Module 2 Blog Post:
What is Air pollution?
Clear air is essential to good health, but due to all the changes in the world, such as the increase in population, the air quality is not meeting the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines that are established to qualify the quality of air around the world. These guidelines measure the ozone damage and the levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide (World Health Organization, n.d.-a). According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is a modification of the natural components of the air (indoor and outdoor) influenced by chemicals and physical or biological elements. For example, our air can be polluted by second-hand tobacco smoking to unregulated factories polluting the air in our communities (World Health Organization, 2021). In addition, air pollution is a cause of non-communicable diseases like asthma, chronic pulmonary and respiratory diseases, and strokes, just to mention a few (World Health Organization, n.d.-b).
Furthermore, as predicted, air pollution issues are primarily experienced in low- and middle-income communities that have the highest rates of chronic diseases in the country and the lowest support from the community.
The Prevalence of Air Pollution
The United States has been arduously working to lower air pollution and to maintain clean air in the country, as shown in the EPA tables below:
(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2022)
Unfortunately, the EPA's progress is now in danger since the Supreme Court of the United States has restricted the EPA's authority to regulate and mandate carbon emissions reductions on June 30, 2022 (Supreme Court of the United States, 2022).
Meanwhile, in Dallas, TX, according to the American Lung Association, "if you live in Dallas, County, the air you breath may put your health at risk" with an Ozone rating of "F," Particle Pollution 24-hour rate of "D" and it "Passes" the Particle Pollution Annual (American Lung Association. State of the Air 2022, 2022).
The American Lung Association estimates that 137 million Americans live in places with poor air quality qualifications. However, there are more groups susceptible to this environmental health issue, such as people of color, people with low-socioeconomic status, children and older adults, people experiencing asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), cancer (lung), cardiovascular disease, and pregnant women (American Lung Association. State of the Air 2022, 2022).
Determinants of Air Pollution
Air pollutants come from many sources such as agriculture from, domestic livestock that produces Methane (CH4), industries that produce, store and transport oil and natural gas, waste from homes and businesses, all the combustion of fossil fuels used for transportation, the use of electricity to power our communities to mention a few (the United States Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.). All these factors worsen our quality of air if there is no appropriate control of them.
The Results of Air Pollution in Our Environment
All the health issues provoke by poor air quality are at hand with many other issues in our environment. For example, when our air is dense with contaminants, we are more likely to experience acid rain that contains “harmful amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids,” eutrophication that damages and kills our plant and animal diversity, haze creates fine particles that reduces our visibility of the environment, wildlife damage, the destruction of the ozone gas that protects us from the harmful ultraviolet rays, the damage of crops and forest, and of course, global climate change that is considered “fake news” to many (Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, n.d.).
If so, how do you think is air pollution affecting your daily life?
References:
American Lung Association. State of Air 2022. (2022). Texas: Dallas- Groups at Risk [Illustration]. Groups At Risk. https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/states/texas/dallas
American Lung Association. State of the Air 2022. (2022). Texas: Dallas. www.lung.org. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/states/texas/dallas
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs. (n.d.). Health & Environmental Effects of Air Pollution. www.mass.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.mass.gov/doc/health-environmental-effects-of-air-pollution/download#:~:text=Air%20pollution%20can%20damage%20crops,(such%20as%20harsh%20weather).
Supreme Court of the United States. (2022, June 30). WEST VIRGINIA ET AL. v. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ET AL. www.supremecourt.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-1530_n758.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Overview of Greenhouse Gases. www.epa.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). OUR NATION’S AIR TRENDS THROUGH 2021 [Graph]. www.epa.gov. https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2022/#home
World Health Organization. (n.d.-a). Air pollution - Impact. www.who.int. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_2
World Health Organization. (n.d.-b). Air pollution - Overview. www.who.int. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1
World Health Organization. (2021, September 22). WHO global air quality guidelines: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. www.who.int. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978924003422
Hello Paola!
ReplyDeleteI did not know that air pollution played a huge part on human health. I also did not know that “The American Lung Association estimates that 137 million Americans live in places with poor air quality qualifications. However, there are more groups susceptible to this environmental health issue, such as people of color, people with low-socioeconomic status, children and older adults, people experiencing asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), “ I always thought that people with asthma suffered the most with air pollution. People of color being one of the most effected shocked me as well, I wonder what makes them prone to have issues with air pollution.
I personally don’t think air pollution is affecting my daily life. I don’t suffer from any respiratory issues so daily I’m not affected. I can say that the smell of an old cars exhaust system does bother me if I’m near and just breathing in smoke.
I enjoyed how you added who is affected the most by air pollution and results of air pollution. Having acidic rain is not something I thought would come from air pollution. I also enjoyed your findings on how the United States is combating air pollution by meeting the WHO global air quality guidelines. An area of improvement I can suggest is adding why the problem is occurring and what areas are affected the most in debt.
Reference
American Lung Association. State of Air 2022. (2022). Texas: Dallas- Groups at Risk [Illustration]. Groups At Risk. https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/states/texas/dallas
Hello Bre!
DeleteThank you for your time dedicated to reading my post.
Yes, there is so much to learn about air pollution. Now that we are under several heat waves, it is making air pollution more persistent, and also, wildfires due to no rain are helping to pollute our air even more. This is something that I was suspicious about, but our textbook explains well about it. I will probably add more information about this in my following blogs.
I was recently reading this past week that investigators are now saying that gas stoves contribute to air pollution! I never thought about this, but there it is. I will research more about it to share this information with you all.
I am glad you are fortunate enough to have an excellent immune system and that your environment has clean air. However, it is interesting to know that you have noticed how your body rejects polluted air from old car exhaust systems and second-hand smoking. Our bodies automatically reject environments that are not good for them.
Hey Paola, this was a very informative blog post and I gained insights about this important environmental issue. In the past year or so, I began experiencing asthma symptoms and had to see my doctor. I had asthma as a child and outgrew it. But it was triggered by bad air quality in my area. I had never experienced the extent of those symptoms as an adult and was very stressful. I began checking air quality in my weather app and tried to avoid spending long durations outside whenever the air quality was particularly bad. Recently, with the saharan dust I have been checking more often. Air pollution definitely affects my daily life and limits my activities. I avoid gardening or walking due it. It certainly has worse affects on other people and should be a serious concern for our government. We definitely need to raise awareness in the general public and elect candidates that share this sentiment.
ReplyDeleteHello Sumera!
DeleteThank you for taking the time to read my post.
Yes, I’ve heard of children having asthma and outgrowing as they grow older. I am sorry you are now experiencing it again, but air pollution is not getting any better.
I live very close to Downtown Dallas, and I may not feel any symptoms like yours with your asthma, but I definitely feel it in my skin; poor air quality irritates my skin. Unfortunately, this horrible summer heat is worsening our air quality, putting at risk people like you with breathing issues, so you all have to be more cautious about it.
Air pollution is an important EH topic given that air is literally needed by everyone. It is not suprising that low income communities have low/poor air quality and given the impact of human health, one I consider an injustice as "where you live should not determine the quality of air breathed"
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Dr. E., this is another way of discrimination toward minorities and the low-income population. Unfortunately, they do not have the resources, time, knowledge, and power to fight for their rights, and many companies take advantage of their needs and vulnerability.
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