Ollin, Metzli, Junior, Isabella – The Children of Barrio Logan This is For You
December 13, 2022
by Dr. Plastic Picker
Okay I’m up. I’m up!!! I’ve been dreaming about this presentation all night. I’ve given longer versions to two MD groups. But this afternoon is the actual rally at the Port of San Diego, and I have 3 minute. Just 3 minutes. But it has to be good so I can’t just do an impromptu version. I’m going to write out my comments.
I have many patients who live in Barrio Logan and Logan Heights. And this is really for all the children of San Diego because the Mitsubishi Cement Plant would increase in general green house gas emissions. Just reading about it I just learned ” About 60% of the cement industry’s total carbon dioxide emissions in California are from heating limestone in the kiln; the other 40% is from fuel combustion and electricity use, according to the Global Efficiency Intelligence report.
Most of the fuels used in the cement manufacturing process, such as natural gas, coal and petroleum coke, emit planet-warming gases. Unlike other industries, the cement industry cannot rely on most renewable energy sources to power its operations due to the extremely high temperatures that are needed for production. That’s part of the reason why the industry is making the switch to alternative fuels that consist of recycled waste products.” https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/06/california-cement-carbon-climate/
The idea of growth and production is complicated. Cement is deemed necessary to grow, but I’ll leave the discussion about unmanaged growth for another day. I really need to just concentrate on the children of Barrio Logan and asthma. It’s not fair that this factory is slated for this Environmental Justice neighborhood. We don’t need to bear the environmental cost in this neighborhood that has suffered so much.
At some point, you have to take a stance. You have to say enough is enough. So today is the day our group San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air speaks up and joins multiple groups lead by SanDiego350.org and Environmental Health Coalition to speak up for this neighborhood.
So I’m going to speak up today about the dangers of diesel trucks and what it would mean for this neighborhood as the pediatrician of Ollin, Metzli, Junior and Isabella. I’m going to speak for their respiratory health and the health of their community. And I’m going to do it with the spiritual backing of a few hundred doctors that I’ve told them I’m doing this, and they are supporting me spiritually. We spoke about this advocacy project yesterday at the San Diego monthly asthma meeting and I spoke about it at the regional asthma meeting. The allergist, the pediatricians, the internist, and the family medicine doctor friends all told me – go, go, GO!!! And here I go!