April 21, 2014 – 1 Day until Earth Day…
Only 1% of China’s 560 million city residents breathe air that is considered safe by the European Union
- Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, or biological materials that cause discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage to other living organisms such as food crops, or damage to the natural environment or built environment.
- Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. It occurs when the air contains harmful amount of gases, dust, fumes and odor.
- Pollutants that are released into the air, as opposed to land and water pollutants, are the most harmful.
- Some air pollution is natural. Volcanoes, dust storms, and forest fires all pollute the air.
Health
- Air pollution is not a recent occurrence. In 1952, the Great Smog of London killed 8,000 people.
- According to the data from the World Health Organization, 2.4 million people die each year from causes directly connected with air pollution.
- Children, elderly people, and people who suffer from respiratory diseases are particularly vulnerable to air pollution.
- Short-term effects of air pollution on human health are usually irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia while long-term effects include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, damage to the brain, nerves, liver, etc.
- 65% of the deaths in Asia and 25% deaths in India are due to air pollution.
- The number of people who die in America every year due to air pollution is above 50,000.
- Breathing air in polluted metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles or Riverside can reduce your life expectancy by 2 to 3 years.
- People who live in places with high levels of air pollutants have a 20% higher risk of death from lung cancer than people who live in less-polluted areas.
Transportation
- People who live near high traffic roads face greater risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma and bronchitis as these places contain more concentrated levels of air pollution.
- Transportation sources such as cars, trucks, buses, ships and trains account for 90% of the cancer risk associated with air pollution.
- During heavy traffic jam, pollutants outside can seep into your car, making the air inside your car 10 times more polluted than typical city air.
- 80% of lung diseases are caused due to pollution from other cars, buses, trucks and other vehicles.
- According to the Lancet journal, air pollution caused by waiting in traffic increases the chances of death caused due to heart attack.
- 5,000 premature deaths in Southern California are caused due to pollution from diesel trucks.
The Evidence
- 70% of the air pollution caused in Chinese cities is due to tailpipes.
- Air pollution in China can travel up to the Central Valley of California.
- Travelers to the Grand Canyon are unable to see the other side due to air pollution, it is 1,000 miles away.
- Air pollution around cities is clearly visible from space.
- After checking how happy people are against air quality in some 14 EU countries, Economists at Trent University concluded that there is a strong link between good air and happy on the one end with bad air making people less happy on the other end.
- Computer components exposed to high levels of air pollution containing sulfur have been attacked by acids generated by the air pollution, partially eaten up, and made useless.
- Air pollution that causes smog affects dolphins and makes them suffer from black lung diseases.
- Forests worldwide are being impacted by air pollution. According to Bonn University scientists published in “Environmental Pollution”, salt compounds in bad air leave deposits on leaves that impact the wax and surface layers of the leaves making them more vulnerable to disease.
- 3,000 year old Giant Sequoia trees are being impacted by Southern California smog. The Ozone in the Sequoia National Park is as intense as in California Cities. Hikers are warned that a walk in the park is not good for the lungs. Government employees are cautioned of an “unsafe workplace” and lung and heart damage due to the crappy air. I wonder how the animals fare?
Legal Impacts
- Air in the United States of America, at least, has improved a lot since the 1970 Clean Air Act went into effect.
- Measured levels of all major air pollution elements: ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and lead, have dropped a major amount since 1970. Carbon monoxide (CO) levels are down more than 70%.
- Air pollution in New York City has actually been reduced by some 50%.
- Thanks to the Clean Air Act in the period between 1970 and 2006, United States citizens enjoyed these significant reductions in annual air pollution emissions:
- Carbon monoxide emissions fell from 197 million tons to 89 million tons
- Nitrogen oxide emissions fell from 27 million tons to 19 million tons
- Sulfur dioxide emissions fell from 31 million tons to 15 million tons
- Particulate emissions fell by 80%
- Lead emissions fell by more than 98%
- Private gas burners in Paris, France have been restricted to every other day driving to reduce serious air pollution there. As of March, 2014 cars with odd and even plates are allowed to drive every other day. The move exempts electric vehicles.
Reduce your Air Pollution
- Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 38 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy, and 7,000 gallons of water. This represents 60 pounds less of air pollution!
- The energy saved from recycling one glass bottle can cause 20% less air pollution than when a new bottle is made from raw materials.
- The best ways to reduce air pollution are by walking and riding bicycle.
- A single bus caries passengers who are likely to drive 40 cars.
- Electric vehicles stir up dust like other vehicles, but they do not emit gases like other vehicles.
- Regarding diesel pollution and heart attacks: It has recently been discovered that a particulate filter on the emitting vehicle can reduce particulate pollution up to 98%.
- Switching to more efficient and cleaner fuels from solid fuels (wood, biomass) can help you to reduce indoor air pollution.
Resources:
pollutionarticles.blogspot.com
