When I was 8 years old 70 people died and thousands were injured when a fighter jet crashed into the spectating crowd at an air show at the American Airbase in Ramstein/Germany. Many of the victims were young children since the event had been particularly popular among families. It was later labeled "The deadliest air show in German history" and the images of that day will be forever burned into my brain.

Every October during Fleet Week San Francisco when over the course of 4 days the sky above the city and the Bay become training grounds for the ‚Blue Angels‘ and other jet pilots the terrifying memories come back. 

After recent changes in my personal life (I've become a mum) and the developments and newly released research around climate change I've now decided to take action.

Even if your memories of air shows are much less traumatic or even positive I'd like to ask you to hear me out and to consider these two arguments against them. 

Noise pollution: You don’t have to be the parent of a baby or toddler you are trying to nap to feel your stress levels rise when a military jet shoots through the sky. No one is able to opt out of the noise pollution throughout the day over 4 consecutive days and no one should be forced to live through it. Jet sounds easily reach 120-140dB and are far beyond what is considered harmful and tolerable under any other circumstance. For reference the human pain threshold is at 110dB and your ear drum will rupture at 150dB. Independent studies show negative effects on human psyche and hearing as well as a child's ability to learn at levels as low as 85dB.

Environmental impact: Even the most fuel efficient fighter jet on the market burns close to 5000 pounds of Kerosine (jet fuel) per hour. The consumption of a "Blue Angel" fighter jet is around 8000(!) pounds or 1200 gallons per hour. Multiply that by 6 Blue Angel jets and you have blown 7200 gallons worth of jet fuel or 144.000 pounds of CO2 (at 20 pounds per gallon according to the EPA) up in the air in just 1 hour. And that is not even considering the other jets and planes in the lineup for the Fleet Week Air Show. In times when climate change is more than just a threat it seems antiquated to willfully emit this much carbon for an air show - especially in a environmentally forward state like California and a city as green as San Francisco. 

Please join me in asking the City of San Francisco and the County of Marin to suspend permits and air rights for the "Blue Angels" and other jets performing in the Air Show during Fleet Week.