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Trump confronts South Africa's president in Oval Office, pushes false claims of white genocide; Ahead of George Floyd anniversary, feds try to scrap police oversight plans; Three Montana counties top U.S. list for moms' reliance on Medicaid; Duke Energy bill could harm 'anyone breathing air' in NC.

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Congress debates Medicaid cuts, the FBI pledges to investigate missing Indigenous people, Illinois pushes back on a federal autism data plan, and a deadly bombing in California is investigated as domestic terrorism.

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Despite lawmaker efforts, rural communities still short of crucial broadband, new Trump administration priorities force USDA grant recipients to reapply, and Appalachia's traditional broom-making craft gets an economic boost from an international nonprofit.

As CA Burns: Tips for Dealing With Smoky Air

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Tuesday, September 15, 2020   

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Public health experts say smoke from the wildfires choking California skies carries dangerous levels of particulate matter. Studies show firestorms drive a spike in visits to the emergency room -- especially among the elderly.

Dr. Janice Kirsch is a medical oncologist trained in public health. She said the toxins in the smoke can cause serious damage.

"Breathing these particulates can cause or exacerbate heart disease, respiratory disease, lung cancer and probably other cancers. Prolonged repeated exposure leads to dementia and other behavioral problems in children," Kirsch said.

She said indoor air quality can be almost as bad as it is outdoors, so she advises people to use an air purifier and turn on air conditioner on 'recirculate' if you have one. If you must go outside, she said N-95 masks are effective, but the cloth masks people wear prevent the spread of coronavirus will not stop particulate matter.

Groups that fight climate change say the extreme drought, heat and wildfires are symptoms of a bigger problem. Kathy Dervin, co-chair of the state legislative committee with the nonprofit 350 Bay Area, said global warming is a public health emergency that demands rapid and transformative solutions.

"We have great goals for clean electricity, for cleaner fuels, for cleaner transportation. But we really need to front load those changes and not wait until the goal of 2045," Dervin said. "We don't have any time to wait."

In 2018, California lawmakers passed Senate Bill 100, which set a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045. Now advocates say the state has made so much progress, they're calling for a new deadline of 2030.

They say the ultimate goal of net-zero emissions will depend on getting gasoline-powered cars off the road and on switching homes and businesses to clean electricity instead of natural gas. Natural gas is problematic because pipelines often leak methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas.

Disclosure: 350 Bay Area contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Environment, Environmental Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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