It's no secret that the US Supreme Court has issued a number of rulings this year that will hurt working families today and in the future. As a registered nurse living in Miami, the court's decision in West Virginia v. EPA--which undermines the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate power plants under the Clean Air Act--is yet another ruling that has me worried about my patients and my coworkers.
In sunny South Florida where many people work outside in construction or agriculture, climate change will bring growing numbers of people to our hospital with heat illness. We're not alone. Although the most vulnerable among us will feel the greatest impact, everyone--regardless of their race, zip code, occupation, or political party--is affected by harmful pollution, global warming, and climate disasters.