skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Layoffs at CA immigration services center lead to protests; Trump: Six-week abortion limit is "too short"; WV voters worried about abortion care, reproductive health access; IL Latino communities advocate for a cleaner environment.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Vice President Harris says she'd consider a bipartisan cabinet should she win in November, Louisiana is the latest state to push the false claim of noncitizen voters, and incidents of 'swatting' contribute to an increasingly toxic political culture.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Alaska's 'canary of the sea' is struggling with a deteriorating whale environment, those in rural as opposed to urban areas are more likely to think raw milk is safe to drink, and climate change increases malnutrition in America's low-income counties.

Report: EPA Climate Change and Children’s Health and Well-Being in Arkansas

play audio
Play

Thursday, May 11, 2023   

In Arkansas and across the country, children's growing and developing bodies are uniquely vulnerable to climate change, according to a new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The report states climate change-related impacts in childhood can have lifelong consequences affecting learning, physical health and housing security, and other complications.

Elizabeth Bechard, senior policy analyst for the group Moms Clean Air Force, said the report is a call to action, focusing on five specific climate stressors and how they may affect children's health.

She noted one of the stressors is the effect of extreme heat on children.

"There's a specific analysis in the report on how extreme heat may affect children's ability to learn in schools," Bechard pointed out. "When it's hot, and especially when there's a lack of air conditioning, it can be hard for children to learn, and they actually don't learn as well don't do as well on tests."

Bechard added the report looked at projected future income loss based on extreme heat, which she noted affects certain geographic areas and populations harder than others. She emphasized children of color and low-income communities are also affected due to having less access to air-conditioned spaces.

Bechard stressed Moms Clean Air Force works to protect children from air pollution and climate change. The report examined how climate change is making air quality worse in a number of ways from ozone, dust, drought conditions and wildfires to particle pollution in the air.

"That affects kids' respiratory health, that contributes to more cases of asthma, more emergency department visits with asthma, and even adverse birth outcomes," Bechard outlined.

Changing seasons, flooding, and different types of infectious diseases -- especially tick-borne illness -- are other climate-related environmental factors listed in the report which affect children.

Bechard stressed it is important for parents to know there are things they can do to mitigate or lessen the effects of climate change on their children.

The report suggested parents be aware of signs of heat-related illness, checks for ticks, to help keep their children healthy and safe.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Research shows South Dakota had the fifth-highest rate of cropland abandonment between 1986 and 2018, trailing Texas, North Dakota, Kansas and Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Researchers mapped American croplands that have fallen out of production in hopes of inspiring new uses for them, such as renewable energy. Roughly 3…


Social Issues

play sound

The Public Children's Services Association of Ohio has launched a groundbreaking new initiative called Practice in Action Together, aimed at …

Social Issues

play sound

New polling found an overwhelming majority, 85% of Americans believe abortion access should be allowed in some situations. Two years ago in the …


A plan for the Trump Administration put together by a right-wing think tank, called Project 2025, calls to reclassify tens of thousands of employees as political appointees. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

Social Issues

play sound

Former president Donald Trump is vowing to eliminate or alter thousands of government jobs if he wins this November, which could have a big effect on …

Social Issues

play sound

As Connecticut's school year begins, the state is still dealing with a teacher shortage. Almost every subject area is facing a statewide shortage …

Studies show ending the subminimum wage does not hurt employment in tipped industries. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

National proposals to end taxes on tips might have mixed effects on New Yorkers. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have …

play sound

New Yorkers could see relief from medical debt if several national proposals move forward. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a new …

Social Issues

play sound

Eligible Oregon families have until Monday to apply for summer food benefits. The Summer EBT program provides families with a one-time payment of $12…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021