HOUSTON — Why would switching to electric vehicles save thousands of lives in Houston?
The American Lung Association has released a new report looking at what would happen if all passenger vehicles sold by 2035 were Zero-Emission vehicles and most medium and heavy-duty trucks by 2040.
It also assumed most electricity generated would be from renewable sources with a reduction in petrochemical refining, but not a total elimination.
Factoring in all those changes, the American Lung Association said the Houston area would avoid 3,000 premature deaths.
The area would also save $1 trillion in public health benefits. That’s in part because there would be 130,000 fewer asthma attacks and over half a million fewer sick days from work.
The biggest benefits would be seen in areas surrounded by highways… ports, warehouses and refineries.
Of course, all these changes are pretty ambitious. According to Reuters, less than 1% of the 250 million cars, SUVs and light trucks on the road right now are completely electric.
And about half of adults surveyed said they would not seriously consider buying an electric car. They cited concerns about price, driving range and a lack of charging stations as the reasons why.
Note: The following video was uploaded in Oct. 2021