The federal COVID relief packages have sent hundreds of millions of dollars to Maine schools, much of which will spent on improving air ventilation and quality – one of the pillars of a proper response along with vaccinations, masks, distancing and regular testing.

But all the money will bring benefits long after the virus isn’t as much of a concern.

A large portion of Maine’s school buildings, many built in the 1950s and ’60s, are in need of repair or replacement – in 2020, the backlog on school maintenance projects statewide was around $500 million.

One of the main problems for older schools is poor ventilation, which we’ve all found out over the last 18 months is a huge problem when it comes to fighting COVID, as it allows the virus to stay in the air long enough to infect others.

But the problems caused by poor air quality in schools go far past COVID. Not only is air pollution a factor in the development of heart and respiratory problems, stroke and lung cancer, but it also has a cognitive impact: There’s evidence that even relatively slight improvements in air quality in schools can raise test scores.

Air pollution also appears to contribute to both severe mental illness and developmental delays.

Improving air quality in schools, then, could have a big impact on kids’ learning and health. Putting in filters and improving air flow is certainly a lot cheaper and less difficult than the interventions necessary to treat serious mental illness or poor respiratory health.

Of course, the pollution doesn’t come from the school. It’s generated by the burning of fossil fuels, mostly for transportation and power, as well as the massive wildfires that have burned nearly constantly over the last few years, which have been made worse by climate change.

And just like it’s better to improve the air in schools rather than treat all the health problems later, it would be far better to stop pouring pollution into the air than to try to mitigate all the bad outcomes that arise from it. Ending our reliance on fossil fuels is the only real long-term answer there for the sake of our future and the future of our planet.

With any luck, climate-related items being discussed in Congress now, to be put in place through the infrastructure and reconciliation bills, will pass, and we’ll start down a road to eliminating fossil fuel emissions.

But until then, we should make sure that our kids don’t sit all day exposed to the silent threat of air pollution.