This Earth Day, Pledge to Stop Burning Wood for Public Health
What do Earth Day, wood smoke and COVID-19 all have in common? The answer lies in air quality. With most of our nation’s in-person Earth Day festivities cancelled or moved to a digital format, and the state’s at-large shelter-in-place policy, many people may not be thinking that much more needs to be done to protect Oregon’s air quality.
After all, our world’s air has become significantly cleaner, due to a slowdown in economic activity, right? While this may be currently true, the necessity of improving our air quality in the long-term cannot be under-estimated.
It is no secret that decreased air quality and pollution is linked to a myriad of health problems, ranging from asthma to dementia, cardiac arrest, cancer, and neurological diseases. Air pollution is already expected to cut life expectancy by an average of 3 years. But a Harvard study released this month also specifically found that people who live in regions with high air pollution are significantly (15%) more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who live in regions with cleaner air. The study was the first to link long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) to COVID-19. It confirms previous studies which link air pollution to a dramatic increase in death with other respiratory illnesses, such as SARS—indicating that air quality is one of the most significant factors in determining susceptibility to illness. Simply put, environmental health is public health.
In fact, the link to air quality and a region’s susceptibility to illness is so clear, that five of Oregon’s agencies, including the Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Health Authority recently issued a joint statement asking Oregonians to voluntarily refrain from outdoor wood burning while communities respond to the COVID crisis. Motor vehicles and wood stoves, fireplaces, and open burning remain the primary sources of human-caused air pollution in Oregon. In fact, it is responsible for 12.8 million pounds of particulate pollution a year. Because the issue of respiratory illnesses and disease are unlikely to ever go away, changing behaviors within our control, can make all the difference.
This Earth Day, we ask you to join us in taking a pledge to refrain from both indoor and outdoor wood burning to help protect Oregon’s air quality- both in the short term and long term. Thank you for both honoring the Earth and your public health.
Between COVID and winter weather, many of us are hunkered down at home, spending more time indoors now than perhaps at any other time in our lives. So it’s only natural that we want to make our home environments cozy and comforting. During wintertime, that often means lighting a fire in our fireplace or gathering around a firepit. But what many don’t realize is that the warm glow of a fire comes at a high cost to our health.
On May 17, Rogue Valley residents will have the opportunity to support their community by voting for a local transit levy.
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We can place part of the blame on the fact that Oregon lags far behind other states in suppo
It can be hard to be a college student. The many hours of study, plus juggling a regular job, student activities, work study — it’s a lot of pressure. Adding onto the regular stresses of college life, a lack of sufficient public transit service to get to class, appointments or work is not something students should have to deal with. But for students at Umpqua Community College, it is a reality.
Quentin knows this struggle well.
A student at Umpqua Community College, Quentin stu
We all know that public transit connects communities and helps people get where they need to go. But for some, it’s more than a help – it’s a vital resource.
Maggie Ota can attest to this. A Forest Grove resident for the past three years, a big reason her family relocated to the area was because of the school district’s integrated programs for disabled students.
In the Forest Grove School District her son, Mika, is able to attend a regular classroom with other kids ̵
Guest Blog Post by Alex Garcia, Oregon Climate and Health Program, AmeriCorps VISTA Team Member
Oregon’s public health sector is committed to taking care of Oregonians, especially those most vulnerable amongst us. That is why addressing and preparing for climate change, one of the greatest threat multipliers for public health, is a priority for the Oregon Health Authority.
Yesterday, the Oregon Public Health Division released the
Why do we love public transportation such as buses and light rail? Less road congestion. Less air pollution. Fewer health risks. Reduced household costs. Better economic development. Reliable access to school, work and community—the list goes on.
But a truly effective public transportation system must anticipate both the current and future needs of a community. The last Oregon Public Transportation Plan is 20 years old, and it is time for the Oregon Department of Transportation to w
Behind closed doors in Congress, a small group of legislators is about overhaul the way we control toxic chemicals in the United States.
We need you to speak up now to ensure that they get it right.
For the
2 Replies to "This Earth Day, Pledge to Stop Burning Wood for Public Health"
Ryan Miller
April 18, 2020 (9:23 pm)
I think there are opportunities to change how we burning wood that will decrease the harmful effects of slash burning. Taking skills learned from the bio-char community we can decrease smoke particulates, decrease land fill and transportation impacts, create a beneficial soil amendment and lock our backyard carbon in the ground.
Keep the discussions going and thank you for the work you do.
Lin Reedijk
April 19, 2020 (1:57 am)
I agree that not burning wood indoors or out will significantly improve our air quality and is an important step to take.
What do Earth Day, wood smoke and COVID-19 all have in common? The answer lies in air quality. With most of our nation’s in-person Earth Day festivities cancelled or moved to a digital format, and the state’s at-large shelter-in-place policy, many people may not be thinking that much more needs to be done to protect Oregon’s air quality.
Ryan Miller
April 18, 2020 (9:23 pm)
I think there are opportunities to change how we burning wood that will decrease the harmful effects of slash burning. Taking skills learned from the bio-char community we can decrease smoke particulates, decrease land fill and transportation impacts, create a beneficial soil amendment and lock our backyard carbon in the ground.
Keep the discussions going and thank you for the work you do.
Lin Reedijk
April 19, 2020 (1:57 am)
I agree that not burning wood indoors or out will significantly improve our air quality and is an important step to take.