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Emily Bradford
Gardner Rogers
ENGL 1102-I
2 May 2011
Atlanta Air Pollution: Changing a Clouded View
Throughout my life, I have taken many daytrips to Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta,
Georgia. My favorite experience in this park has been adventuring up to the summit of the
granite mountain. I remember as a young child the view at the top being absolutely breathtaking.
I could see miles and miles of rolling hills, glossy lakes, and the skyline of downtown Atlanta.
However, my most recent visits to this beautiful attraction have left me more disappointed than
full of innocent joy. The view has become clouded with a large, hovering mass of smog. I can
barely even see to the bottom of the mountain anymore. This transformation has left me
concerned about the air quality of Atlanta and the effects the air pollution has on people in the
area. People in the Atlanta area must recognize this smog as a dangerous problem and make an
effort individually and as a community to reduce air pollution so future generations can enjoy the
gorgeous mountaintop view I treasured as a child.
Atlanta and its metro area are classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as
a nonattainment area for ground-level ozone and particle pollution (“Air Quality”).
Nonattainment status means pollution levels are likely to exceed the heath-based federal and
state limits on many days throughout the year. Although the number of unhealthy air days has
decreased, an additional fourteen counties do not meet the air quality standard, meaning the
problem is expanding to new areas of Georgia (Teague). Having the highest population density
in the southeastern United States and large amounts of environmental toxins placed Atlanta at the
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top of Forbes’s Most Toxic City List for 2009 and as the seventeenth worst city for year-round
particle pollution according to the American Lung Association (“Investigation” 211). This
problem is particularly prominent in the Atlanta area because its residents drive over one
hundred million miles per day, more than any other city in the United States, resulting in a
buildup of smog (Spaid; “Sprawl Atlanta”). Atlanta has been building more outward into the
suburbs and dispersing its population, meaning more drivers driving farther on the road (Spaid).
The transition towards cleaner air presents a challenge for Atlanta because of its past
development patterns, lack of transportation alternatives, and phenomenal growth rate (Spaid).
With high national rankings for air pollution and a prolonged failure to meet the federal
air quality standard, Atlanta’s residents cannot continue to neglect the pollution in the air around
them. I maintain that air pollution in the Atlanta area should be considered a major problem even
though the deadly particles are not visible. After this problem is finally recognized, I believe
citizens must go beyond acknowledgment and begin striving to make a difference both as
individuals and as a community. The purpose of reducing air pollution in the Atlanta area is not
just to meet the air quality standard and get a pat on the back. Atlanta needs to change its bad air
habits to improve the quality of health, the environment, and the economy.
To recognize air pollution as an imperative problem, one must first understand the
properties and sources of air pollution. In the Atlanta area, the two most critical pollutants that
threaten human health are ground-level ozone and particle pollution (“Air Quality”). Groundlevel ozone, made up of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter,
a complex blend of extremely small particles and liquid droplets, form the hovering haze called
smog (“Particulate Matter”). The primary causes of the emission of these pollutants are
transportation and industrial processes (“State and County”). The composition of the air switches
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from particle pollution from vehicles around five in the afternoon to sulfated aerosols from
power plants (Teague). However, local air quality is affected by several factors, including
regional emissions, temperature, atmospheric dynamics, and traffic patterns (“Investigation”
222). Weather is a huge factor in the increase in air pollution because heat speeds up the reaction
of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds to form ozone (“Air Quality”). Therefore,
ground level ozone is more likely to occur during the warmer months. Obviously, there is much
going on in the air around Atlanta that is unseen.
Action must be taken to fight the war against air pollution because of the harmful health
effects of particulate matter. The most common symptoms associated with smog exposure
include chest tightness, dry cough, breathing difficulty, and shortness of breath (Teague). Janet
Raioff asserts air pollution, especially particulate matter, causes premature death. She claims
ultrafine particulate matter, although unregulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
due to its extremely small size, is linked to heart disease, increased blood pressure, and ischemic
stroke. Raioff points out researchers found that an increase in the composition of particulate
matter escalates the risk of respiratory symptoms and inhaler use of children with asthma
(Raioff). Ozone damages cells that line the surface of the lung airways. According to Teague,
“what results is an inflammatory response to the ozone which makes a person susceptible to
tissue damage.” In other words, Teague believes ozone exposure can decrease lung function in
the short term. Ultrafine particles also increase the rate of aging due to their effect on the
telomeres of chromosomes whose length acts as a gauge of the aging process and inactivate
cancer-suppressing genes (Raioff). The biggest misconception concerning air pollution is the
belief that people who are healthy or move away from the city no longer have to worry about air
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pollution as a health issue (Teague). But everyone’s health is at risk as a result of the negative
effects of air pollution.
Another reason the people of Atlanta should commit to improve the air quality is the
harmful impact air pollution has on the environment, including plant and animal life. Groundlevel ozone interferes with the ability of plants to photosynthesize, so growth, reproduction, and
overall plant health are compromised (“Environmental Impact”). When vegetation is weakened,
it becomes more susceptible to disease, pests, and environmental stresses (“Environmental
Impact”). This concerns agricultural crops, aesthetically pleasing urban plants, and vegetation in
parks. Particles can be carried over long distances by wind and then settle on ground or water
(“Health and Environment”). The effects of this settling include making lakes and streams
acidic, changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins, depleting the
nutrients in soil, damaging sensitive forests and farm crops, and affecting the diversity of
ecosystems (“Health and Environment”). Animals are also harmed by Atlanta’s poor air quality.
Nitrogen oxide contributes to a significant number of fish deaths and algae blooms that reduce
the oxygen supply (“Environmental Impact”). When air pollution destroys the plant life, it
consequently harms the many animals that depend on plants as a food supply. The breathing of
animals is also affected negatively, just like humans.
Many can relate to the need to help the currently struggling economy in any way
possible. The economy is a driving motivation to repair the poor air quality in Atlanta. The Clean
Air Campaign argues that air pollution could harm Atlanta economically by discouraging
businesses to locate to a nonattainment area of poor air quality, which in turn has the potential to
negatively impact jobs and the housing market. This organization knows from experience that
failure to address the air pollution problem could result in restrictions on how federal money is
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used for transportation improvements. The Clean Air Campaign maintains ozone also reduces
agricultural yields for economically important crops. It also insists that the reduced visibility
resulting from particle pollution is a vital economic issue for industries dependent on a pristine
environment (“Economic Impact”). Reduced visibility not only affects the economy, but also
quality of life. This is what inhibits my spectacular Stone Mountain view.
To solve these serious problems, Atlanta should concentrate on on-road vehicles and road
dust, dry powder from the pavement consisting of multiple sources that is stirred up by traffic
and suspended in the air (“Road Dust”). In Fulton County, the bulk of particulate matter is
discharged from these sources, totaling in 11,399 tons in 2005 (“State and County”). The amount
of particle pollution peaks around eight in the morning and tends to increase after around six at
night, the times when there is more traffic (“Measurement” 79). Each of the over five hundred
thousand licensed drivers in Atlanta commutes an average of thirty-five miles a day
(“Commuting”). Atlanta in particular has a problem with air pollution from transportation
because of the high number of drivers and miles per person. These facts suggest that if people of
the Atlanta area rely less on cars, most of the harmful emissions would be eliminated. I strongly
recommend Atlanta residents to stop driving as much or not at all, if possible.
One way to make the change to a no-vehicle life is for one to move closer to one’s work
location so walking or biking to work is possible. If moving is not an option, carpooling with
friends is an effective way of keeping pollutants out of the air and reduce traffic. RideSmart, a
free service in Georgia, matches commuters with potential carpool partners who live and work in
the same area and provides rewards and prizes as an incentive to encourage alone commuters to
switch their method of travel (“Carpool”). Using a public transportation system like MARTA,
which serves Fulton and DeKalb counties through a bus and rail system, is also an alternative to
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get to work daily (“Improve Your Commute”). Teleworking helps one avoid the road altogether
and keeps pollution out of the air while increasing productivity and job satisfaction (“Improve
Your Commute”). Living in the suburbs of the Atlanta Metro area causes commuters to drive to
the heart of the city for work, increasing traffic and air pollution they are trying to avoid by
living in the suburbs (Beavan). Work, play, and live communities where every necessity in life is
in walking distance would eliminate the need for cars and result in a better lifestyle (Beavan). If
each commuter in Atlanta would strive to limit their personal vehicle use, a significant
percentage of harmful emissions would not contaminate the air, resulting in a healthier and more
prosperous city.
When evaluating all the additional benefits, driving a personal vehicle is not even worth
the huge amount of environmental damage. Colin Beavan claims “American adults average
seventy-two minutes a day behind the wheel of a car”. He points out these same people spend
two months of every year working to pay for the ownership and maintenance of their cars. After
putting it all together, Beavan deduces that Americans spend the equivalent of nearly five workmonths a year either driving their cars or working to pay for them. They are working to earn
money to pay for a car so they can get to work. He also informs that every ten minutes spent
commuting means ten percent less social connections and the more a nation’s citizens used
alternate modes of transportation, the less obese they are. Beavan states “people who ride bikes
or walk to work are twenty-four percent more likely to be happy with their commute than those
who drive cars”. Not owning a car can actually lead to a happier lifestyle. People become closer
to their communities, save an enormous amount of money, get into better shape, and have more
leisure time. These are all pleasant side effects to contributing to a greener environment.
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I am aware that many may be opposed to my radical proposition to abolish the vehicles
that are such a huge part of the culture of metro Atlanta. Air quality is a difficult issue to
persuade others to become passionate about because air pollution is not an in-your-face kind of
problem (Spaid 3). I warn others that although air pollution cannot be seen in front of their faces,
if they looking in the distance towards the heart of the city, they will see the thick haze of smog
that will only get progressively worse as this problem continues to be ignored. People must be
persuaded into action through more publicity about the dangers of air pollution to make them
more aware of the invisible, but deadly, problem. For example, the government could sponsor an
informative television commercial to raise the awareness of a significant number of viewers.
Another obstacle of getting people to care about Atlanta air pollution is people believe if air
requirements cannot be met, the government will simply change them (Spaid 3). More people are
realizing now that will not happen. Even if the government did change the air quality standards,
the negative impacts the pollution has on human health, the economy, and the environment
would not change. Additionally, people instinctually hate to change their habits. Many will easily
dismiss my proposal because it interrupts their comfortable daily routine. But if people are
willing to step up to the plate and make a difference by changing this one aspect of their lives,
they will become much healthier and happier.
Despite these objections, I honestly believe people will do what is right and minimize the
use of their pollutant emitting vehicles to improve their health, the environment, and the
struggling economy. Sacrificing a money-devouring piece of metal on wheels does not seem
inconceivable when striving to make a better world. I expect that people will finally accept the
air quality of Atlanta, Georgia as a critical problem and be willing to change their driving habits
to strive for cleaner air to breathe. Not only does the problem of air pollution need to be solved,
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the problem can be solved through the efforts of individual people. I truly hope that Atlanta will
someday be able to enjoy the same crystal clear mountaintop view I enjoyed in my youth once
more.
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Works Cited
“Air Quality Fact Sheet.” The Clean Air Campaign. Dir. Kevin Green. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
Beavan, Colin. No Impact Man. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. Print.
“Carpool.” MyRideSmart. N.p. 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.
“Commuting and Traffic Congestion Fast Facts”. The Clean Air Campaign. Dir. Kevin Green.
Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
“Economic Impact.” The Clean Air Campaign. Dir. Kevin Green. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
“Environmental Impact.” The Clean Air Campaign. Dir. Kevin Green. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
“Health and Environment.” United States Environmental Protection Agency. Dir. Lisa Jackson.
2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2011.
“Improve Your Commute.” The Clean Air Campaign. Dir. Kevin Green. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
“Investigation into the Use of Satellite Data in Aiding Characterization of Particulate Air Quality
in the Atlanta, Georgia Metropolitan Area." Journal of the Air & Waste Management
Association 61.2 (2011): 211-225. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.
"Measurement of Atlanta Aerosol Size Distributions: Observations of Ultrafine Particle Events."
Aerosol Science & Technology 34.1 (2001): 75-87. Environment Complete. Web. 11 Mar.
2011.
“Particulate Matter”. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Dir. Lisa Jackson. 2011.
Web. 25 Mar. 2011.
Raioff, Janet. "Bad Breath." Science News 176.2 (2009): 26-29. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 23 Feb. 2011.
"Road Dust - Something to Sneeze About." American Chemical Society. ScienceDaily 30 Nov.
1999. Web. 13 Apr. 2011.
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Spaid, Elizabeth. "Atlanta: Growth vs. Clean Air." Christian Science Monitor 14 Jan. 1997: 3.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2011.
“Sprawl Atlanta.” Environmental Justice Resource Center. Turner Foundation. Jan. 1999. Web.
12 Apr. 2011.
“State and County Emission Summaries.” United States Environmental Protection Agency. Dir.
Lisa Jackson. 2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2011.
Teague, W. Gerald. “Smog.” Clean Air Campaign Dir. Kevin Green. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.