Air Pollution Introduction

A pollutant is the wrong stuff in the wrong place at the wrong time, and especially in developed nations such as ours, avoiding pollution is not necessarily easy. The problem is made worse by a loss of ownership of the problem; by reality gaps between government agencies which must regulate and monitor on the broader level of pollutant averages over time and local citizens that are justifiably upset over local episodes; and by entrenchment in the comfort of our own consumptive lifestyles and by limited alternatives. More about each of these complications:

Ownership--Centuries ago, when people started turning part of their care over to others, individuals began losing touch with the natural environment and its connection to needs and general well being. Needs were still filled in villages and smaller communities for a few centuries, but as transportation, communication and technology changed, our care was spread hither and yon, until only the most introspective of folks were able to contemplate its vastness. Think of it! Someone you never met drove a pick into a coal vein and loosened a chunk of coal that rolled to the mine shaft floor, thus beginning a chain of events that allows you the light to read this publication. And yet more often than not, disassociation of this comfort from its source results in a "them" and "us" mind set that makes working for solutions more difficult. Products that we take for granted every day and would sorely miss are disassociated from their manufacturing source, while factories become "them" and we remain "us."

Reality Gaps--We all produce air pollution as individuals. We do so when we mow our lawns, drive our cars and when we use many day-to-day products. Historically, this pollution has not been highly regulated. You may remember when burning trash in the backyard was not against local municipal codes, yet we still enjoy much freedom from regulation on a personal level. As population densities increase, however, the urgency for improvement may stimulate regulations that directly impact individuals. Many individuals will resist this regulation, valuing their right to continue their business as usual more than they do the common good. Education is the single greatest tool for use in closing this part of the reality gap.

Historically, where folks gather to make their livelihood and air pollution is generated as a result, government agencies have been charged with regulating that activity. Establishing standards, amounts of pollutants that should not be exceeded, is part of this regulatory process. Standards are established based on the best known science of health risks related to that pollutant. Pollutants are measured over time as averages at monitoring stations. Individual problems that occur locally for a short time, where higher than desired levels of pollutants are suspected but which are diluted before they reach the monitoring station, must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. This situation can result in frustrations for both the regulating agencies, as well as the citizens who are being affected. Meanwhile, balancing economics and known health risks based on sound science remains a difficult task made more complex by the impossibility of monitoring everywhere, at all times.

Lifestyles and Alternative Choices--These two societal components are linked. The auto industry and its support enterprises continue to flourish, while mass transit struggles to survive. Fossil fuel-based energies overshadow wind, solar and other sources of energy. Cleaner fuels often remain a novelty. Land use decisions, or the lack of them, make it difficult for many to walk or bike to work. Numerous small mechanical devices replace muscle power. Disposable items save us even more time and work. Food is transported far from where it is grown, to a region which could supply its own food needs. All of these factors lead to increased product and energy consumption and have a vast impact on air quality.