Let’s focus on environmental devastation and climate change and impact on the poor
June 01, 2018 02:16 PM
During the week of June 4th, a
revival of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign
will focus on environmental devastation and climate change. Why would
poor people care about those things?
One need look no farther than Fresno County for the answer. Some of our poor rural communities still lack access to clean drinking water and remain at risk of pesticide exposure. We all must contend with polluted air and unacceptable rates of childhood asthma.
As for climate change, people with limited health care and other resources are disproportionately affected by rising temperatures. Heat waves can worsen air pollution, which is especially harmful to those with heart and lung illnesses. Unusual changes in rain and snowfall resulting in drought and less snowpack can result in job losses for seasonal workers. For folks without air conditioning or swimming pools, heat waves can be unbearable.
Rev. Dr. King once said, “It would be foolhardy for me to work for integrated schools or integrated lunch counters and not be concerned about the survival of the world in which to be integrated.” Amen, Rev. King….Amen!
Connie Young, Fresno
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article212372934.html
One need look no farther than Fresno County for the answer. Some of our poor rural communities still lack access to clean drinking water and remain at risk of pesticide exposure. We all must contend with polluted air and unacceptable rates of childhood asthma.
As for climate change, people with limited health care and other resources are disproportionately affected by rising temperatures. Heat waves can worsen air pollution, which is especially harmful to those with heart and lung illnesses. Unusual changes in rain and snowfall resulting in drought and less snowpack can result in job losses for seasonal workers. For folks without air conditioning or swimming pools, heat waves can be unbearable.
Rev. Dr. King once said, “It would be foolhardy for me to work for integrated schools or integrated lunch counters and not be concerned about the survival of the world in which to be integrated.” Amen, Rev. King….Amen!
Connie Young, Fresno
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article212372934.html