Increasingly, we realize that the trend is electric cars. However, there is one factor about these that we probably didn't know about: they are quite beneficial for people's health and, in particular, young people. A new report from the American Lung Association (ALA) shows that these have advantages for children prone to developing respiratory diseases.
As The Verge states, switching to electric vehicles alone would reduce childhood asthma attacks by 2.7 million, as well as 147,000 acute cases of bronchitis. Furthermore, it would be expected that 2.67 million cases of upper respiratory symptoms and 1.87 million lower respiratory symptoms would be reduced. Another impressive fact is the fact that around 508 fewer cases of infant mortality are estimated.
Children are more prone to infections because their lungs are developing
Illustrative Image (via Pexels)
After all, why are children most affected? Well, according to Laura Bender, from ALA, they “absorb” more pollution, as their lungs are growing. In this sense, vehicles with combustion engines are responsible for around 25% of global emissions. Electric vehicles, on the contrary, are gentler in this aspect, which is, logically, better for everyone's respiratory health.
It is expected that, by the year 2035, all light cars sold will be electric, and for heavy vehicles, the expected timing is 2040. However, there is an important issue: for this to happen, a fossil fuel-free electrical grid. As Bender says, this can only be the path, so the future can only go through this solution.
The American Lung Association makes its appeal for a greener society to key political leaders
Whether or not this will happen, within the expected timing, is a big question. The pressure from the automotive industry is great and it would always be dependent on the Environmental Protection Agency, which can always delay the transition to the exclusive sale of electric vehicles, as reported by The Verge news portal.
In any case, the American Lung Association stands by the evidence demonstrated by the report and calls on the main political leaders to consider, more than anything, the health of themselves and their children and grandchildren. On ALA's part, there is a strong hope that emissions rules for cars and trucks will become increasingly green and friendly to the ecosystem, of which we are all part.