"How You Can Clean the Filthy Air You Breathe in Phoenix"
Take a deep breath, Phoenicians. How did it feel? Most likely, it felt good. But did you know that you are breathing air that is unnecessarily polluted? Did you know that by taking a few steps in the right direction, you could breathe worry-free? While Phoenix and Maricopa County have done much in the past few years in controlling the air pollution, there needs to be more action in order to secure clean air in the long-term. There are two things we can do: implement programs from another city with a pollution problem like ours, and take matters directly into our own hands by changing our lifestyle to positively affect the air quality.
Los Angeles is one such city that has had some success in controlling its air pollution, with plans that are different from the ones Phoenix is using. Located in the Sunbelt, LA sees a lot of sunshine like Phoenix. It, too, has had a large population growth like Phoenix and has had to respond to that accordingly. Los Angeles has developed a few excellent plans to fight its air pollution, which I believe can also make a difference in Phoenix as well. I propose that we integrate those plans from Los Angeles to enhance the battle of air pollution in Phoenix.
For the second part of my plan, I propose that we all take individual
action to make the air quality better for ourselves and everyone else,
like driving less and not topping off the gas tank. By encouraging
local lawmakers to use the effective plans of Los Angeles and by actively
taking strides in combating the battle of air pollution in our daily lives,
the breaths we take can soon be of clean, healthy air.
In the meantime, however, our air is becoming more dangerous.
Thanks to our location in a valley with minimal winds, most of the vehicle
emissions stay with us, trapped within the mountains. It lingers
and increases the ozone level and carbon monoxide level, which leads to
a nice layer of haze blanketing the city.
Our desert climate only worsens the problem by adding intense
heat much of the time, which accelerates the creation of haze.
The irony here is that Phoenix has a large population growth due to the
"prettiness" of the city. Little do these immigrants know that
they are only fostering a significant problem, which will eventually make
Phoenix ugly and virtually unlivable!
Air pollution is divided into two different categories: primary (which
include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and particulates)
and secondary (which are primary pollutants that react with other primary
pollutants are atmospheric compounds, like water) (Gulbinas 1).
To better understand how our air is polluted in our vehicles, it is
imperative to know what is exactly polluting our air and where it comes
from. There are six major sources of air pollution:
1.Hydrocarbons are a consequence of fuel molecules either partially burning, or not burning at all. "When hydrocarbons react with nitrogen oxide and sunlight (present in the atmosphere), ozone is formed." (Gulbina 7) Hydrocarbons stick to air molecules and can make their way into our lungs, which can provide the possibility to cause cancer.
2.Ozone is another source of pollution. While a normal oxygen molecule has two oxygen atoms, ozone has three. These three atoms must be created, and it is done so usually by reactions with hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and sunlight. While it is well known that ozone protects us from harmful UV rays emitted by the sun, ozone on the ground level is dangerous to humans. It can irritate the eyes, skin, and lungs, and it can provoke diseases such as asthma (7).
3. Next come nitrogen oxides. Precursors to acid rain and smog, these form from a reaction of nitrogen and oxygen in a vehicle's engine. Nitrogen Oxide also can aggravate the lungs (7).
4.Carbon Monoxide occurs when carbon in the vehicle's engine is only partially oxidized to carbon dioxide. It is very dangerous to humans because it "interferes with the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, thus reducing the flow of oxygen in the bloodstream" (7).
5.Carbon Dioxide is a product of the vehicle's combustion when carbon is fully oxidized to oxygen. It has no direct adverse human effects, but it acts as a trap for the heat the earth gives off, therefore contributing to global warming (7).
6.Finally, particulates are microscopic particles that are given off mainly from diesel vehicles, but they also can come from unpaved roads and construction sites. They are the cause for atmospheric haze, and can negatively affect breathing (7).
The most widely known negative side effect of automobile emission is smog. Smog is produced "when organic compounds react with nitrogen oxides and oxygen in the presence of sunlight to form chemicals such as ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate" (1). When pollutants are emitted from your car, they react chemically with either other pollutants or with natural compounds already present. Since it has been determined that the most significant source of smog comes from vehicle emissions, retarding the output of vehicle emissions is key to reducing overall smog levels.
The first major step toward reducing air pollution for all of the United
States took place when the Clean Air Act of 1970 was enacted. This
act gave the Environmental Protection Agency primary responsibility for
regulating "mobile source" pollution (cars) to the EPA. The EPA has
posted some incredible results: 80 to 90 per cent less hydrocarbons are
emitted by cars today (4).
However, ozone levels have failed to drop in proportion to the hydrocarbon
reduction. Two reasons can explain this: 1) the number of cars
on the road today is twice the number in 1970, and 2) emission control
systems undergo aging, poor state of tune, and tampering - all of which
can increase vehicle emissions (4).
As for carbon monoxide levels, automobile manufacturers developed the
catalytic converter to convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.
This innovation allowed for an 80 per cent reduction in carbon monoxide
emissions (4).
So how has Los Angeles been successful? The Los Angeles Plan, which
primarily focuses on vehicles, has a goal to increase the passenger occupancy
rate to 1.5 [from 1.1 passengers per car]. It also has a second stage
that aims to have "40% of passenger vehicles, 70% of freight vehicles,
and 100% of buses [become] low emitting." (Mann, 4)
In addition, the "Make A Difference, L.A." program, a six-week campaign that brought together local organizations and volunteers to work on projects to help better the environment, was a big success and can help Phoenix not only clean its air, but also work on other environmental issues. One significant project they performed was planting 6,020 square feet of new trees to help beautify the area and to decrease carbon dioxide levels and increase oxygen levels (City of Los Angeles 1).
These two plans can easily work in Phoenix, and as of right now, Phoenix
does not have either plan initiated. However, the state of Arizona
and Phoenix have taken some important steps in reducing its air pollution.
The Governor of Arizona took an important step in reducing her state's
air pollution by creating the 1998 Governor's Air Quality Task Force.
This agency created CleanAir2000, which is "an alliance of Valley businesses,
schools, municipalities, agencies and other organizations that are committed
to improving the air quality in the valley." (CleanAir2000 1) Businesses
active in this organization volunteer to take action that will reduce their
output of air pollutants in their workplaces.
Phoenix's plans, such as CleanAir2000, are making a significant positive impact. CleanAir2000 is an organization of Phoenix-based businesses that voluntarily restricts their environmentally harmful output. This is the perfect place to add Los Angeles' "Make A Difference" Campaign. All of the businesses in CleanAir2000 will surely participate in this project, which directly follows the objective of the group.
Another significant step that Arizona has taken toward clean air, and
a better environment in general, is Arizona Clean and Beautiful.
Founded in 1985, it is officially the state "Keep America Beautiful" affiliate,
and it was won numerous awards since its inception. "Arizona Clean
& Beautiful works with businesses and government agencies to find financial
resources, materials and volunteers for its community affiliates" (Arizona
Clean & Beautiful 1)
Arizona also has the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, which
operates numerous programs to fight air pollution, among other things.
Its itinerary for this includes "enhanced vehicle emissions testing, the
Smog Dog program, and a smoking vehicle hotline" (ADEQ 1). Adding
the Los Angeles Plan here would only complement these programs and add
to the improvements in air quality for all Phoenicians and Arizonans.
Despite all of the progress both Los Angeles and Phoenix have had in controlling their air pollution, it looks like Phoenix is doing a better job than Los Angeles. For example, between 1991 and 1995, the Phoenix area has seen its air become 78% cleaner, compared to Los Angeles' 30% increase in air quality (Environment News 2).
Another interesting fact is that Los Angeles leads the nation in early
deaths related to particulate air pollution with 5,783 fatalities.
Phoenix does not even crack the top five, and cities with smaller metropolitan
populations, such as Detroit and Philadelphia, are ahead in this category
(NRDC 1).
While this may prove that Phoenix is getting better results, and that
Los Angeles still has serious problems, this does not negate the positive
effects the aforementioned plans could have on Phoenix. There would
be no excess pollution generated by these plans, and there would be no
additional cost to the Phoenix taxpayer either. Keep in mind, though,
that these plans are only part of my proposal; making a difference by changing
some of your daily habits is just as important.
Please do not think that you cannot make a difference on your own. Any positive actions you do, like the ones listed later in this article, will have a lasting effect on the environment. If everyone takes the attitude that what they do will amount to nothing, there will not be much progress made in the cleanup of air pollution. However, if everyone does their part, those actions will compound into a significant positive change for the air of Phoenix.
While the part of the focus of this proposal is to encourage lawmakers in Arizona to implement some of Los Angeles' successful programs, everyone who drives a car can proactively make a difference in the air pollution output. The most significant thing you can do is to use your car less. Avoid needless driving and rely less upon your car.
Another important step you can take is to properly maintain your car.
Closely follow your car's maintenance guide and make the necessary changes
even if it doesn't appear to be needed. Always make sure that
your tires are properly inflated, as this will keep your fuel efficiency
at a maximum level.
When driving your car, please follow these important guidelines.
Do not idle for more than 30 seconds; this actually burns more gas than
restarting the engine. Accelerate gradually, and avoid sudden
braking. Although avoiding traffic is sometimes an impossibility
in Phoenix, wherever possible, "wait it out". You will save on time,
gas, and frazzled nerves. Use your air conditioning sparingly; the
nice desert nights are a perfect excuse to roll down the windows.
And avoid "topping off" at the gas station. This spills gasoline
and pollutes the air (Gulbinas 9).
Also, you can do your part to make the transportation system more efficient:
by just increasing the number of persons per car to 1.5, "an average of
20 minutes per traveler per day would be saved, and pollution would be
cut from 284 tons per day to 231, a reduction of 19%" (9).
Finally, just by using your body to get you where you need to be, by walking
or running or with the aid of a bike or roller-blades, you will help the
environment and get excellent exercise!
In addition to this, I encourage you to write or email your local lawmakers
to not only make air pollution a higher priority, but to instill some of
Los Angeles' practices into our own policies. By combining strengths,
we may once again breathe the air we were meant to breathe see the famous
Arizona sunsets the way they were meant to be seen.
The following are a list of government leaders' and organizations' addresses:
Jane Hull, Governor of Arizona:
The Honorable Jane Hull, Governor of Arizona, 1700 West Washington,
Phoenix, Arizona 85007, Telephone 602-542-4331
ADEQ:
3033 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, Arizona 85012
(602) 207-2300
Environment and Natural Resources Subcommittee:
Dave Siebert, Chair: Phoenix City Hall, City Council Subcommittee Room,
200 W. Washington St. 12th Fl., Phoenix, AZ 85003
Mayor of Phoenix, Skip Riosza:
Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St. 11th Fl., Phoenix, AZ 85003
(602) 262-7111 Email: srimsza@ci.phoenix.az.us
Mayor of Tempe, Neil Giuliano:
Email: neil_giuliano@tempe.gov
Mike Hanley
English 102
TR 12 15
Works Cited
Mann, Clare. Air Pollution in Megacities of the World: Los Angeles. Manchester, EN: Atmospheric Research and Information Center, 1996. http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/aric/langeles.html
CleanAir2000. CleanAir2000. Phoenix, AZ: US. 1998. www.cleanair2000.org
Gulbinas, Vilija. “On the Road to Recovery: an Angelino’s Guide to Smog”. Los Angeles, CA: US. 1998. www.ben2.ucla.edu/~vgulbina
Arizona Clean & Beautiful. “Arizona Clean & Beautiful”.
Phoenix, AZ:
US. 1998. aspin.asu.edu/acb/
Natural Resources Defense Council. “Danger in the Air”. Washington, DC: US. 1998. www.nrdc.org/nrdc/find/aibresum.html
Environment News. “What’s Missing from the Clean Air Debate?”. Washington, DC: US. 1998. www.heartland.org/environment/august/missing.htm
City of Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department. “L.A. Made a Difference!” Los Angeles, CA: US. 1998. www.cityofla.org/EAD/article3.htm
Arizona Governor Jane Hull. “Arizona Department of Environmental
Quality.” Phoenix, AZ: US. 1998. www.governor.state.az.us/dept/deq.html