What is Smog and Where Does it Come From?
Nearly every large city on Earth suffers from some degree of smog. This word itself is a combination of “smoke” and “fog,” though the actual substance that hangs in the atmosphere like a dirty brown blanket is usually far more complicated.
During the initial century of the industrial revolution, smog was almost always caused by the emissions from coal-fired plants. However, since the 1950s, smog is more commonly found as “petrochemical smog,” most often containing a mixture of nitrogen oxides and a whole collection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are both emitted by the burning of fossil fuels, chiefly automobiles.
If these chemicals remained as they were, they’d be problematic enough. However, once released into the atmosphere, they react with sunlight to form many noxious compounds including carbon monoxide, particulate matter, ground-level (or tropospheric) ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. All of these substances are known to cause respiratory disorder and premature death.
Rising Sea Levels and Carbon Dioxide Pollution
Perhaps one of the most concerning things about the predicted course of climate change over the next century is the likelihood of rising sea levels. It is thought that by 2100, the melting glaciers and ice caps could rise the level of oceans all over the world by as much as 3.4m/11 feet.
While this may not sound like a particularly large rise in sea level, consider that the 20mm (about ¾ inch) rise in sea levels that have already been observed in the last 150 years have been already been responsible for the submergence of several South Pacific islands and atolls.
The engine that drives this is the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and the one that has the greatest impact in the early 21st century is carbon dioxide. This is one of the primary by-products of the burning of fossil fuels, which are responsible, in large measure, for the massive increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and the increase in pollution.
A Worldwide Campaign Against the Light Bulb
The technology that brought nighttime illumination to the whole world, didn’t change much for about a century and, it turns out, that’s a problematic thing. Not only do the filaments burn out quickly, leaving glass and metal that is not recyclable, but they emit far more heat than light, using a great deal of electricity.
With the advent of a long lasting compact fluorescent bulb in the 1990s, it became easy for consumers to change out these bulbs and use anywhere from half to one tenth the amount of power for the same amount of light.
Governments all over the world have seized upon the light bulb as an inherently wasteful technology that needlessly uses vast amounts of electricity – electricity that is emits carbon dioxide and all the other air pollutants that increase dependence upon fossil fuels.
Replacing these bulbs can go a long way in helping nations meet their environmental treaty obligations. They also last longer and produce far less dangerous waste. So next time you buy a light bulb how about buying the long lasting fluorescent bulb to save the environment and save money too!
Is There Such A Thing As Clean Coal?
Coal is widely derided as the least environmentally friendly option for power generation and a cause of air pollution. It has, for several hundred years, been responsible for the generation of large amounts of mercury, soot and other pollutants that are known to cause respiratory ailments.
This is very true for the people who work in coal mines, several thousand of which die from coal-related damage each year.
The term clean coal technology has been very regularly used as a buzz-word in the ‘aughts as a way to utilize a “home grown” energy source. This usually refers to the use of “scrubbers” to cut down on the amount of sulfur dioxide that is emitted.
Though this smog and acid rain producing chemical is removed from the stack output, it is still deposited in the materials that are used to “scrub” it out of the emissions. Regulations are such that this also allows much lower grades of coal to be legally used, with little or no net improvement in emissions.
As far as coal being clean, there is no such thing!
Control Air Pollution Using Air Purifiers
Indoor air pollution is a common problem that often flies right under the radar for many people. But, it is increasingly causing problems because homes are being built to higher energy efficiency standards. This in turn is trapping contaminated particles in the air, making the need for air purifiers in the home more important than ever.
The greatest impact that indoor air pollution has on health is easily seen in the steep climb of incidences of asthma and allergies sufferers. Interestingly, this marked increase in respiratory problems is seen in developed countries around the globe. In addition to allergens being trapped in homes by better seals on windows and doors, it is also believed that the chemicals used in our homes for every day cleaning and maintenance are also to blame. These chemicals collect over time, eventually reaching toxic levels when the air in a home is stagnant and not cleaned.
Quality air purifiers utilized in the home — and also in office environments, which are afflicted with much the same air quality problems as homes — can help to remove the pollutants from the air so that they are not drawn into your lungs, triggering respiratory ailments and disease. It is even believed that indoor air pollution is a contributing factor in the increase in lung cancer in the United States.
Quality air purifiers utilized in the home and also in office environments, which are afflicted with much the same air quality problems as homes, can help to remove the pollutants from the air so that they are not drawn into your lungs, triggering respiratory ailments and disease. It is even believed that indoor air pollution is a contributing factor in the increase in lung cancer in the United States.
Another area where home air cleaners should always be in use, are in hair and nail salons. Nail salon technicians and cosmetologists are at elevated risks for breathing problems and lung disease because they are routinely exposed to higher than standard levels of potent chemicals, such as formaldehyde. This fact alone makes them 1.8 times more likely to end up with lung cancer because of this exposure. Proper air purification in their environments can help to reduce that risk.
Air purifiers are able to remove allergens and contaminants from the air. They significantly reduce the major contaminants found in home environments, such as dust, pollen, mold spores, dust mite feces and pet dander, just to name a few. They can also be helpful in removing smoke particles from the air as well. When the level of such pollutants is lowered, so is the risk of triggering allergies, developing asthma or getting cancer.
A side benefit of regular use of air purifiers in the home is that they can also help to reduce the frequency of dusting and vacuuming, since the particles are removed by the air purifier rather than settling on furnishings and the floor.
There is a wide variety of home air purifiers available on the market. Prices range from under $100 for a very basic unit that can effectively clean the air in a small room, to elaborate whole home air purification systems that can cost up to thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the house and the level of purification desired.
For the most part, air purifiers are very energy efficient. This is important since they must be running around the clock to be effective. Another consideration, in addition to the price of the unit and the amount of electricity it uses, is the cost of replacement filters and how frequently they need to be replaced.
