Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
The San Joaquin Valley of California is nearly 300 miles long by 75 miles wide give or take. Roughly 4 million people call the “Valley” home. It’s bordered by mountain ranges on three sides – the east, south and west. Joined by its southern neighbor, the South Coast Air Basin, when it comes to soot … Read more
Number five in the Clean Air Technologies Series. Besides air quality, my posts all have one thing in common: they were created using a computer. I don’t know about the rest of the world’s computer purchasers, but I know in my own history I have owned five total. Then I thought about ancillary devices like hard drives, … Read more
There are all kinds of ways to make air cleaner – everything from the simple to the substantial and from the subliminal to the sensational. From an earlier post – “Air pollution: The enormity of it all,” I listed various pollution sources. Repeating those here, these are: Agricultural Commercial (Business) Construction (and Demolition) Energy Production … Read more
Since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Dec. 14, 2012 announced the health standard for fine particles (PM 2.5) and soot had been tightened from the previous standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter of air set 15 years ago to 12 micrograms per cubic meter, this has prompted both discussion and debate. Sentiment is … Read more
A new national standard for fine particle pollution (PM 2.5 or particulate matter pollution 2.5 micrometers in diameter) was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Dec. 14, 2012, set at 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air. This replaces the previous standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter, established in 1997. By year 2020 projections are 99 … Read more
A little more than a month into this air quality discussion and noticeably lacking has been power generation. In this regard, change starts today. And what better place is there to begin than in my own home? I can think of none. It is helpful to understand the geography and meteorology of California’s San Joaquin Valley; the place I … Read more
Number four in the Clean Air Technologies Series. There is something about a train. In fact, it was none other than Poetry Pulitzer Prize winner Edna St. Vincent Millay who, in true poetic form, in “Travel,” wrote: “Yet, there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take, No matter where it’s going.” Amen! One would not be incorrect … Read more
There appears to be growing belief, at least among Americans, climate disruption is real. And of Americans who believe, a majority, it seems, feel such is caused by human activity. In “Global Warming Poll: Climate Change A ‘Serious Problem’ To 68% Of Americans,” Huffington Post correspondent Alana Horowitz writes, “Of the 1,000 likely voters surveyed, 68 … Read more
On Dec. 9, 2012, I posted: “To meet prescribed emissions-reduction targets, San Diego must get transportation plan right.” As I see it, 18 California regions in all including San Diego, are mandated by law to get this right in that each must step up to the plate greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-act-wise, particularly as it has to do with human-health impact. Moreover, in my view, … Read more
Number three in the Clean Air Technologies Series. Looking like giant fans and looming larger than life, nationwide, some 36,000 of these imposing structures stand tall. That’s the equivalent of an average 720 per state. Any way you look at it, that’s a whole lot of spinning going on. Now think for a moment if there weren’t … Read more