New Study Shows 1 in 5 Deaths from 2018 Caused By Air Pollution

New research from Harvard University shows that air pollution was the cause of more than eight million deaths world wide in 2018. The data was published in the journal Environmental Research and shows that exposure to particulate matter from fossil fuels made up 18% of global deaths.

Areas with the highest concentration of fossil fuel pollution have the highest mortality rates, which are North America, Europe, and South-East Asia.

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“Our study adds to the mounting evidence that air pollution from ongoing dependence on fossil fuels is detrimental to global health. We can’t in good conscience continue to rely on fossil fuels, when we know that there are such severe effects on health and viable, cleaner alternatives.”

Prior to this study, the most comprehensive study on deaths from air pollution put deaths from air pollution at four million. Previous studies analyzed data based on satellite information, which can often miss information.



The Unexpected Environmental Impact of Coronavirus

While much of the human population is inside quarantining, skies are clearing up, water is less polluted, and the Earth is making small recoveries from the damages caused as a result of day to day life. The COVID-19 pandemic could result in one of the greatest drops in carbon emissions in history. The last significant drop in global emissions was in 2009 after the recession and the last drop in emissions of this magnitude was seen at the end of World War 2.

Four billion people worldwide are being told to shelter in their homes, the world economy has stalled, and scientists are anxiously awaiting what could be one of the largest drops in carbon emissions in history.

Coronavirus could cause the first big emissions drop in a decade

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Some scientists say it’s still too early to expect a significant change while others say we could see an emissions drop of more than 5%. Emissions from transportation make up around 14% of global emissions and in some states, city traffic has decreased by more than 30%. Additionally, air pollution in some of the countries’ most polluted cities, Los Angeles and Seattle have seen a significant drop.

The short-term implications are much easier to see. Many of the behaviors people have given up — like driving to work everyday or taking international flights — are extremely carbon intensive

The coronavirus is giving the environment a break — but experts think it’s unlikely to stay that way

While the pandemic has some unforeseen environmental benefits, there are also many drawbacks. Due to the large quantities being used, masks and gloves that are not properly disposed of are washing up on ocean shores. Additionally, the EPA and the Trump Administration have made cutbacks to environmental regulations for the time being. Also, planes are still flying even when they’re nearly empty.

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Trump EPA Announces the Reversal of Obama Fuel Economy Mandate

The Trump administration continues its efforts to roll back Obama programs, announcing plans to eliminate the fuel economy mandate that requires automakers to reach a fleet average of 54.5 mpg by 2025. In light of the announcement, the fuel efficiency standards will be frozen at approximately 37 mpg, the standard for the year 2020. President Obama brokered the previous agreement with nearly all major auto manufacturers (Volkswagen being the notable exception), United Auto Workers (UAW), and the State of California. According to Andrew Wheeler, the acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency,

We are delivering on President Trump’s promise to the American public that his administration would address and fix the current fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards…Our proposal aims to strike the right regulatory balance based on the most recent information and create a 50-state solution that will enable more Americans to afford newer, safer vehicles that pollute less.”

A New Twist on States Rights

It’s interesting that Wheeler cites the need for a 50 state solution. The state of California has played an outsized role in determining nationwide emissions standards. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for setting California’s emission standards, a power the federal government approved as a part of the Clean Air Act in 1970. Other states are free to follow the California standards, and at least 12 states do.

The proposed rollback takes aim at California’s ability to set its own vehicle emissions standards. This is a stark change from the way the EPA previously handled this situation, with the agency frequently consulting with CARB before implementing rule changes.

California Fighting Back

The decision by the Trump administration to move forward with the rollback of emissions standards is bold, especially since they will have a fight on their hands. California, Washington D.C., and 16 other states filed a lawsuit in back May to prevent the rollback from occurring. The state of California, in particular, has been vocal in opposing many Trump policies and regulations and has sued the administration more than 30 times on a variety of topics. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is from CA and released a statement on the decision, calling the rollback a “dangerous assault on clean air and public health in California and across the nation.”

It’s also important to remember that California is not the only state requiring automakers to adhere to the more stringent vehicle emission standards. Those states account for nearly a third of all car purchases in the nation, giving them a quite a bit of buying power. State governments that realize the impact of greener, more environmentally-friendly initiatives will continue to side with CA. According to a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection representative, Lawrence Hajna,

We’ve had the California CARB program in place for a while…I’ve not heard that we have any intent on changing it for any reason; our position has always been that it’s important for us to maintain the standard for overall air quality.”

Shortsighted 

Eliminating the higher standards for vehicle emissions is negligent. Why are car sales and prices more important addressing air pollution and climate issues? The EPA believes the rollback can prevent 1,000 highway fatalities a year. Meanwhile, pollution is linked to 9 million deaths a year worldwide, with 6.5 million of those attributed to air pollution. Then again, this administration isn’t known for thinking ahead.

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Improve Indoor Air Quality to Promote Health

We all know pollutants, dust, and allergens have a severely negative impact on people’s health. Yet, while most of us are worried about the rising pollution levels outdoors, we tend to forget that most of our time is spent indoors. As a result, we end up breathing in a lot of unwanted substances every time we draw a breath!

Improving Indoor Air Quality

Improving the quality of air inside your home or office is much easier than you might think. There are basically four simple steps that can help you improve Indoor Air Quality:

Control Pollutant Sources

Remove or relocate sources of pollutants or taking steps to reduce emissions can significantly improve air quality in any indoor space.

Improve Ventilation

Concentrations of indoor air pollutants can be reduced by increasing the flow of outdoor air, which allows fresh air to replace the stale air that has accumulated indoors.

Remove or Clean Pollutants

Air filters and mechanical cleaners can be used to filter pollutants and mold from indoor air while improving circulation, too.

Control Humidity

This doesn’t always mean reducing humidity. When the weather is dry or if you use air conditioners indoors all the time, you may need to increase humidity. Overly dry air can irritate sinuses, cause congestion, and increase the risk of colds, flu, and other infections.

Basic Solutions and DIYs

There are a number of methods that can be employed to improve the indoor air quality in homes and office buildings. Some of the best methods are extremely easy to employ and inexpensive, if not free.

Here are some basic changes you could make to improve indoor air quality without the investment of extensive effort or time:

Use Non-Toxic Cleaning Products

Many commercially-available conventional cleaning products contain powerful chemicals that can be as harsh on your health as they are on stains.

Get Rid of Polluting Household Chemicals and Products

Household products like paints, solvents, and pesticides contain poisonous chemicals and pollutants like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).

Avoid Conventional Dry-Cleaning

Perchloroethylene (PERC) and Mineral Turpentine Oil (MTO) are commonly used in the dry cleaning industry. Both are known to cause serious health issues, and PERC is a known carcinogen.

Use Natural Ventilation

You can increase ventilation in cooler months by opening the top and bottom of double-hung windows or opening windows on opposite sides to permit cross-ventilation. Aside from reducing pollutant concentrations, you could save a lot on energy and the cost of forced-air cooling devices.

Use an Exhaust Fan or Hob-Chimney

Cooking on a gas range produces carbon dioxide and even more harmful gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Install hood fans above gas ranges to push exhausts outdoors.

Keep the Indoors Dry

Mold loves damp places, so fix any leaks or drips and clean up spills as soon as possible. Standing water and puddles are a haven for disease-causing microbes and mosquitos. Check for them regularly and deal with them immediately.

Replace Air Filters on Time

Filters on furnaces and air-conditioners can become clogged and ineffective. Additionally, they can be a breeding ground for microbes if they haven’t been used in a while. Clean them regularly and replace them as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Don’t Smoke or Let Others Smoke Indoors

While this seems obvious, most people tend to neglect it. Cigarette smoke isn’t just a health hazard for smokers. Second hand smoke is just as dangerous for others.

Design for Better Air Quality

While the tips listed above can be followed as a regular practice, some design cues can also help improve the indoor air quality in your home or office.

Plan your Remodel

Remodeling means building materials, and that means dust. Toxins and pollutants get suspended in the air easily. Plan to renovate and remodel in cooler months, when you can maximize ventilation from outdoors.

Use “Greener” Materials

Air quality can be improved throughout the year if you use products and materials that have lower emissions of pollutants, like zero-VOC paint or formaldehyde-free insulation. Look for materials certified by Greenguard, Greenfield, and similar organizations.

Reduce and Maintain Carpeting

Carpets absorb moisture and trap contaminants. Never use them in areas where they are likely to be exposed to water or dirt. They should be vacuumed regularly, preferably using a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtering system.

Increase Ventilation Through Forced-Air Conditioning

Add external ducts to heating and cooling systems that use heat-exchanging or forced-air heating or cooling. This allows a portion of fresh air from outside to be mixed in.

Keep Your Garage Air Separate

Vehicles’ exhausts are basically just pollutants and nothing more. Design the garage so the amount of air exchanged between it and the conditioned space is minimized, if not eliminated. If you’re keen on monitoring the levels, consider a carbon-monoxide detector or automatic garage door opener.

Mechanical Air-Cleaning and Conditioning

In addition to the other options, there is a wide range of products and equipment that is specifically designed to improve indoor air quality. These products are particularly useful for people who live in high-pollution cities and those who have respiratory issues as well as for commercial establishments like schools, offices, hospitals, and the like.

Common devices used to improve indoor air quality

Energy Recovery Ventilators

These systems connect to existing heating/cooling systems to exchange stale indoor air with fresh air from the outside.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

Apart from being up to 50% cheaper to run, the amount of ventilation provided by these systems is matched to the level of human occupancy and water consumption, which provides excellent moisture control.

Radiant Hydronic Heating Systems

As opposed to forced-air heating systems, these use hot-water flow for indoor heating. The advantage is a reduction of dust and allergens stirred up by blowing hot air. Also, since floors are warmed directly, condensation and water pooling are reduced.

UV Biocide Chambers

One of the most effective ways of dealing with microbes is with ultra-violet light. Biocide chambers use a UV lamp below and above the cooling coils to kill germs, pathogens, and allergens at an enhanced rate.

Polarized Filters

These are electric air cleaners that use a polarized charge to capture and remove airborne particles. They have zero ozone emissions remove upwards of 95% of particles that aggravate allergies.

HEPA Air Filters

HEPA filters are considered by many as the ultimate in air filtration systems available today. They can filter out 99.97% of microscopic particles as small as 0.3 microns, as well as 90% of bioaerosols and microorganisms as small as 0.01 micron.

Air Humidifiers

Dry air can cause just as many problems as moisture, and studies have linked it to increased nasal congestion, especially when it’s cold. Another worrying study found that flu viruses survive much longer in dry air, so humidifiers are essential for places that have very low humidity.

Conclusion

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted and can even contain carcinogens like Radon. Now there’s a fact that could literally take your breath away!

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Monitoring and Improving Your Indoor Air Quality

These days, a lot of people are doing everything they can to stay healthy. They are buying organic groceries and hitting the gym five or six times a week. Many are forsaking their cars for bicycles and using their kitchens instead of always dining out. And of course, fewer people are picking up the terribly unhealthy habit of smoking cigarettes, while more people are putting those cancer sticks down. But while all of these changes are great ways to get healthier and to  live a better, fuller, healthier life, a lot of people are missing an important component to their health: air quality.

We breathe air all day long, every day, so air quality can make a huge difference in our health. And while pollution is often misunderstood as an outdoor problem, indoor air quality matters, too. If you are experiencing frequent headaches, unusual lethargy, allergies, or sinus problems, air quality might be to blame. The good news is that there are plenty of ways you can monitor and improve the air quality in your home.

To monitor your air quality, you have two options: actively test the air or passively monitor it. Actively monitoring air quality includes cleaning air filters in heating and air conditioner systems and looking for signs of black mold or other harmful contaminants. Passive air quality monitoring involves using an air filter system that can be watched and routinely checked. The method that you choose will depend on the type of space,  what it is used for, and who is using it. Consider consulting a professional to determine what makes the most sense for your home or office space.

You probably also want to know how to improve your indoor air quality, and there is no reason to wait to make some basic improvements. Here are a few easy ways to get started.

IMPROVEMENT TIP #1 – Install or update the batteries in your air monitoring systems, including carbon monoxide and radon gas detectors. Make sure you have a monitor in all the main areas of the building or home. Don’t skimp here – the consequences can be disastrous!

IMPROVEMENT TIP #2 – Keep your home and/or office clean. There are a lot of reasons to keep a tidy home or office. Besides the fact that it will make you and your employees/co-workers more productive,  it is better for air quality. Do not allow old building materials or other items to lay around if they should be in storage or in the trash. Make sure your rugs are vacuumed and your trashcans are emptied regularly.

IMPROVEMENT TIP #3 – Replace all of your filters! No matter what the season or how long you have lived in your home, get into the habit of regularly changing your air filters. You should be changing the filters in your air conditioners and heating systems once a month. Pay for semi-annual inspections and cleanings too.

IMPROVEMENT TIP #4 – In addition to removing toxins from the air, you can also make changes that will neutralize them. Consider purchasing in-room air purification machines and decorate with plenty of green plants, especially in areas with poor air circulation. The plants will eat up toxic carbon dioxide and provide clean oxygen fit for human breathing.

IMPROVEMENT TIP #5 – Get rid of the air fresheners! A lot of people try to mask bad odors or other air problems with artificially scented air fresheners. These sprays have toxic chemicals that you should be shooing out, not inviting in. Instead, make your own air freshener by simply adding some herbs or citrus peels to a pot of boiling water.

IMPROVEMENT TIP #6 – This one might seem like a no brainer. Open the windows! Opening windows quickly cleans your indoor air and it’s free! For a significant impact on your air quality, keep a window in each room open every day for at least five full minutes.

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