Donate= Invest in Healthy Air
This “Investment” page is about donating to organizations working for clean air. I have no affiliate relationships with any of these non-profits (if that is even a thing), and receive no compensation on any charity recommendations.
I call this page regarding donations an “investment” page. So often when people think about donating, they think about giving something away and getting nothing in return but warm feelings or fulfillment of a religious tithing obligation. Giving money to organizations that are working for healthy air is actually a very wise investment. Here at Air Health Our Health I often mention “Our Wealth.” We are all wealthier when the air is clean. Unhealthy air costs all of us money- whether in higher healthcare premiums for those battling diseases caused by unhealthy air, or in our own lost productivity and sick days. It costs us moments with our loved ones, from the family member lost prematurely to lung cancer, to the missed picnic because the pollen count was too high or the air quality too low for the child with asthma to play.
$790 Billion or 4.2% of GDP
That is how much particulate matter air pollution from traffic, shipping, energy sectors, etc cost the US economy in 2014. I think most of us wouldn’t mind having an extra 4.2% growth in US GDP. Think what we could fund as a society with $790 billion USD! Investing in decreasing particulate matter has a robust return on that investment. Growing the green energy job and transportation sector in the US could yield double returns, from a new homegrown industry to its secondary effects of avoiding the “taxes” of dirty air and their drag on the economy and human lives.
$170 Billion or 8.7% US Healthcare expenditures
That is how much the US spent on healthcare due to tobacco in 2010. 60% of that was paid for from Medicare or Medicaid, therefore funded by your tax dollars! Would you like to decrease what you spend on healthcare by 8.7%? I sure would! Total economic costs from tobacco are over $300 billion per year.
You can also check out this analysis from WalletHub about the cost of smoking in your state.
Climate Change Costs= Exponential
Climate change has been manifesting itself dramatically with longer and more intense fire seasons. Wildfire smoke can lead to devastating exacerbations of asthma, COPD and cause heart attacks and strokes. All of these certainly lead to increased health care costs. But what about non- healthcare costs related to climate change?
What use is that great home insurance policy you bought if catastrophic wildfires are destroying entire areas of the country and making them unlivable? Soon the insurance companies will either go bankrupt or we’ll have to sell a product that is so high it is essentially unaffordable. If you don’t invest your time and money to ensure that we are addressing climate change as a society, you may find yourself paying your premiums for nothing. Just look at what has happened to flood insurance. Ask the people of Paradise, California what climate change has cost them. A 2018 fire destroyed 90% of the homes in the town, putting one insurance company out of business, and leaving other homeowners with insurance companies cancelling their policies.
Organizations to Consider
There are many worthy organizations working for healthy air. Here are some I personally find effective. Please comment below or contact me about organizations you find effective, and why people should invest with them (aka donate to them). I have no affiliate relationships and receive no compensation (except the return on investment for my time encouraging you to donate). As I always say, investing in clean air always yields great returns for individuals, communities, economies and our planet!
American Lung Association- Special Air Health Our Health group fundraising link! Full disclosure, I have served on the Board of the ALA of Oregon, and have watched how hard they work to educate about tobacco, healthy air, radon, and sensible health policy. Invest wisely with them today for a better tomorrow! They also have a 95.87 rating from Charity Navigator!
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids- has focused on avoiding addicting another generation to have a world free of tobacco. Charity Navigator Rating 95.05.
National Resources Defense Council – works to work to mitigate damage from climate change and preserve clean air. Charity Navigator Rating 93.
Neighbors for Clean Air– a more local organization in Oregon who has worked effectively to make abstract issue of air toxics and diesel particulate matter more effective. You can listen to the podcast episode with Mary Peveto and read the related post to find out more about them. They do not yet have a Charity Navigator Rating.
American Thoracic Society- funds essential research, supports expert scientific analysis to inform policy, and more. I had the honor of serving as the President of the Oregon Thoracic Society, our state’s local chapter, and am currently a member of the American Thoracic Society Environmental Health Policy Committee.
References
Federal Trade Commission. Federal Trade Commission Smokeless Tobacco Report for 2018 [PDF-578 KB]external icon. Washington: Federal Trade Commission, 2019
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014
News coverage of Camp Fire costs– a glimpse of the future