Plug in America
Transportation is the biggest source of Nevada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Most of this air pollution comes from gas-powered cars, trucks, and buses, making them a top target as we work to fight climate change. According to the 2019 Nevada Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Projections, transportation will be the leading source of climate emissions for decades to come.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Nevadans can alter this course by adopting Clean Car Standards and driving more electric vehicles. Clean Car Standards include two components that enable states to fight climate change by reducing harmful emissions from passenger vehicles: Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and a Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) program to put more clean electric vehicles on the road.
It’s critical for us to act now to fight climate change and transform our transportation sector. We’re already seeing the negative impacts of hotter weather on the health of Nevada families.
In the 2020 State of the Air report from the American Lung Association, Clark, Washoe, and Lyon Counties were given F grades for ozone pollution, or smog. Carson City, Clark, and Douglas counties were given F grades for particle pollution. Gas-powered vehicles are the primary culprit for both, and hotter temperatures increase ground ozone even more.
This means that children, the elderly, and people with conditions such as asthma or heart disease have a harder time breathing with these pollutants in the air. Additionally, low-income families and communities of color are often closer to major roads and bear the brunt of these health issues.
Nevadans also continue to face life-threatening heat. Reno and Las Vegas are the two fastest-warming cities in the United States. Reno is an average of 6.2 degrees warmer now than it was in the 1970s and Las Vegas is 4.6 degrees warmer. Sadly, the number of heat-related deaths and illnesses is also on the rise.
Together, we can change this trajectory. Our quality of life — now and in the future — depends on it. Join us to stay up to date on Clean Car Standards and ways you can help.
