Californians have now been sheltering in place since March 20. While social distancing is slowing the spread of COVID-19, it’s also significantly reducing air pollutant and greenhouse gas levels across the state. Residents from San Diego to Sacramento are seeing clearer skies and breathing cleaner air, even in the center of cities that rarely experience a noticeable reduction in air pollution.
Several hundred Americans die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning and far more are made sick. A number of these annual deaths occur in gas-powered vehicles where carbon monoxide can build up without the occupants knowing.
The burning of any fuel will produce CO2, but also possibly pollution in the form of particulates, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, although the extent of these depends on the nature of the particular fuel and the efficiency with which the fuel is burnt.
As we’ve been looking at in our series, air pollution is a serious global problem that is having a huge impact on the health of the world population, as well as being a massive drain on the economy. More than 90% of people on earth live in areas where air quality exceeds the limits recommended by the World Health Organisation, so it really is an issue that affects almost everyone.
The term “air pollution” has become so ubiquitous that when anyone hears those words, they have an understanding of what they mean. To a degree, it is an accepted fact of the modern world that the air we breathe is contaminated in some way, but most people don’t realise the severity of the problem, the effects it can have on health, or the potential there is to combat the ongoing epidemic. In a series of articles, CleanTechnica will be examining the issues surrounding air pollution in more depth, and this first article will act as an introduction to some of the main issues.
“Let’s Take a Ride” is a visual measurement of what occurs in a great choreographic movement every day on the five … [continued]
It’s called “urban biomass,” and it’s ours (spsmw.org). Hard to imagine a subject that would find The Wall Street Journal … [continued]
Not sure how we let this one pass us by, but just under two weeks ago Nest announced the launch … [continued]
Scientists of the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh are working on photo-catalytic reduction technology which would recycle carbon dioxide emissions from power plants … [continued]
Those suffering from respiratory problems derived from pollution in the air may soon have the chance to view real-time … [continued]
