#kailen

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Tiny Particles increasing Heart Attacks

A new study in California has linked tiny particles released from cars being inhaled to deaths by way of heart attacks. These scary findings raise consumes of ultrafine particles which are so microscopic that they easily pass through the bloodstream and into the brain and important organs. The study that was conducted concluded that those living near traffic are more prone to being affected by these ultrafine particles. It is important to remember to stay off of major roadways such as those in downtown Los Angeles as they give off some of the world’s most polluted air.

 

 

While it is obvious that major roadways give off the most pollution and hurt the environment most critically, I never fully realized the true danger that standing on a major roadway can elicit. This will make me more cautious when I am near a busy street. It is especially scary because of how fine the particles being accidentally consumed are and how they can easily travel into your bloodstream and critical organs. This study further goes to show how dangerous air pollution is and all the negative affects it has on humans.

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California Missed Pollution Deadline

The Los Angeles area is unlikely to make a deadline set for themselves in 2015 to clean coot from their air. The chief smog-fighting agency recently approved a plan to change their deadline for cleaning the soot out of the air, blaming the drought in California for the lack of decline in fine particle pollution. The agency will likely ask for an extension up to the year of 2017. With this extension being approved by a 10-1 vote, many air quality experts are up in arms saying that Southern California needs to do more and by missing this deadline it shows that not enough is being done, despite their being a drought.

 

I am disappointed that California is extending their deadlines and making excuses for this extremely important issue. The issue of smog is extremely relevant to southern Californian’s and it’s visibility, although decreasing is absolutely disgusting. While I understand the drought likely played a role in the original deadline not being met, I would like to see more statistics on their progress rather than just extending their deadline. I hope by the end of next year the new deadline will be met so they can continue to decrease the smog levels in Southern California.

 

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Drought Worsening Smog

The extreme drought in California has dramatically slowed down efforts to remove smog from Southern California air. The prolonged dry spells has translated to a layer of heat trapping cooler air lower to the ground. This action causes pollution’s main concentration to occur closer to the ground. The air pollution in southern California is an extreme burden on citizens and also puts them at health risk. Hot conditions have also led to more forest fires, which increase air pollution with the levels of smoke being released into the atmosphere.

 

This article speaks to how the extreme drought in California has affected the air pollution. With California being in one of its worst droughts ever, the temperatures have increased making the smog’s level of concentration to drop significantly and further impacting humans. This is alarming and particularly scary as there is no clear solution. With this being said relief could come as soon as winter with storms and rain stirring up the air.

 

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Overseas Airs affecting California’s Pollution

Increasing emissions from China and other fast-growing Asian countries are rapidly traveling across the Pacific Ocean and increasing levels of ozone in the California as well as other Western States according to a recently completed study. In a weeks’ time, winds carry ozone formed by emissions Asia to the U.S. where it adds to pollution and smog. Carmel Valley, which scientists say should have extremely clean air have found pollution on their boarders. Three other cities affected by these access emissions are Bakersfield, Fresno and Los Angeles.

 

This study did not shock me as I have previously looked into how terrible China’s contributions to air pollution across the globe is, however China should be punished for their air affecting cities across the world from them. It is not fair to Californian’s that we have to breathe the polluted air being created half way across the globe. While China is attempting to decease their emissions substantially, I think they should have to pay money for their lack of control on the important issue of air quality.

 

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Southern Californian Cancer Rate

Since the year 2005, Southern Californian’s cancer rate has dropped by a titanic rate of 65 percent. While this number seems like a tremendous success and step in the right direction, regional air quality regulators still say this number is way too high. The recent 2015 analysis found that the constant exposure to toxic air contaminants in Southern California could result in 418 cancer cases for every 1 million people’s lifetimes. This number is down from the 1,194 cases per million found in the same study during 2005. Health experts conclude that 10 cases per every million qualifies healthy air.

 

The statistics presented in this article where very astonishing and disgusting in my opinion. The fact that over 1,000 people out of every million would obtain cancer from simply living in Southern California is horrendous and changes must continue to be made at a rapid pace. While health experts conclude that 10 cases per every million qualifies healthy air, that number still seems too high to me.   However, if Southern California could make it to that number in the relatively near future it would be a tremendous success.

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NASA’s US moniter

http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-nasa-images-highlight-us-air-quality-improvement/#.VHLE_vl4pcQ

 After ten years, NASA’s satellite which monitors six particularly dangerous pollutants found that people living in big United States cities are breathing nitrogen dioxide (a yellow gas which can cause respiratory problems). The gas is produced during the combustion of gasoline and is a very strong proxy to the overall health of air. Many graphs are depicted which go to show that air pollution in America is decreasing, however in major cities, Nitrogen Dioxide is increasing. This provides a gaping difference between the air quality for those living in rural and suburban areas of America.

The graphs and pictures shown on this website of NASA’s satellite goes to show how air pollution in America as a whole is improving, but the quality of air in big cities is more unhealthy than it has ever been. These pictures give great visual representation as to what exactly is happening in the Unite State’s atmosphere and levels of Nitrogen Dioxide. The purpose of this article was to educate those who live in big cities of their increased medical risks due to this very dangerous pollutant.

NASA. NASA, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.22

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Almost Half Living in Dangerous Conditions

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/air-pollution-dangerously-high-for-almost-half-of-us/

A little under 50 percent of Americans are living in unhealthy air conditions. This number has increased five percent from last year, 42 to 47 percent. The five communities with the worst air pollution in the United States were all in the state of California.  Los Angeles-Long Beach had the highest ozone levels, while Fresno-Madera was found to have the most particle pollution. Both of these cities are located in California which is particularly alarming as Californians. This being said, things are not all bad as Salinas California is the least polluted city in the United States.

 This article gave lots of statistics on the health of the air in the United States, particularly the odd trends in California. California has both the five highest rates of air pollution, and the lowest overall rate. This report also goes to scare Americans as over 140 million Americans live in areas with high ozone layers. High ozone layers puts people at risk of premature death, aggravated asthma, difficulty breathing and future cardiovascular problems. This report further goes to show how American cities’ pollution levels have changed throughout the last four years and shows both many promising positives and alarming negatives.

“Air Pollution Dangerously High for Almost Half of U.S., American Lung Association Reports.” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

 

 

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Air Pollution Progress in China

Lui, Anthony. “China’s War On Air Pollution Shows More Promise Than Reports Indicate.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ckgsb/2014/08/06/chinas-air-pollution-better-than-reports-indicate/

China has struggled with air pollution for many years, and their air is often considered to be the most polluted in the world. However, recently China has begun to address this major issue and changes in government have promised change. 71 of 74 major cities still fail to meet air standard regulations despite all of the precautions being taken, showing the severity of this issue. The three main contributors of air pollution are cars, coal, and industry, all of which China has placed regulations to limit the pollution being released into the atmosphere. For cars, China’s cities have placed restrictions that if somebody wants to buy a car, they have to apply only then being placed in an auction. In addition, many Chinese industries have been kicked out of their respective cities. In Bejing, 53 companies have been asked to relocated due to their outrageous emission of pollution into the already polluted atmosphere.

 

In this interview imbedded in an article, the author was stating what China’s officials strides to eliminate their pollution problem included. There are three main causes for why the air pollution is so bad which are coal, cars, and industries. China has taken steps to reduce each of these three areas significantly by limiting cars, removing sulfur dioxide from coal plant emissions, and eliminating industries. The author states positive examples of how far China has come in the past decade, but is still attempting to alarm readers as the problem of air pollution is far from gone in China and all citizens should take strides to help.

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The Road Less Traveled

“Cut Air Pollution in Half by Taking Road Less Travelled.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group,            07 Sept. 2014. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/11078065/Cut-air-pollution-in-half-by-taking-road-less-travelled.html

Commuters in big cities could cut their pollution intake down by fifty percent simply by avoiding main streets on their commutes. Inhaling air pollution in big cities can be as harmful to one’s lungs as smoking half a cigarette per day. This doesn’t appear to be a significant number, however cummitively this would have a large effect on the lungs of these commuters, especially if they are children. Public Health England states that 5.3 percent of all deaths in people of 25 years of age occur because of pollution, however this number skyrockets to 8.3 percent in inner London. The author believes these rates can be cut down by simply taking alternative, non-mainstream routes while commuting.

 

This article suggested that air pollution intake could be severely cut down by everyday commuters in England simply by avoiding the main streets. There is an easy alternative in taking side streets which in most cases can even be quicker than the congested streets of a downtown. I was shocked to hear that commuting to work is often times as harmful to the lungs as smoking a cigarette. Taking side streets is an easy alternative that can cut down around 50 percent of ones air pollution intake.