Kamloops Moms for Clean Air
100 signatures reached
To: Kamloops-North Thompson and Kamloops-South Thompson MLA candidates of the May 9th, 2017 Provincial election - whomever is the successful candidate has the opportunity to defend our airshed.
Defend Our Airshed
We are asking all party candidates in Kamloops running in the May 9, 2017 Provincial election to commit to making our air safer for our children to breathe. This can be achieved by taking action that will lower the annual average of Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) fine particle air pollution so that it will align with provincial guidelines.
Why is this important?
Message from a Kamloops Mom:
Closing the door has cut the volume, but it doesn't mask each new chorus of chest-ripping coughs. I stand outside my daughter's bedroom, wincing and thinking about what can be done to shine a light on air pollution in the upcoming May 9th provincial election. I never thought I would find myself here.
When my youngest was just 3 years old, every time she walked along a busy roadway for even 10 minutes, or was exposed to wood smoke in our neighbourhood, she would develop a persistent cough, lasting between 2 weeks and 2 months. It would always start the same way, with the sound of violent hacking over a number of restless nights.
She was diagnosed with mild asthma. We wondered, “Is this something that she will grow out of? If we put her on a puffer, will she ever get off again?” During wildfire seasons and times of the year when people want to cozy-up next to their fireplace, I have become a parent who sniffs the air before letting my girls out to play. Now, more than ever, I am aware of how changes in our air quality affect our citizens' health and ultimately, our quality of life. Poor air quality can negatively affect pregnant moms and their developing babies, as well as children, the elderly and athletes.
Particles in our air (small enough to have 30 of them fit across the tip of a hair) from things like exhaust and wood smoke, are actually small enough to move from our lungs into our bloodstream. When it comes to making decisions about what we put into the air, there are some things that we all can do. Our children will breathe whatever those decisions are.
When we vote on May 9, 2017, the outcome will directly affect the next generation of citizens growing up in our airshed. I will be voting for a candidate who recognizes that our airshed is something worth defending, both for the quality of life of all citizens, but especially for children who depend on us and our decisions. I hope you'll join me in considering this as well, when you vote on May 9th.