MoveEV, an AI-powered EV transition company that helps organizations convert fleet and employee-owned gas vehicles to electric and reimburse for charging at home, and Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), a nonprofit working to reduce babies’ exposures to neurotoxic chemicals, have teamed up to raise awareness surrounding the harmful health effects associated with gas vehicle tailpipe toxins on brain development in babies and provide a five-step plan to help make cities healthier for kids.
The MoveEV and HBBF’s five-step plan for municipalities to limit tailpipe toxins and provide a healthier environment for residents includes:
- Adding more EV charging infrastructure to communities
- Implementing EV-ready codes to require all new buildings and major remodel projects to integrate EV charging infrastructure
- Educating municipal employees and residents about the generous EV tax incentives and EV choices (e.g. with EV demo days)
- Switching gasoline-powered municipal fleet vehicles to electric
- Sending EVs home with employees to charge and reimbursing them – putting more EVs into the community
“Transportation is the leading cause of air pollution in U.S. cities and disproportionately affects children in EJ communities and low-income households,” explains Kyra Naumoff Shields, PhD, the Bright Cities Program Director for Healthy Babies Bright Futures. “Increased exposure to these harmful air pollutants during infancy directly impacts brain development and function leading to, for some, a loss of the equivalent of a month of elementary school.” How big is the problem?
- 50% of Americans live in areas that don’t meet federal air quality standards
- Children in EJ communities are almost four times more likely to live in areas with the most polluted air
- 4.5M American children suffer from asthma
- One study found that every additional 20 EVs per 1,000 people in a given zip code were associated with a 3.2% drop in the rate of emergency room visits due to asthma
“When people think about the many benefits of electric vehicles, they rarely – if ever – are making the connection to children’s health outcomes,” explains Kate Harrison, Co-Founder and Head of Marketing for MoveEV. “But internal combustion engine vehicles are not just contributing to global warming, they are spewing toxic chemicals into the air in our communities and have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable populations. We wanted to get communities thinking about EVs as a new tool in the fight against childhood respiratory diseases.”
“Municipalities can make a real impact on the health of their community by making the switch to EVs themselves, demonstrating that they work, and promoting EV adoption for their employees and residents. We want municipal leaders to know they are not alone in the fight for a greener future and there are resources available to help them make this transition,” said MoveEV Founder and CEO David Lewis.
