Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
At the end of “Cutting-edge transportation: Effective emissions-reductions approaches,” in closing, I wrote: “With that said, transit might just be the best thing going when it comes to mitigating negative environmental impact.” Well, time has come to expound upon that thought. For starters it is helpful to clarify “negative environmental impact.” In the context of … Read more
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think a region in updating its air quality alert system would spark criticism, but it has. According to an article in the Nov. 24, 2012 Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles region’s South Coast Air Quality Management District on Nov. 24th announced it had issued its “first-ever no-burn alert.” I blogged … Read more
Does America have enough roadway lane miles or do we need more? Since the question is a ‘two-parter,’ firstly, YES and secondly, NO. In America Revealed, Episode 2: “NATION ON THE MOVE,” a Public Broadcasting System broadcast, mentioned is that total American road mileage is four-million. A person cannot tell much from that number alone. One … Read more
According to Los Angeles Times correspondent Catherine Saillant in “Air quality agency issues Southland no-burn alert,” the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) on Saturday, Nov. 24th issued its “first-ever no-burn alert” in the L.A. air basin, all because of an expected wintertime weather pattern. “It’s part of a new program adopted by the South … Read more
Today’s thread: Food for thought. Up until now, I have presented information on many different air-pollution aspects: the pollution types, the sources, the implications – both health- and monetary-cost-impact-wise, how and where pollution travels, its makeup, properties and, for one type of pollution, at least – polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (or PAHs) – how it interacts with … Read more
Introduction In short, the short, short story below is an account, a narrative – however brief it may be – about two forces of nature – wind and sun – at work and how in harnessing energy from such can indeed benefit humankind. I ask: Is there a better story to be told? Chapter 1: … Read more
California has the nation’s worst air. That fact should be an eye-opener. Moreover, knowing this, serious effort should be prompted to clean it up. More on this in a moment. My position is: since the majority of pollutants come from transportation, that sector should be getting anything but short shrift when it comes to finding … Read more
The city in America having the cleanest air, according to the American Lung Association (ALA), is Santa Fe, the capital of the “Land of Enchantment” – New Mexico. I’ve been there but once, late last spring, in fact. When I visited, there was a fierce wind blowing. Even with the strong gale, it was amazingly … Read more
The sources for air pollution are several: Agricultural Commercial (Business) Construction (and Demolition) Energy Production Industrial (and Dredging, Drilling, Excavating and Mining) Natural Residential Transportation Other And the sources there are fit two groups: mobile and stationary. That’s the easy part. The difficulty is in trying to find clean-up solutions that work and can be … Read more
Could cattle dung be the new cash crop? In a state the size of California and with as many dairy farms and head of cattle as there are, dairy farmers who have gotten with the program so to speak are cashing in their (cow) chips, that is, reaping rewards, in other words. When “Biogas Production: From a covered … Read more