Greener School Buses

Each day, 26 million students in the United States ride a bus to and from school. Most of these buses are powered by diesel engines. They release greenhouse gases that trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to climate change. That’s why, this past spring, President Joe Biden announced the Clean School Bus program. It will provide $5 billion to schools to replace old diesel buses with cleaner models. These include buses that run on electricity or fuels like hydrogen and natural gas, which produce fewer harmful emissions.  

In addition to contributing to climate change, exhaust from diesel buses worsens air pollution. “Kids are more susceptible to air pollution than your average grown-up,” says Sara Adar, an epidemiologist who studies the health effects of pollution at the University of Michigan. “That’s partially because their bodies are still developing.” People of color are also more likely to live in areas affected by air pollution. Upgrading to eco-friendly vehicles, says Adar, could help protect these communities and the planet.