Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
One of the reasons I so enjoy watching travel-type shows is because on the preferred ones watched, water, rail and roadway travel all get equal billing. Imagine if that was the norm, I mean, regarding everyday travel. That would be great! Now, the method relied on most heavily, of course, is the last – roadway … Read more
What would happen to California air, should state voters in November – that is, after which, if backed by the state legislature, federal government and possibly the court(s) if need be – decide that it is okay to split the state in three? If this happens, not only what would emerge would be three new … Read more
In its “Dramatic MBM Agreement and Solid Global Plan Endorsements Help Deliver Landmark ICAO 38th Assembly” Oct. 4, 2013 press release, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) announced: “ICAO’s States agreed to report back in 2016 with a proposal for a global MBM [Market-Based Measures] scheme capable of being implemented by 2020. Major efforts will … Read more
The Volkswagen diesel-motor-vehicle-cheating scandal is still making the news circuit. And, it seems like the controversy surrounding such isn’t going to evaporate anytime soon. The issue will no doubt garner attention and interest until all matters related to such are, once and for all, totally resolved. Regarding one recent related development in California, there is good … Read more
In this past Wednesday’s (May 16, 2018) “Odds of reaching new(est) pollution standards in California’s San Joaquin Valley rather bleak,” Air Quality Matters post, I spelled out the main problem with air pollution in the Valley. Truth be told, the outlook has gone from bad to worse and in relatively short order. In the May 16 … Read more
Valley’s woes and worries Peering at a graph in the July 2016 Valley Air News publication, which has as a vertical plot “Tons per day” of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in California’s San Joaquin Valley, if I interpreted correctly what I see related to this, all mobile sources such as “Passenger Vehicles,” “Heavy Duty Trucks,” “Farm Equipment,” … Read more
No amount of particulates, whether coarse, fine or ultrafine, in air is safe to breathe. Particulates entering the lungs, depending on extent, can be life-threatening; regardless of concentration, these are health and life impacting if not health- and life-limiting. In understanding this, it is perplexing that school buses powered by diesel engines are still utilized … Read more
The news is grim: Ninety percent of people globally breathe polluted air. Annually, 7 million people die early from air pollution’s effects. The news is anything but comforting. And, it is what the World Health Organization (WHO) has determined. “9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air, but more countries are taking action” is … Read more
Trust me. You never want to follow a motor vehicle exhausting really strong-smelling, noxious fumes. Been there, done that who knows how many times. It’s even worse from a feeling-guilty point of view, that is, to be the owner or driver of one of these. I ought to know. I was at one time, one … Read more
This year’s Earth Day message here on the Air Quality Matters blog has the title: “Earth Day 2018: Air, airways, lungs, etc. no places for pollution” and for good reason. The entry opens with this pointed declaration: “It’s a known fact the pollution continually being poured into our atmosphere is detrimental to health and wellbeing … Read more