Written by Lauryn Perpall
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are expensive, and not just at the pump. You would be surprised how many different ways coal, oil, and gas end up hitting your pocket book.
The first way fossil fuels cost all of us is through air pollution. Over 17 million Americans are exposed to toxic air pollution each day. Air pollution can be harmful to population health, leading to life-threatening effects like early death, heart attacks, respiratory disorders, stroke, asthma, or cancer. Air pollution alone costs the United States $2.9 trillion a year. On average every American pays an extra $2,500 on additional medical bills because of air pollution.
Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods bear a disproportionate burden of the environmental and health consequences associated with fossil fuels. Black and Hispanic Americans, for instance, face 56% and 63% higher exposure to particulate matter pollution, respectively, compared to their emissions. In regions such as “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana, primarily inhabited by Black and low-income residents, the cancer risk is almost 50 times greater than the national average, attributed to the presence of 150 nearby chemical plants and oil refineries.
Climate Change
The most well known cost of fossil fuels is, of course, climate change.
Specifically, the health impacts of climate change are diverse, including fatalities and illnesses arising from more frequent extreme weather events like heatwaves, storms, and floods. Additionally, it disrupts food systems, heightens the prevalence of zoonoses, and contributes to diseases transmitted through food, water, and vectors. Mental health issues are also on the rise because of these climate-related challenges.
Climate change is jeopardizing several factors that contribute to overall health, such as jobs, equality, and the availability of healthcare and support systems. The health risks linked to climate change hit hardest among those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged—namely, women, children, ethnic minorities, impoverished communities, migrants or displaced individuals, the elderly, and those with existing health conditions.
Inaction vs Action
Taken together, the costs of local air pollution combined with the costs of climate change make fossil fuels prohibitively expensive. The most costly choice we could make would be to choose not to transition off fossil fuels.
Addressing climate damages, reducing air and water pollution, and mitigating climate risks, achieving the Paris Agreement targets has the potential to save the United States a substantial sum—between $5-10 trillion by 2050 and well over $20 trillion by 2100. If climate change were to slow economic growth, the potential savings could even exceed $50 trillion. By discontinuing the use of fossil fuels, the United States could prevent close to one million premature deaths by 2050, primarily due to the improved air quality resulting from this transition.
As Maryland debates how we will hit our 2030 climate pollution reduction mandates, we should be asking the question “how much will it cost us to reduce our pollution?” The question we should be asking is “how much will it cost us to not reduce our pollution?”
