According to the U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center, 48% of electricity for EV emissions comes from coal, 39% comes from natural gas and 11% from wind. Photo from Adobe Stock.

News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — Climate researchers said 2 million deaths could be prevented worldwide by 2040 if policymakers take a proactive approach in reducing transportation-based carbon emissions.

Petroleum-based fuels used in light-duty cars and trucks continue to be a top source of emissions, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. A letter from a group of climate researchers argued if the status quo remains, vehicle emissions will result in millions of premature deaths and asthma cases among children in underdeveloped areas.

Dr. Daniel Trajano, a board member of Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, said emissions disrupt daily life for many people.

“(In) other cases, they make you sick enough where you’re not breathing well and, ‘I’ve got to take several days of school or work off,'” Trajano explained. “That certainly will lead to decreased productivity in the community.”

Most of Indiana’s school districts have begun the fall semester. Trajano pointed out school children in rural areas and small cities or towns must wait along streets and roads for their buses, exposing them to emissions from passing cars and trucks. Persistent exposure to high emission levels increases the risk for heart disease or stroke later in life.

Trajano thinks districts should invest in more electric school buses, so kids with asthma are less affected by emissions. A study from Environmental Defense shows air pollutant levels inside gasoline-fueled buses can be greater than outside the bus. He added it is important to ensure your current car’s exhaust system works properly if buying an electric car is not an option right now.

“If that air pollution is getting into the car more than it should, that’s just terrible for your health,” Trajano emphasized.

Auto industry analysts say EV prices are coming down as technology improves, helping more families afford them. According to the U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center, Indiana has more than 26,000 registered electric vehicles compared to nearly 5.2 million registered gasoline vehicles.