This was written by Moms Clean Air Force intern, Jane Fortna:
This year marked the 10th anniversary of Latino Conservation Week, which EcoMadres celebrated with events across the country. Latino Conservation Week is an opportunity for members of the Latino community to come together to both enjoy and preserve the outdoors.
- This Latino Conservation Week coincided with a historic heat wave and extreme weather, making it an important moment to talk about the fact that Latino communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change and air pollution.
- Extreme heat is especially dangerous to outdoor workers. As EcoMadres Program Manager Carolina Peña-Alarcón (pictured above), points out in El Tiempo Latino, many of these workers identify as Latino. In a Latino Conservation Week interview with El Pregonero, Carolina calls for more commonsense protections for outdoor workers exposed to these dangerous temperatures.
- Tackling the climate crisis is key to preventing worst-case heat scenarios. Our New Mexico field organizer Ana Rios sees electric vehicles as part of the solution. In an Albuquerque Journal op-ed, Ana writes: “Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) will help us both tackle the climate crisis and reduce air pollution,” highlighting that EVs are more accessible than ever. This op-ed also ran in Yahoo! News and El Semanario in both English and Spanish.
IN OTHER NEWS…
- Electric school buses benefit both bus riders and bus drivers. In an interview with Voz de America, National Field Manager Elizabeth Brandt speaks to the benefits of electric school buses from a parent’s perspective, while bus driver (and EcoMadre) Carmen Cortés explains why she’s a fan of driving these clean, quiet vehicles.
- Moms’ Senior Policy Analyst Elizabeth Bechard emphasizes the need for stronger pollution standards in an interview with WRAL News. Elizabeth’s interview about the negative health implications of poor air quality was included in a second WRAL News hit.
- Senator Jeff Merkley (OR) introduced the Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act earlier this month. Moms endorsed the bill, and our Director and Co-Founder, Dominique Browning, is quoted in the Senator’s press release, saying: “As climate change increases the frequency of both extreme heat and wildfires, we must do all we can to ensure that families are safe and that communities are able to protect themselves.”
- Texas field organizer Erandi Treviño talked to Univision about extreme temperatures in Texas. Erandi emphasizes the importance of green space for reducing temperatures in urban areas.
- Air Quality News interviewed Dominique Browning about her career working toward cleaner air, including the wins and challenges of climate advocacy.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: This month, Moms also earned mentions in Menopausal Mother Nature and Mountain Journal.