By Mia McCormick, Environment Florida
Could simply riding the bus be contributing to your child’s asthma or breathing problems? Could it be causing more harm to their lungs than riding in a car?
You probably already know the answer is yes to both of these questions. If you’ve ever been at the bus stop when your child gets on, you smelled it. Science backs up what you already know, but just how bad is diesel fuel for their health and what is the alternative?
The alternative is zero-emission electric buses, a cleaner, healthier alternative to diesel buses. And the good news is that the number of electric buses on the road in Florida is growing.
Thanks to grant and rebate programs funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, school districts have the opportunity to apply for funding to get electric buses. In Florida, 467 electric school buses have been committed. Of that, 166 are on the street ready to go, an additional 229 have been awarded and 72 are currently on order.
According to a new report from Environment Florida Research and Policy Center and U.S. PIRG, Florida ranks 4th in the nation in electric school buses.
Has your district applied for clean school buses for your neighborhood? You should ask them. Every school district has the opportunity to apply for these funds, but without support from parents and grandparents, some are not prioritizing clean transportation for students. Burning diesel fuel exposes children and drivers to harmful pollutants that are linked to asthma and other health issues, as well as cognitive development problems.
Florida has received more than $160 million for electric school buses and charging infrastructure; your student could benefit too if your district applies. This opportunity is a unique moment in U.S. history when our government is allocating funds to help our children have a healthier ride to school.Â
According to the World Resources Institute, the United States now has 12,000 electric school buses either in operation or coming soon, in more than 1,500 school districts. California, New York, Illinois and Florida lead the country in total electric buses.
Mia McCormick is an advocate with Environment Florida, a policy and action group with one mission: to build a healthier, greener Sunshine State. Banner photo: An electric school bus plugged in at a charging station (iStock image).This piece was originally published at https://environmentamerica.org/florida/articles/florida-in-top-5-for-electric-school-buses/.
If you are interested in submitting an opinion piece to The Invading Sea, email Editor Nathan Crabbe at ncrabbe@fau.edu. Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here.
