Adopt-a-Topic: Air Pollution Phase: United States and World
Carnegie Mellon University. (2019, July 24th). 30,000plus U.S.lives could be saved by reducing air pollution levels below current standard. Retrieved August 16, 2019, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190724104010.htm
Research findings show significant human health benefits when air quality is better than the current national ambient air quality standard. The estimate of lives that could be saved by further reduction of air pollution levels is more than thirty thousand, which is similar to the number of deaths from car accidents each year. Each study has collected lots of data throughout a span of twenty eight years and ended up with shocking evidence of eighteen point four million cardiorespiratory deaths between just nineteen ninety nine and two thousand fifteen.
The article focuses on the devastating effect of particulate matter pollution or PM^2.5. It is a result of a complex reaction of chemicals. Well known sources of PM^2.5 are power plants, industries and automobiles. It has caused a large increase in deaths that could be prevented in the future through clean ups. I feel that this is very important because studies have shown that in California, the life expectancy has risen by 0.3 years in areas that are starting to clear the air through clean ups. The only problem I have with this article is that it is a bit vague. It talks about how these “clean ups” are one solution to the air pollution issue, but it doesn’t specify what people are doing to clean up or what the process is.
This is a great example of an externalized cost- no one is paying for the particulate matter they pollute, yet society is paying big for health issues around poor air quality. I appreciate your critique on their vague solutions. What do you think a more specific action could be to address this health and environmental issue? Interesting article Toma.
I agree with Toma that PM^2.5 air pollution is a problem, and evidently not coincidental that life expectancy has increased with initiatives to decrease this specific type of air pollutant.