In 2012 alone, an estimated 7 million people lost their lives due to air pollution.
Today, the deadly air that we breathe is the cause of 1 of 8 deaths. The World Health
Organization releases this data and believes that air pollution has now become the
greatest environmental health risk. The risk is greatly increased in large urban areas
because the amount of pollution and smog is enormous, and this pollution is spread to
other parts of the globe via winds. The pollution that is endangering our health is caused
by the activities we engage ourselves in day after day such as driving, turning on the
lights, and even taking a hot shower. The pollution is not only endangering ourselves but
others as well. It’s a no brainer that we have to do something about this because the
effects are too great to ignore.
In Atlanta specifically, air pollution has become a significant problem. The U.S.
Public Research Group released that Atlanta is the second most polluted city in the
United States - mostly due to the amount of mileage covered within the city. Atlanta,
preceded only by Los Angeles, currently has 80 parts per billion of ozone molecules.
While only recently complying with the 1997 air quality standards, it does not reach the
stricter levels of 75 parts per billion in place today. In fact, the ozone levels in Atlanta is
enough to start fining the city in 2015 unless Atlanta can bring down the levels to a
reasonable amount.
The effects of air pollution can be deadly. Although the effects depend on the
pollutant in the air, many of them can be deadly. Ground-level ozone found in smog
comes from sunlight interacting with nitrogen oxides and VOCs. This can be deadly for
people with asthma and respiratory problems. Lung function is severely reduced after
being exposed for 6-7 hours. Ozone also can cause nausea, chest pain, and coughing.
Animals can suffer severe lung damage if exposed to ozone for too long. Not only that,
ozone also damages crop yield and costs billions of dollars in lost productivity every
year. Forests have also seen extensive damage from ozone pollution. In Atlanta, ozone
has become as a problem as the city has boomed over the past few decades.
Nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide are two other pollutants that come from the burning
of fossil fuels for transportation and industry. Nitrogen dioxide can irritate lungs and
make people more susceptible to respiratory infections. It can also lead to eutrophication
in coastal areas, which reduce the oxygen available in water and disrupts the lives of
animals. It also forms ozone. Sulfur dioxide is another dangerous pollutant that can wreck
havoc on breathing and cardiovascular function. It can also cause acid rain. Acid rain can
pollute lakes and streams killing wildlife. It can corrode monuments and buildings and
make groundwater toxic. These pollutants are very damaging to the environment and are
plaguing Atlanta right now.
Lead and carbon monoxide are other deadly pollutants. Lead comes from
smelters and battery plants are the main sources of lead in air. Lead accumulates in the
body through inhalation of it in the air or ingestion. Lead buildup can lead to a variety of
severe physical problems like seizures, mental retardation, and behavioral disorders. It
can also lead to birth defects and stunted growth. Lead has also been associated with a
higher risk of heart disease in men and osteoporosis in women. Carbon monoxide is
formed when carbon in fuels is not burned completely. It comes mostly from motor
vehicle exhaust. CO reduces oxygen intake and aggravates cardiovascular problems.
Healthy individuals are also at risk of suffering from reduced work capability and
reduced cognitive function. These pollutants have increased in Atlanta because traffic and
industries have sprang up in the city. These are severe problems in the city.
A big contributor to air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels to power the
various plants in Georgia. According to the NRDC, these plants let out emissions that
contain particles of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and dioxide. The
biggest contributor, however, is those due to automobiles. Statistics shown by the Clean
Air Campaign show that 78% Georgians commute alone to and from work with an
average commute of 27 minutes one way. More than half of the smog in Georgia is from
truck and car exhausts. Combine that with the long commutes and individual drivers, it is
understandable why pollution in Atlanta is so high. Not only that but, traffic congestion
costs each Atlanta commuter $1,046 a year in lost time and productivity. Overall, traffic
costs the region's employers $2.9 billion a year.
In addition to traffic, people suffer from air pollution from work and at home.
Work such as construction, mining, and demolition can stir up particulates of dust and
other chemicals into the air. Agriculture work, whether it is for supplying to food chains
or just a home garden can cause an increase of chemicals in the air depending on the
sprays and chemicals used to protect the plants. A technique of controlled burning in
agriculture also contributes to pollution releasing the toxins into the air. People at home
are a source of air pollution as well. Many home use products such as paint, hairspray,
varnish, or aerosol spray are not very good for the atmosphere.
All of these reasons is why pollution is an important factor in our lives today,
especially in Atlanta. In the end, it seems like air pollution could have been an avoidable
problem if the necessary precautions were taken beforehand – given the fact that most of
the pollution is manmade. However, it was not like that and now the city is suffering
from high levels of pollutants. This leaves us with the question: Can we do anything
about it?
As citizens of the Atlanta Metropolitan area, there are numerous steps individuals
can take to improve their surrounding air quality. Many of these steps are easy and only
involve making small adjustments to people’s daily schedules. The solutions pertain to
both people’s cars and their homes.
Cars are a vital part of how Atlantans get around their city, but most cars emit
harmful pollutants into the air that compromise the surrounding air quality.
However, there are many ways that individuals can make a difference in their
environment. By keeping tires properly inflated and aligned and by getting regular
engine tune ups and car maintenance checks, especially for spark plugs, cars will run
more efficiently, therefore saving money on gas as well as limiting the amount of
pollution. Other really simple ways for individuals to limit their gas consumption is
to avoid spilling gas by not topping off and making sure to place the gas tank cap
back on tightly after filling up. Finally, people can challenge themselves not to drive
all together; it is a lot less stressful that way. Employees can work with their
employers to make flexible working hours or telecommute to work to avoid traffic or
not worry about it all together. They can also work with other employees to form car
pools to work to have fewer vehicles out on the road. Also, people can use public
transportation, walk, or bike to wherever they need to go. To help this effort, the city
of Atlanta approved $2.5 million for bike projects in 2013. Also the Beltline project,
a 22 mile mini perimeter around Atlanta that is expected to be completed by 2030,
will make Atlanta much more accessible by walking or biking.
For people to help improve Atlanta’s air quality at home, it is as quick and
easy as the solution for car emissions. To reduce daily energy consumption, people
should turn off appliances and lights when finished and also by replacing old,
outdated appliances and fixtures with Energy Star products that are much more
efficient. In order to reduce waste which in turn conserves energy and reduces
production emissions, people should choose products with less packaging and
reusable, shop with a reusable canvas bag instead of plastic and paper bags, and
finally use rechargeable batteries for devices that are used frequently. Recycling
paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans is also a great way to
reduce waste. Many places and stores are now offering people a chance to take
advantage of these solutions more conveniently such stores like Publix and Walmart
offering canvas, reusable bags. In terms of solutions on the outside of their home,
people can plant deciduous trees outside their home to reduce energy costs because it
will block the sunlight during the warmer months of the year, but let the light
through in cooler months of the year. All of these are very easy ways that everyone
can do their part to reduce air pollution in their area.
Pollution is a major issue in Atlanta. Atlanta is currently ranked as the second
most polluted city in the United States, but pollution is becoming a major issue in the
United States as a whole. It can have detrimental effects on our respiratory health and has
become a leading cause of premature deaths. Pollution is caused by our daily activities,
mainly the burning of fossil fuels to power our cars and homes, but there are ways in
which we can reduce our carbon footprint and make the air we breathe healthier. We can
reduce our carbon dioxide output by carpooling or even riding our bikes or walking,
turning out the lights when we leave a room, and by making sure our cars are working
efficiently. If we all contribute just a little bit, the air quality of Atlanta will improve
dramatically within a couple of years. Also, with environmental engineering at the
forefront of innovation, we can expect greener technology to be coming into the market.
There is a great desire in the upcoming generations to make our environment safer,
healthier, and cleaner. While we may not have all the answers right now, it’s never too
early to start solving a problem situation that can only be improved.
References
Levy, Francesca. "America's Most Toxic Cities." Forbes Online. Forbes, 06 Nov. 2009.
Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
<http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2F2009%2F11%2F02%2Ftoxic-cities-pollutionlifestyle-real-estate-toxic-cities.html%20%2021%2C000%20tons%20of%20environmental%20wa>.
"Air Pollution." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 04 May 2009. Web.
02 Apr. 2014. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/globalwarming/pollution-overview/>.
Gerken, James. "Air Pollution Kills 7 Million People Every Year, World Health
Organization Report Finds." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 25 Mar.
2014. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/25/air-pollutiondeaths_n_5027320.html>.
"What Are the Six Common Air Pollutants?" EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 20
Apr. 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. <http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/>.
"Air." Pollution Causes, Facts, and Solutions to Pollution. National Resources Defense
Council, 20 May 2010. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nrdc.org/air/>.
"What Is Acid Rain?" EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 4 Dec. 2012. Web. 01
Apr. 2014. <http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what/>.
"Improving Communities: Environment." The Community Foundation for Greater
Atlanta. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, 20 June 2012. Web. 01 Apr.
2014. <http://www.cfgreateratlanta.org/Issues/Environment.aspx>.
"Air Pollution." WHO. World Health Organization, 22 July 2012. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.who.int/topics/air_pollution/en/>.
"Ozone, Air Quality, and Asthma." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about
Children's Health. Ed. Joseph Edward. The Nemours Foundation, 01 Jan. 2014. Web. 02
Apr. 2014. <http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/allergies/ozone_asthma.html>.
Abramson, Michael. "Asthma and Air Pollution." NationalAsthma. National Asthma
Society, 20 Apr. 2004. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/uploads/publication/asthma-air-pollution.pdf>.