and damaging proposal to construct the Central Power Plant. Absolutely a top-five public college doesn’t want so as to add to the epic problem of dramatically growing warming within the short- and long-term and additional contribute to the hostile well being results of local weather change and air air pollution.
It is clear what the precise path is in the case of the long run well being of UF’s college students, school and surrounding neighborhood. It’s also the one fiscally accountable path ahead, and one which aligns with UF’s personal objective to attain carbon neutrality by 2025. To stay befitting of UF’s distinction of a top-five public college, UF ought to meet its power wants in a manner that ushers in the way forward for clear renewable power, not one that adheres to the previous.
The Gator Nation has a chance to guide the general public college system into the period of fresh, renewable power. To the UF trustees: We, the Florida Clinicians for Local weather Motion, urge you to take it. If you don’t, we worry for the repercussions for UF, the Gainesville neighborhood, our nation and our world.
Carol Lindsey, a nurse practitioner, and Shauna Junco, a scientific pharmacy specialist in infectious illnesses, are each proud UF graduates who co-chair the Advocacy Committee of the Florida Clinicians for Local weather Motion. For extra data, see floridaclinicians.org.
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This text initially appeared on The Gainesville Solar: Florida Clinicians for Local weather Motion: UF ought to use clear energy