What Chris Ronayne did to help... he had morals and told the Sierra Club and me truths... and didn't support coal burning at University Circle through his organization, UCI.

Heaven forbid other leaders follow in his footsteps... with honest, competent leaders we DON'T have to live in hell in Cleveland after all.

All it takes is doing the right things.

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Type 1 diabetes
Air pollutants are some of the only environmental contaminants that have been directly studied in relation to type 1 diabetes. A 2002 pilot study on five different air pollutants and type 1 diabetes in southern California found that children with type 1 diabetes were exposed to higher levels of ozone (O3) before diagnosis than healthy children (Hathout et al. 2002). A larger, follow-up study in 2006 found that children with type 1 diabetes had higher exposure to ozone as well as sulfate (SO4) air pollution, as compared to heathy children. The effect of ozone was strongest, while exposure to other air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM10) were not associated with type 1 diabetes development (Hathout et al. 2006). A strength of these studies is that the researchers measured exposure to air pollutants over time, from birth until diagnosis. A weakness, however, is that in order to measure exposure levels in these children, researchers used the air pollutant levels in the various zip codes where the children lived each month, instead of measuring exposures directly (e.g., by using a blood sample).
 
Ozone is a major component of smog. Ground-level ozone forms from the interaction of various air pollutants, including those found in car exhaust, with sunlight. Ozone levels therefore peak in the summer. Interestingly, there is seasonal variation in type 1 diabetes incidence, and some environmental factors that vary during the year are therefore suspected to contribute to disease development (see the type 1 diabetes incidence page for details).

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Dear Governor Kasich:

I understand you are trying to reduce healthcare spending. So are we, in East Cleveland. We are taking the novel approach of shutting down coal burning furnaces polluting our community, leading to reductions in diabetes, asthma, cancer, respiratory illness, premature births and deaths, Alzheimer's and many other pollution-related health crises in the area. Most exciting to government, the cost to the state and nation to capture these healthcare savings will be $0, and 1,000,000s of citizens beyond our little city will benefit.

We hope you will show support for our preventative healthcare efforts here, which we believe are the key to the success of the state.

Where we will need outside support is for lead poisoning eradication, which will have even greater benefit to our long term economy.

Good luck with the rest of the state,

East Cleveland citizen Norm Roulet.

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I will say this again--and again, and as many times as it takes for folks to hear it...

Thank you Norm for sticking your neck out and for "moving the mountain."  Through your efforts you reached out to Chris Ronayne and worked for change.  I can also not thank Chris Ronayne enough for his courage and strength. 

I personally know Chris and have worked with him.  It's not easy in this corrupt climate to stand up and say "Enough is Enough" and, "Let's LIVE the right way." 

I am personally proud to have been at the MCCO hearing, and to have testified on that day. 

But, Norm--you deserve special recognition and credit for the future lives saved here in NEO.  The history of the MCCO coal plant is recorded here at REALNEO. You ARE credited for this achievement.  (And, for what it is worth--I will send a letter recommending that you are recognized for the Goldman Environmental Award).

The process is not over. It's never over--but REALNEO has made decisive change.  It's a good feeling.

and all the research and work he has done and will do for our county and our country...and people and the children of our country.

best to stay on your good side.    :)