(MS) If most people were asked to do a quick word association about air pollution, chances are strong words like "city" and "traffic" would be among the first to come to mind. However, while large cities with heavy traffic are certainly susceptible to air pollution, city dwellers and drivers aren't the lone culprits when it comes to causing air pollution.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), what we do inside our homes, regardless of where we live, can be polluting the air both indoors and outside. To do your part, consider the following tips for reducing air pollution.
* Recycle: One of the easiest ways to help reduce air pollution is to participate in your community's recycling program. Recycle plastic, paper, aluminum cans, glass bottles and even cardboard. If your community only collects certain recyclables, such as paper and glass bottles, you can still recycle other items and simply drop them off at your nearby recycling center. Recycling helps reduce air pollution by reducing production emissions. In addition, recycling is a viable means to conserving energy.
* Properly dispose of common household items: Many items around the house can be very harmful to the environment if not disposed of or stored properly. Paints, pesticides and solvents should be stored in airtight containers. For information on handling solid waste, visit the Office of Solid Waste Concerned Citizens Web page at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/index.htm.
* Consider the far-reaching effects of your behavior and lifestyle: While those in less populated or rural areas might look up at the clear sky above and not feel as though their behavior could be contributing to air pollution, think again.
According to Tuscon-based Air Info Now, in conjunction with the EPA, a type of air pollution known as particulate matter can have negative local and far-reaching effects. Larger particulate matter, known as PM10, can travel as far as 30 miles, while smaller particles, known as PM2.5, can travel many hundreds of miles. The smaller particles are made from driving automobiles, burning plants and purifying and processing metals. So while the air currently above your head might be crystal clear, that doesn't mean your behavior isn't having a negative impact. Car pool or use public transportation whenever possible, and work to make yourself less reliable on your automobile. Rather than making several short trips to run errands, get them all done in one trip. This should help the environment, and save you time and money in the process.
* Inspect your appliances regularly: Inspecting heating and cooling systems, particularly with respect to filters, can help reduce the emissions of harmful gases into both the air inside and outside your home. Have a professional check your air conditioning system in the spring and your heating system in the fall. A poorly operating system could be emitting harmful gases and costing you significant amounts of money as well.
* Look at things in terms of your physical health: If you or your loved ones are struggling to adjust to a more air-friendly lifestyle, perhaps the context of personal health can help put things in a better, and more effective, perspective. While many people might be apprehensive about joining a car pool or taking public transportation when they have a perfectly good automobile at home, the type of particulate matter produced by automobiles harms both the air and could be harmful to your health as well. Exposure to PM2.5 particulate matter, the type produced by automobiles, can aggravate asthma, lead to potential lung damage (including reduced lung function and lifelong respiratory disease), cause coughing or shortness of breath and could result in premature death for people with existing heart or lung diseases.
To learn more about air pollution and how you can play a role in its reduction, visit the EPA Web site at www.epa.gov.
