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TROUBLE IN THE

AIR
[ W R I T T E N B Y L I S S A P O I R OT ]

Atlantas Polluted Atmosphere Puts our Communitys Health at Risk

ast May, Northsiders got a surprise. The smell of smoke and a visible fog of ash from South Georgias brushres had traveled right to our own front doors; some were so concerned the re was nearby they contacted their local re department. While brushres caused by our states drought are concern enough to our fragile environment, consider this: The smoke and ash polluting our air was just a fraction of the pollution we encounter daily, most of which is minute particles we cant even see. In fact, the American Lung Association found the air in Atlanta-Sandy Springs to be one of the 13 most polluted areas in the country, ranked behind more industrial cities like Detroit, but not by much. A little farther out of Atlanta, the small community of Rome ranked at No. 24 on the same list, a shock considering the entire country is lled with much larger cities. Should we be concerned? Yes. But there is something we as a community can do about it. The key is recognizing how air pollution affects our health and making some lifestyle changes. Best of the Worst The American Lung Association keeps a close eye on the countrys air quality, annually ranking the most polluted and cleanest air by reviewing county air qualities and comparing three consecutive years to gauge better or worsening. Air quality reviews consist of two rankings: ozone levels and particle pollution. Ozone, or smog, is an invisible gas emitted by fuel burned from cars, trucks, factories and power plants, peaking when sunlight is strongest and temperatures rise. That is especially unfortunate to Georgia, which rests in the Sunbelt and experiences long, hot summers. The second pollutant to our air quality are particles so tiny they are smaller

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than a follicle of human hair and are emitted from a variety of sources, including all that contributes to smog, as well as aerosols, chemicals, burning wood and ash, and metals. The good news: Georgias push toward cleaner air has led to an improvement in ozone reduction, and for the rst time, Fulton County dropped out of the top 25 most ozone polluted counties in the nation. The bad news: Particle pollution is increasing, and is the most dangerous and most deadly outdoor pollutants, says the American Lung Association. Atlanta currently ranks 7th in the nation for worst particle pollution, and Fulton County is 10th on the year-round particle pollution list. Neighboring communities remain on the non-attainment list, failing to meet federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone and/or particle pollution, including Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth and Gwinnett. We are certainly a region that has its air quality challenges, no doubt about it, said Kevin Green, executive director of the Clean Air Campaign, the Atlanta-based organization working to reduce air quality pollutants in the state of Georgia. We have two challenges in terms of air pollution. Ozone, since it is tied so much to hot weather, is generally seasonal. Ozone season in Atlanta is May through September. Particle pollution is generally year round. And while we meet the short-term particle pollution standard, we dont meet the annual particle standard. Last year we had 30 violations of air quality standards; this year, by mid-June, weve already had nine violations only a month into summer. The hottest summer months, when air quality is the worst, are still ahead of us. Its no surprise Atlantas quality of air decreased as the population increased. Between 2000 and 2006, nearly one million new residents relocated to Atlanta. Thats like the entire population of Athens, Clark County, picking

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up and moving to Metro Atlanta every year, Green said. Trafc congestion spiked as well, rising 76 percent between 1993 and 2003. The Texas Transportation Institutes Urban Mobility 2005 study found the average Atlanta commuter wastes approximately 67 hours a year stuck in trafc, in addition to their normal commutes. Numerous studies found ne particle levels in the air are higher in cities on weekdays, especially during peak commute hours. At What Cost? So what does this increased air pollution mean to the residents of Atlanta and its urban sprawl? Consider the fact that cars idling in trafc emit exhaust containing hazardous gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide and that diesel exhaust emitted by trucks is actually considered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be a probable human carcinogen. And were breathing it every day. High ozone levels iname airways and decrease airow, causing shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, decreased stamina and chest tightness or pain. For children, especially those with asthma, unhealthy ozone levels can be deadly. And numerous studies have found increased trafc exhaust in and outside of schools to be the result of decreased lung function, asthma and wheezing or coughing in children. Particle pollution can also send adults and children to the emergency room, especially those with heart and lung diseases. Because particles are so small, they get lodged into lungs and pulled into the blood stream, causing build up in both, aggravating bronchitis, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and leading to respiratory infections, cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks. The people most at risk are the very young and the very old, and the people with heart and lung disease. Particularly for children playing outside, consider they get the same amount of pollution as an adult in a smaller, growing

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lung. They are not able to talk about or notice that they are breathing badly, said June Dean, vice president of public affairs, American Lung Associations Southeast Region, Smyrna. When Smog Alerts, a measurement of air quality, are highest, so are visits to emergency rooms and admissions to hospitals in the metro area. According to the Georgia Conservancy, there is a 37 percent increase in asthma-related emergency room visits following smog alert days. Michael Halicki, communications director for the Clean Air Campaign points out the correlation between high Smog Alert days and trafc as evidenced by the 1996 Summer Olympics. Fearful of the trafc congestion caused by an inux of visitors to Atlanta, Georgians stayed home. The result was a 22 percent drop in trafc and a resulting 28 percent drop in ozone, a 40 percent reduction in acute care visits for asthma, an 11 percent drop in asthma-related pediatric ER visits and a 19 percent reduction in asthma-related hospitalizations. We had the weather conditions ripe for Smog Alerts and yet we saw a signicant decrease in the number of bad air days during that time frame simply because people stayed home, he said. Air pollution, of course, also has an environmental impact. Animal life feels the effect of rising ozone levels, just like humans, especially sh that cannot survive with high levels of nitrogen, or the waterways that are taken over by algae that grows when levels are high (think of a dirty fish tank). Ozone has also been shown to weaken vegetation, making it more susceptible to disease, pests and stress, and can reduce agricultural yields. A loss of crops can also hurt the state economically, as can non-attainment restrictions on transportation improvements.
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Changing Our Ways The rst form of protection is defense, which is why residents of Georgia need to pay attention to Smog Alerts. Every day, forecasters review weather patterns and other factors to determine the days ozone and particle pollution levels, creating the measurement of air quality. Green means good, yellow is moderate, orange means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, red is considered unhealthy, and purple is very unhealthy air. Its a public health issue and not just an irrelevant government standard that people dont need to pay attention to, Green said. Thats why we do Smog Alert days, so people can know what the forecast is and they can take actions to reduce their exposure, particularly exercising in the later part of the day when the smog is more concentrated, avoiding outdoor activity between 2 and 7 p.m. and fueling vehicles after 6 p.m. The next step is offense, and Atlanta and surrounding city officials are working to reduce air pollutants. Mayor Shirley Franklin is one of 238 mayors in 41 states to sign a climate change agreement, which strives to meet or exceed the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Global Warming pollution to pre-1990 levels by 2012, and thusly air quality pollution, by taking action in communities. Atlantas future is bright and booming but I know that our long-term success is directly linked to our commitment to improving our environmental quality of life, Franklin said. Atlanta has no natural boundaries no mountains, no rivers or coastline so weve had more and more sprawl. A balance must be struck between new development and growth, and environmental sustainability. The number one way to decrease air pollution, both ozone and particle, is to reduce transportation emissions, which is why the States Clean Air Campaign promotes commuting alternatives, such as teleworking, exible hours to avoid heavy congestion at peak hours, commuting, public transportation and walking and biking to work. We recognize that breathing is not optional but that commuting alone is optional for many of us, and that automobiles contribute nearly half of the air pollution we have in the region, so motivating people to change their commuting habits can have a dual benet of helping us clean the air but also helping us reduce trafc congestion, Green said. With power plants emitting sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and mercury (more than a dozen power plants are located in Georgia), groups like the American Lung Association are urging companies like Southern Company to clean up their act. Less than half the power plants in the U.S. are fueled by coal, but coal-red boilers generate more than 88 percent of the industrys pollutants. Residents can also make changes to reduce
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SMOG ALERTS

You can receive smog alerts daily via email by visiting The Clean Air Campaigns Web site at www.cleanaircampaign.com.

power we produce about 40,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually, says Pace University by setting the thermostat to 78 in the summer and 68 in the winter, planting trees and shrubs around the home to create shade and being sure windows

and doors are properly insulated. When doing projects around the home, using electric-powered lawn equipment is better than gas, and hand-powered is even better. Also, plug appliances into power strips that can be turned off when youre not at home, as appliances account for 20 percent of all home energy use even those turned off but still plugged in, such as clocks on DVD players and the cable box. One of the things we saw in terms of ne particle pollution was that there was a 7 percent increase in electricity production a result of the growing population and rising temperatures. Were all going to have to look at alternatives to transportation, and were going to have to conserve energy. Businesses are going to have to clean up pollution; diesel trucks are going to have to clean their engines; were going to have to re-examine our energy footprint. Were trying to conserve water but we need to take a protective view toward our air quality as well, Dean said. Of course, becoming a more involved citizen may mean you have to become a bit of an environmentalist, too. Moms can take action to protect their children by working with schools to prevent buses from idling at the buildings and keeping exhaust levels down. Groups like the American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org), the Georgia Conservancy (www.georgiaconservancy.org) and the Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org) have ways to get involved in state and local efforts. As Franklin said, The Hopi Indians have a saying, Together with all nations we protect both land and life, and hold the world in balance. I encourage all of you to make a commitment and get involved, together we can hold Atlanta in balance so that future generations will continue to come here to live, work, play and learn. PN

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