The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Frontlines of Climate Change

An avid reader of the Superman comics growing up, pediatrician Hendrickson believes that superhero tales speak to today’s world of fear and concerns about the environmental future of planet Earth. Working on the frontlines of climate change in Reno, NV, labeled as the fastest-warming city in the U.S., she believes global warming is the greatest moral crisis the world has ever faced collectively. She asserts that children are especially at risk due to the rapid changes in their bodies and minds as they develop. She urges parents—and other adults, for that matter—to play the superhero and stand up for children during these high-stakes times. Her research covers key areas such as Mexico City (for its poor air quality), where half of the children who participated in a study had particles embedded in their prefrontal cortex. The book also focuses on Arizona, a state that may become uninhabitable in the near future due to extreme heat, even though, a century ago, thousands flocked there for its dry air and warm temperatures, which were believed to help cure tuberculosis.