Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020 | 2 a.m.
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It is an understatement to say that 2020 has been a challenging year for many of us. The pandemic has upended our way of life and exposed the vulnerabilities and inherent inequality of institutions that are meant to serve us. For communities of color this has manifested in disproportionately high rates of exposure, infection, hospitalization and deaths from the novel coronavirus. These negative health outcomes are often a direct result of the environment we work or live in; a consequence of the systemic inequalities that we face every day.
Exposure to unhealthy environments, notably in the form of poor air quality, can determine our overall health and vulnerability to disease. And in Nevada, a state that has some of the worst air quality in the nation, those living near high traffic roads and exposed to environmental threats are most often communities of color. Caused by racist practices such as redlining, communities of color shoulder most of the negative impact of air pollution.
While we recognize that environmental injustice can’t be solved overnight, there are steps we can take to reduce the poor health and safety outcomes of living in polluted environments. A scientifically proven solution is to cut carbon emissions by transitioning to renewable energy sources. Last year, Nevada took a historic step by enacting into law a bill that would require 50% of the state’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2030. On this year’s ballot, Nevadans have the opportunity to make this a constitutional guarantee by voting yes on Question 6.
By raising our state’s renewable energy standards, we are ensuring that all Nevadans have clean air to breathe, regardless of their race or socioeconomic status. Cutting back on pollutants that cause asthma, heart disease and cancer would drastically reduce our population’s vulnerability to these illnesses. Reducing the risk of developing comorbidities, especially among communities of color, is critical to preventing needless deaths, as we have learned from this pandemic, and as a response to future health crises. It is therefore imperative that we defend our right to clean air in order to create a healthier and more equitable Nevada.
Question 6 would protect the strides Nevada has made to invest in clean energy development and guarantee that we don’t go back to fossil fuel dependence. This is the commitment we need to not only protect Nevadans from harmful pollution, but also to reinvigorate our struggling economy as we look toward the state’s long-term recovery efforts. Before the pandemic hit, Nevada was No. 1 in clean energy job growth, making the state a leader in renewable energy development.
We have a long way to go to adequately address systemic inequality, but we can work to give our children a healthy and more equitable future. It starts with equal opportunity to live healthily, to breathe clean air, and to reduce negative health outcomes that continue to devastate our community. Question 6 would defend our right to clean air and a healthy future for generations to come. Let us seize this moment to further protect the health of our families.
The Rev. Leonard Jackson is the director of Faith Organizing Alliance. He also serves as the associate minister of the 1st A.M.E. Church in North Las Vegas.
