Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
California can be credited with many air-quality-improvement firsts. Listed among these is a waiver granted by the fed that allowed the state to establish its own more stringent light-duty vehicle tailpipe-emissions standards, that is, apart from those prescribed for the rest of the U.S. In an Oct. 19, 2020 news release, meanwhile, the California Environmental … Read more
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the word “sustainability” come up in conversation lately. The word seems to be all the rage. That straightforward construct here undoubtedly needs no elaboration, no explanation. Not so with climate, another buzzword, catch-phrase of this modern era we’re living in. While the number of times I … Read more
It is no secret that all across the world in the past couple of decades the area of clean energy has experienced leaps-and-bounds growth. One organization, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), annually compiles what it calls a “City Clean Energy Scorecard.” The ACEEE in “Scorecard: Leading U.S. Cities Grow Clean Energy Efforts … Read more
Ozone (O3) is a colorless but not odorless gas. When ignited, ozone gives off a chlorine-bleach-like odor. So, obviously, based on this, there is a point at which ozone ignites, and it is when this ignition point is reached that the chlorine-bleachish smell from the ozone is produced and released. It is in this sense … Read more
In “The three commonalities of air pollution and climate change,” posted here on the Air Quality Matters blog on Sept. 22, 2020, the passage having to do with polluted air expressly and that just about says it all, reads: “Air pollution is a disrupter in how it affects people’s lives. Depending on concentration, amount, type … Read more
The below Dec. 8, 2020 press release is from the Environmental Defense Fund. A new report from Environmental Defense Fund using emissions data from Rhodium Group finds that U.S. states with climate commitments are not on track to bring their emissions down consistent with science-based trajectories for 2030. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate … Read more
Scientists are adept, expert, highly proficient at what they do and, what scientists do in the scientific sense is to investigate. Science, meanwhile, involves investigation. Early observations Thinking back to high school biology and chemistry classes, we students were required to have a notebook to take “notes” of what was observed in conducted lab exercises. … Read more
Even with some 40 years of accumulated road-testing time, there are issues still to be worked out before we can even think about autonomous vehicles gaining full-on, full-tilt access to the road more traveled, let alone the less-traveled one. A number of said vehicles, operationally speaking, have the necessary “stuff” to enable them access to … Read more
The below Dec. 9, 2020 news release is from Michigan State University. People with prediabetes or diabetes who live in ozone-polluted areas may have an increased risk for an irreversible disease with a high mortality rate. A new study recently published in the Environmental Health Perspectives connects insulin resistance and repetitive ozone exposure to the … Read more
The below Dec. 8, 2020 news release is from the California High-Speed Rail Authority. California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) announced today it has received national recognition with the Envision Platinum rating for its sustainability efforts. The Envision Platinum rating is the highest-level award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, and the award is the first … Read more