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Why Care About Air? back |
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Air is the most necessary of our natural resources. We depend upon air every minute of every day. The average person inhales an average of 2,850 gallons of air each day. While we can do without food for weeks or longer and without water for days, we can go without air for only a few minutes.
Yet, for most healthy people, air is something we often take for granted. We can't touch it. We can't taste it. In fact, our senses are poor guides for evaluating the cleanliness of the air we breathe. It is only when we feel a stinging in our eyes or when we approach Atlanta from a distance and see a dirty brown layer over the city that we give the air much thought. As new research gives us greater understanding of the health effects of air pollution, it's more important than ever to address what we can do to bring about healthy air. The first step in this process is to bring healthy air to the forefront of our thinking. Such thinking, combined with action, is essential to our well-being and to the health of our communities. Over the past few centuries, our understanding of air pollution has grown considerably. We now know that visibility is not always the best measure of how clean the air is. Many air pollutants are almost impossible to see with the human eye. We need monitoring devices to measure air pollution concentrations and look to secondary measures such as increases in hospital admissions for asthma during periods of increased air pollution. Through these measures, we know that air pollution is not simply a city phenomenon. Air pollution affects the region as a whole. Recent research confirms that air pollution affects human health. According to Dr. Howard Frumkin of Emory University, "research conducted in several dozen cities worldwide, including Atlanta, relates air pollution to heath impacts and respiratory toxicity as measured by self-reported symptoms, lung function measurements, emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and other markers. Children, the elderly, and patients with respiratory diseases such as asthma and emphysema are especially susceptible." This chemical soup is made up of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. Volatile organic compounds are evaporative vapors that come from such sources as gasoline, lighter fluid and paint. Nitrogen oxides are produced as a result of a combustion process, with motor vehicles and power plants being two of the largest contributors. During hot Georgia summers, these chemical compounds combine with heat and sunlight to produce elevated levels of ozone, a corrosive gas that hinders proper lung function. It has long been known that ozone can trigger asthma attacks and other forms of respiratory distress in people with lung problems. However, a recent study conducted in the Los Angeles area actually draws a causal link between areas with elevated concentrations of ozone and higher concentrations of people who have asthma. In short, the study suggests that elevated ozone levels may actually cause asthma. It's important to note the distinction between ground-level ozone and the ozone layer that surrounds the planet. In the stratosphere, ozone is a good thing. It protects us from the sun's harmful ays. At ground level, however, ozone hinders lung function and makes it difficult to breathe. The second form of air pollution of concern to Georgians is the presence of minute particles in the air, also known as particulate matter. Recent research has focused attention on what is known as "fine particulate matter"- ultrasmall particles of soot, sulfates, nitrates and other material emitted by cars and trucks, coal-fired power plants and factories. These fine particles are very tiny - at least 28 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Though some particles are large or dark enough to be seen as soot or smoke, many of these fine particles are so small they can be detected only with an electron microscope. Fine particulate matter can penetrate deep into the lungs. Studies have linked day-to-day and long-term exposure to particulate matter to heightened risk of respiratory ailments and even death from lung cancer, stroke and heart attack. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set the limit for particulate matter at 15 micrograms of particles per cubic meter of air, based on annual averages. Preliminary research shows that most of Georgia will likely be in violation of this newly established limit. A Georgia Tech study indicates metro Atlanta has an average annual particulate matter level of 23 micrograms per cubic meter, one of the highest levels in the nation. Air pollution does not respect political boundaries of cities, counties or even states. Unlike water, it does not follow the contours of the land. It is a problem that has expanded in geographic scope over time as we convert more forest and farmland to development. In the United States, 121 million Americans - nearly half the population - live in areas where air does not meet existing health-based standards.
The federal standard for particulates has an even greater reach. As initial data come in from air quality monitors throughout Georgia, it appears that nearly every monitor in the state shows annual violations of the new federal particulate matter standard. Though air pollution is a pressing problem that is quickly spreading to the four corners of our state, it is not an issue that should cause us to lose hope. Our air is a natural resource that must be managed and respected like any other natural resource. Responsibility for that lies primarily with the elected officials, policy makers and regulatory officials responsible for crafting environmental policy and enforcing environmental regulations. A recent editorial in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said it best, "Politicians and others responsible for crafting our environmental policies must be reminded that clean air is not a luxury we can live without. It's a birthright, and one that's worth fighting for until our last breath." It is also true that each citizen plays a part in dirtying our air. In our fight for clean air, The Georgia Conservancy recognizes the role each person can play in solving our air pollution problem. As we begin smog season this year, all of us must consider ways that to have a positive impact on the air we breathe. Minor changes in behavior really can make a difference. We need to look no further than the 1996 Olympics for reassurance. During Atlanta's summer games, peak traffic volumes dropped by 25 percent and ground-level ozone levels were down. The air was 30 percent cleaner than usual, and visits to several medical facilities for children suffering asthma attacks were 44 percent lower than usual. Through sound policy and personal choice, we can make a difference in our air pollution problems. We can and we must. - Michael Halicki, Policy Director How You Can Help
For more air pollution reduction tips, visit the Clean Air Campaign's web site. top | back |
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The
benefits of clean air have been widely acknowledged for centuries, with
clean, fresh air held up as a necessary component of a healthy and vigorous
life. Similarly, the adverse health impacts of air pollution have been
widespread and widely acknowledged as early as the late 16th century.
In
Georgia, there are two pervasive forms of air pollution that are of particular
concern. The first is ground-level ozone. During "smog season," May 1
through September 30, sweltering heat, direct sunlight and stagnant wind
conditions serve as catalysts to "cook" man-made and naturally occurring
chemical compounds in the air around us.
Until
recently, people regarded the 13 counties surrounding metro Atlanta as
the geography of Georgia's air pollution problems. However, new, more
stringent standards for ground-level ozone now threaten to add an additional
eight counties to Atlanta's air pollution domain. Columbus, Macon and
Augusta and their environs are likely to join the list as well.