American Lung Association Supports Pickens' Plan
The American Lung Association, a leader in the fight for cleaner air for decades, on Dec. 9 announced its support of the Pickens Plan. T. Boone Pickens, the legendary American business leader and philanthropist, developed a plan that focuses on reducing America's dependence on foreign oil by investing in renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, and using America's clean natural gas for fleet transportation.
Lung disease is the third leading cause of death in the United States. The American Lung Association is one of the foremost defenders of the Clean Air Act. The organization publishes the "State of the Air Report" each year, which ranks the nation's most polluted cities, and is a strategic leader on the impact of air quality on health.
"Every person is dependent upon clean air for health and vitality. Yet millions of Americans are consistently exposed to pollution at levels that are scientifically proven to be harmful. The American Lung Association applauds Mr. Pickens' goal of harnessing cleaner energy alternatives because cleaner energy will make our air healthier to breathe," said Steve Nolan, chair of the association.
Cars, trucks, heavy equipment, factories, power plants, and other sources burn coal and oil and bombard the air with smog, soot, carcinogens, toxic chemicals, and metals. Breathing dirty air causes hospitalizations, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and lung cancer, as well as shortening the lives of tens of thousands of people in this country every year. It can even harm healthy, active adults. Children, seniors, and people with lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes face an even greater threat from unhealthy air.
"The American Lung Association tells me that well over 125 million people live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution," explained Pickens. "Cleaner air is critical to the health and well-being of this country and I am thankful to have the support of this hundred-year-old organization," said Pickens. "I set out with one goal when I launched the Pickens Plan: to reduce our dependency on foreign oil by at least 30 percent over the next decade. The Pickens Plan will work. It will not only reduce our dependence on foreign oil using renewable energy resources like wind and solar and natural gas as a transportation fuel, but it will also enrich America by providing domestic jobs, creating a greener environment to live in, and importantly giving us cleaner air to breathe," he continued.
For more information, visit www.pickensplan.com.