Air/Energy/Climate

Air

How does this affect me?

Currently, in North Carolina 15 counties (out of 100) have too much in the way of dust particles in the air and 22 have higher ozone levels than are considered healthy. This mainly occurs in the summer months. New North Carolina laws are aimed at eliminating this problem by 2020.

Think of the implications on lands, health, and economic development.

Air pollutants affect:

• Our land and lakes
• Our bodies
• Tourism and economic development (recruitment of new businesses)

Air pollutants affect our land and lakes

Have you heard the term “acid rain”? Wind-carried contaminants generate dense, particle-filled air called smog. Falling rain washes the smog down to the ground resulting in acid rain (mainly sulfur dioxide dissolving in water and turning into dilute acid).

This increases soil acidity, which, in turn, impacts the growth of our forests and plants. Acid rain weakens North Carolina’s high level woodlands, especially the conifers, making them more susceptible to insect and fungal attack. These woodlands are an important component in North Carolina’s economy.

The rising acidity flows down into our lakes and creeks, damaging fish, aquatic plants, and invertebrates (bugs).

Air pollutants affect our bodies

Pollutants in our air can create many reactions in our own bodies, including:

• Acute breathing problems
  
  
• Reactions in our liver and nervous system

Acute breathing problems

Acute breathing problems from polluted air arise most often in the very young and old. As air pollutants accumulate in our lungs, we develop more chronic respiratory problems.

Output from our cars, trains, trucks, ships, and planes generate the following air irritants:  

• Ozone
  
  
• Nitrous oxides
  
  
• Sulfur dioxide
  
• Small particles ranging from metals to hydrocarbon by-products

You hear in the daily news about the effects of ozone in our air. During the summer the news tells us about the orange ozone air quality level, which warns that adults and young children with respiratory problems should avoid going outside (according to the EPA’s air quality index).

Environmental researchers and health professionals estimate that 7% of the N.C. population already has some form of acute or chronic lung disease. Respiratory disease results in the following:

• Increased days off work
  
  
• Reduced goods and service production
  
  
• Increased health and social costs

These people (mostly asthmatics) are severely affected by air pollution and it may be a primary cause of the asthma in many cases.

We could be looking at an increase in North Carolina’s already strained health costs by as much $1 billion a year from air pollution related respiratory illnesses.

Reactions in our liver and nervous system

Traces of toxic substances, such as mercury, now found in our air, accumulate in our liver and nervous system. Over long periods, these accumulations could generate serious health issues.

Air pollutants affect tourism and our economy

When we think of smog, we certainly think of the air we breathe. But, it does more damage than that. Smog decreases visibility and the attractiveness of our community. It discourages tourism. Acid rain damages forests and freshwater plants and animals.

Polluted air reduces federal and corporate support to locate businesses in that area.