By Howard Frumkin, guest of the Seattle Times.

EACH and every day, we take an average of 21,000 breaths. For some of us, those breaths come and go without a thought. For those with asthma or other lung diseases, each breath can be a struggle.

In our state, more than a half million adults and 105,000 youths have asthma. Dirty air can trigger severe asthma attacks and presents a host of other lung, heart and cancer health risks. Prolonged exposure can even lead to early death.

We must all work harder to protect communities from unhealthy airborne toxins, and preserve our environment. That is why we strongly support accelerating Washington’s transition toward a cleaner fuel supply.