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Beyond Carbon: Public Health

Public Health

Solutions like electric vehicles, mass transportation, alternative mobility, healthy buildings, and renewable energy improve air quality and reduce the chances that our kids will have asthma. Shifting to a plant-forward diet and a kinder, gentler agricultural system nourishes our bodies and our ecosystem.

As the chart illustrates, we expect to see many positive impacts on public health with substantial air quality improvement when electricity and transportation solutions are scaled, and quality of life and education benefits from food and forestry solutions.

Largely Positive
Areas to Watch or Address
Limited Impacts or Limited Data
Electricity
Sector Solutions Premature
Mortality
Morbidity Quality
of Life
Education Public Safety
Large Scale Solar
Cogeneration
Rooftop Solar
Demand Response
Landfill Methane
Buildings & Materials
Sector Solutions Premature
Mortality
Morbidity Quality
of Life
Education Public Safety
Recycling/Waste Management
Refrigerant Management
Retrofitting
Food & Agriculture
Sector Solutions Premature
Mortality
Morbidity Quality
of Life
Education Public Safety
Composting
Climate Smart Agriculture
Plant-Based Diet
Reduced Food Waste
Land Sinks
Sector Solutions Premature
Mortality
Morbidity Quality
of Life
Education Public Safety
Wetlands Protection
Planting Trees
Forest Management
Transportation
Sector Solutions Premature
Mortality
Morbidity Quality
of Life
Education Public Safety
Energy Efficient Cars
Energy Efficient Trucks
Mass Transit
Electric Vehicles
Alternative Mobility

Stories & Studies

Questions?

How do refrigerants impact climate?

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are chemicals used to cool refrigerators and air conditioners. They are also an extremely potent greenhouse gas, with thousands of times the heat trapping potential of CO2. This class of chemicals was used to replace CFCs, a class of refrigerant chemicals that were phased out because they were depleting the ozone layer. In December 2020, Congress passed legislation to phase down HFCs nationwide by 40% by 2024 and by 85% by 2036. The phase down will be administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

What is the recycling rate in Georgia?

A December 2023 study found that Georgia had a 14% recycling rate, which is low compared to the national average of 32%. The Environmental Protection Agency has set a goal to reach a 50% recycling rate nationwide by 2030.  Our free How to Reduce, Reuse & Recycle toolkit has the information you need to take action and recycle more at home.