Another cost of our over reliance in non-renewable energy sources - the brain function and health of our children. Another external cost that we're not paying for at the time we use the energy.
From livescience.com two days ago - One-Third of U.S. Schools in 'Air Pollution Danger Zone' Excerpt: "....exposure of school-age children to traffic pollutants near main roads is associated with a greater risk of developing asthma and other respiratory problems later in life."
Next, a February 2008 report from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences on the affect of carbon air pollution on children's IQ - Black Carbon Air Pollution may Lower IQ First sentences:
"Children who live in neighborhoods with heavily polluted by automobile traffic have lower IQs. They also score worse on other intelligence and memory tests than children in healthier environments according to a new study by NIEHS supported researchers and the Harvard School of Public Health."
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What to do? A re-reckoning of our values with our actions/policies - particularly our energy policies. My fear: with high oil prices we'll run to other non-renewable energy sources for which we're not paying the external costs - coal and nuclear.
We don't own this place, though we act as if we did, It's a loan from the children of our children's kids. The actual owners haven't even been born yet.
