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Palmetto
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The Health and Environmental Benefits of Solar Energy
The fact that the sun is an excellent free provider of clean energy for American homes and businesses comes as no surprise. But did you also know that solar energy can bring about many life-saving health benefits?
The science has shown that public health challenges will increase as the climate crisis worsens, even while people are living in these homes and operating these businesses.
In this article, we’ve decided to offer a different perspective on why everyone should be supporting clean and renewable energy, namely that clean energy will support healthier living environments. We want clean energy to be for everyone, and this also means that we want all the benefits associated with clean energy to be felt by everyone.
The Climate Crisis is a Public Health Crisis
To understand the health benefits of clean energy, we have to zoom in on the clear link between the burning of fossil fuels and the climate crisis. Fossil fuels are the main driver of this accelerating crisis, and according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, climate change is affecting people’s health in two main ways:
- People that face health problems will see a change in the severity or frequency.
- There will be new or unanticipated health problems in people or places where they have not been before.
It’s crucial that we support clean energy uptake so we can avoid new or worsening health problems. We have compiled a few climate change issues associated with public health problems that contextualize why clean energy adoption is so important now.
- Air Pollution. According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2022, over 60% of the electricity produced in the United States was generated by carbon-emitting fossil fuels. At the same time, only 21.5% of US electricity was generated from renewable resources such as wind, hydro, and solar. By removing fossil fuels from our energy consumption and using renewable energy sources instead, we can see a dramatic reduction in carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter emissions. There can be drastic public health consequences if there is no shift from fossil fuels to renewables. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates suggest that without regulatory changes or shifts in population characteristics, there could be 1,000 to 4,300 additional premature deaths annually in the United States by 2050 due to combined health effects from ozone and particle pollution.
- Extreme Heat. Heat waves and extreme heat were once a rare occurrence, but with the onset of the fossil-fueled climate crisis, they are becoming more frequent. Extreme heat has various health issues associated with it, such as hospitalizations for cardiovascular, kidney, and respiratory disorders, and can lead to people dying.
- Longer pollen season. The climate crisis is increasing pollen concentrations and extending pollen seasons. Exposure to pollen can trigger various allergic reactions and, in some instances, aggravate respiratory illnesses like asthma.
- Warmer temperatures lead to expanded disease-carrying ranges. Due to climate change, the range of insects carrying diseases like fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes can expand. According to the CDC, North Americans are currently at risk from numerous diseases such as Lyme, Dengue Fever, West Nile disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, plague, and tularemia.
According to the CDC, climate change will impact the timing and duration of the pollen season each year, as well as the quantity of pollen produced by plants and its presence in the air.
Clean Energy now
By switching to solar and other renewable energies, the subsequent reduction in fossil fuel emissions will help our planet mitigate global warming and avoid public health complications.
To learn more about the health and environmental benefits of solar energy, check out our Palmetto Blog. What did you find interesting? Let us know in the comments!
Keep up to date on our climate journey by following us on our We Don’t Have Time page, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
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Solar power should be a priority, our government should help with the pricing of solar systems to be more affordable for all
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One thing we can all agree on is the effectiveness and goodness of solar energy
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Green sustainable energy is what we all need. has immense benefits and is affordable for most people
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Very insightful, I read once about how ticks will multiply with global warming and it was terrifying. Let's prioritize renewables for public health
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The climate crisis really (negatively) impacts all sectors and aspects of life, and so do the climate solutions (positively in this case). Thanks for highlighting the fact that the climate crisis is also a public health issue!
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The right to life should be safeguarded by ensuring that the world transitions to clean energy.
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The climate crisis is also elongating the pollen season? I'll have to get more allergy medicine 😢
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@ford_brodeur_ yes, it's terrible... ruining wines for us as well :(