Air Pollution: Strategies For A Cleaner Tomorrow

Air pollution is a serious issue that affects the health of people worldwide and contributes to environmental degradation. It is caused by various factors, including vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and the burning of fossil fuels. To decrease air pollution, individuals can make several lifestyle changes, such as driving less, using public transportation, carpooling, or working remotely. Keeping your vehicle well-maintained, ensuring proper tyre inflation, and turning off the engine when idling can also help reduce vehicle emissions. Improving energy efficiency at home or in businesses by using renewable energy sources, turning off lights and appliances when not in use, and using energy-efficient appliances can also contribute to reducing air pollution. Additionally, individuals can limit their exposure to outdoor air pollution by staying indoors, using air conditioning, and investing in portable or central air cleaning systems.

Reduce vehicle emissions

Motor vehicles are a significant source of air pollution. Cars, trucks, buses, off-road vehicles, and even planes are all mobile sources of air pollution. The burning of gasoline and diesel fuel creates harmful byproducts, including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, and formaldehyde. Additionally, vehicles emit carbon dioxide, a common human-caused greenhouse gas.

Drive Fuel-Efficient Vehicles

Driving a fuel-efficient vehicle is one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions. When shopping for a new car, look for vehicles with low greenhouse gas emissions and good fuel efficiency. Electric, hybrid, and even compact fuel-efficient gas vehicles are available in the market. If a more fuel-efficient vehicle is not an option, consider carpooling or using public transportation whenever possible.

Maintain Proper Tire Inflation

Keeping your tires properly inflated makes your vehicle more efficient and reduces fuel consumption. Proper tire inflation is listed in your owner's manual.

Drive Smarter

The way you drive can significantly impact your vehicle's emissions. Observing speed limits and accelerating gradually reduces fuel consumption and emissions. Avoid unnecessary idling, as it wastes fuel and pollutes the air. Modern vehicles do not require a long "warm-up" period in the winter, so turn on the engine only when you are ready to drive.

Choose Environmentally Friendly Technologies

When purchasing commercial-grade landscaping machinery or vehicles, opt for products with advanced emissions reduction technologies. These may include catalysts, electronic fuel injection, or zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technologies.

Promote Alternative Transportation

Encourage the use of alternative transportation options, such as buses, metros, or rails. This helps reduce the number of vehicles on the road and, consequently, the overall emissions.

Improve energy efficiency

Improving energy efficiency is a highly effective way to reduce air pollution. Energy efficiency is about using less energy to achieve the same outcome, thereby reducing energy waste and cutting costs.

One of the most significant sources of air pollution is burning fossil fuels to heat buildings and generate electricity. By improving the energy efficiency of buildings, we can reduce the amount of fuel needed for heating and cooling, which in turn reduces air pollution. This can be achieved through various means, such as installing energy-efficient windows that reduce heat exchange and air leaks, adding insulation to attics, and utilizing smart thermostats that automatically adjust temperatures when you are asleep or away.

Another major contributor to air pollution is vehicle emissions. By improving the energy efficiency of vehicles, we can significantly decrease pollution within cities. This can be done by introducing or strengthening mandatory vehicle fuel efficiency standards and encouraging the use of electric or hand-powered equipment. Additionally, keeping tyres inflated to the manufacturer's recommendations will make vehicles more efficient, reducing both fuel consumption and pollution.

At the individual level, people can contribute by choosing energy-efficient appliances, such as those with the ENERGY STAR label, which are designed to use less energy and reduce pollution. Simple actions like switching off lights and appliances when not in use, boiling only the required amount of water in the kettle, and running washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded, can collectively make a substantial impact on reducing energy consumption and, consequently, air pollution.

Improving energy efficiency has proven successful in various countries. For example, China's improvements in energy intensity between 2000 and 2014 led to savings of 11% of the total primary energy supply and a reduction of 1.2 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions in 2014. Similarly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program has resulted in a reduction of 4 billion metric tons of carbon pollution, along with significant savings on household energy bills.

Limit outdoor activities on high-level ozone days

Ozone is a colourless gas that can be "good" or "bad" depending on where it is found in the atmosphere. While stratospheric ozone is beneficial as it protects living beings from ultraviolet radiation from the sun, ground-level ozone is harmful and can trigger a host of health problems, especially for children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma or metabolic disorders.

Ground-level ozone is one of the six common air pollutants identified in the Clean Air Act. It is formed when emissions called hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides from motor vehicles, power plants, or some industries interact with sunlight. High levels of ozone usually occur during the summer months when temperatures are high, days are longer, and there is ample sunlight. Even in colder months, ozone can still reach high levels.

Ozone alerts are typically issued during hazy, hot, and humid summer days. On these days, it is recommended to stay indoors as much as possible and limit outdoor activities, especially during the afternoon when ozone levels tend to peak. If you must go outside, try to minimise your exposure to ozone by reducing strenuous activities and limiting your time outdoors. This is especially important for those who are more sensitive to ozone, such as people with asthma or other respiratory issues.

To reduce your exposure to ground-level ozone, you can also take preventative measures such as using air conditioning and setting your car ventilation system to "recirculate" to minimise the amount of outdoor air that comes inside. Additionally, keeping your car windows closed while driving can help lower your exposure to outdoor pollutants.

Reduce indoor air pollution

While staying indoors can protect you from outdoor air pollution, it may expose you to indoor-generated air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds from consumer products and building materials, and nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter from indoor combustion activities such as cooking, wood-burning, and smoking. Here are some ways to reduce indoor air pollution:

Improve Ventilation

Opening windows and doors, when the weather permits, is an easy way to encourage a good exchange of indoor and outdoor air. Natural ventilation can improve indoor air quality by reducing indoor pollutants. However, carefully evaluate the use of ventilation if there are outdoor sources of pollutants, such as smoke or refuse, nearby.

Eliminate or Control Sources of Pollution

The most effective way to improve indoor air quality is often to eliminate individual sources of pollution or reduce their emissions. For example, seal or enclose sources that contain asbestos, and adjust sources like gas stoves to decrease emissions. When purchasing building materials or furnishings, look for labels that indicate low emissions, such as "California Phase II Compliant" or "TSCA Title VI Compliant." Choose safer cleaning products that are better for human health and the environment.

Use Air Cleaners or Purifiers

Portable or central air cleaning systems can reduce concentrations of indoor air pollutants, whether they are of outdoor or indoor origin. However, the effectiveness of air cleaners depends on the strength of the pollutant source, and they should be used in conjunction with efforts to remove the source.

Minimize Carpeting

Carpets can trap pollutants such as dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, and other allergens. Choose hard-surface flooring instead, and minimize the use of rugs or carpets to reduce trapped pollutants.

Other Tips

• Minimize the use of strongly scented products, air fresheners, and cleaning products with pine or citrus scents, as these can react with ozone to form particles and formaldehyde.
• Store chemicals, solvents, glues, and pesticides away from living areas, and opt for homemade cleaning products when possible.
• Keep pets well-groomed and wash their bedding often to reduce allergy-causing dander.
• Avoid using gas stoves or heaters to heat your home, as this can lead to a dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide and other air pollutants.

Choose an electricity supplier that uses renewable energy

Burning fossil fuels to heat buildings and generate electricity is a major source of air pollution. By choosing an electricity supplier that uses renewable energy, you can help reduce the pollution created by power generation.

In most states, you can buy renewable electricity through a program called green pricing, which allows customers to pay a small premium for electricity generated from renewable sources. The premium covers the increased costs incurred by the power provider when adding renewable energy to its power generation mix.

Some companies, like Green Mountain Energy, offer electricity plans made from 100% renewable sources like wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal energy. These plans are often no different from traditional electricity plans in terms of equipment and billing. The only difference is that the electricity is generated from renewable sources, helping to reduce air pollution.

In addition to choosing a renewable energy supplier, you can also purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) to support the generation of clean power. These certificates, also known as green tags or tradable renewable certificates, are sold by power generators to cover the higher costs of producing renewable energy. By purchasing these certificates, you can increase the demand for renewable energy and encourage the development of additional renewable energy projects.

You can also take other simple steps to reduce your energy use and air pollution, such as using energy-efficient appliances, turning off lights and appliances when not in use, and keeping your vehicle tires properly inflated to increase fuel efficiency.

Frequently asked questions