This is a guest post from Judith Ross:
This morning I watched my 25-year-old son head out for a job interview. Dressed in crisp grey slacks, a shirt and tie, and some shiny new shoes, his face glowed with optimism. If he gets it, this job will keep him busy for the next few months until he leaves again — this time for Morocco as a Peace Corps volunteer.
He literally has a world of opportunity ahead of him — what all of us parents want for our children.
As I watched him pull out of the driveway on this brilliant, September morning I felt that mixture of pride and worry that most moms are familiar with. I want today’s sunny skies to last through his old age and beyond. I don’t want him to look back on 2011 as “the good old days.”
That is why I joined Moms Clean Air Force. I want us all to have clear skies above and a beautiful world at our feet. But unless we control air pollution, we won’t. Clean air is as basic to our well being as nutritious food and regular exercise.
Sadly, many polluters don’t think the way I do. They can’t see beyond the profits they are making. But that money won’t undo the damage if they, or someone they love loses their health because of bad air.
Nor will it buy them fancy vacations if there’s nowhere to go because pollution has destroyed our amazing landscapes and natural resources.
They don’t make the connection between our Mother Earth’s health and their own.
So what can one person do? She can join with others to build a strong voice that our government and the polluters can’t ignore.
Thanks to MCAF, I not only understand the health hazards of mercury spewed into our air by some coal plants, I also have the facts about how dirty air impacts us all. MCAF keeps me abreast of important legislation impacting these and other issues that will protect — or harm — our environment and our health.
Most important, MCAF lets me know how I can help. As a woman in her fifties, I am well aware of how little time I have left to make a difference. Sitting passively and hoping that our politicians will do the right thing is not an option. I want my voice to be heard, and what I say to count!
My children may be grown, but I’ll never stop fighting for their future. I want to leave all of our children a legacy that really matters.
Judith A. Ross is a contributing writer and columnist for Talking Writing, an online literary magazine. She has written numerous articles, profiles, and reports for academic, corporate, and nonprofit organizations, including Harvard Business Review and several publications published by Harvard Business School. Judith also blogs at Open Salon.
Judith, thank you so much for caring about our children and fighting for clean air!