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Tag Archives: air quality

The shady side of trees

Arbor Day in Missouri is the first Friday in April, or April 5 this year, so it seems like a good time to talk about trees. Most of us probably think trees are great for air quality but just like people, trees have their good side and their not so good side.

Trees are beneficial to the air quality because their shade is cooling which reduces the need to generate air conditioning. The surface area of leaves allows for the removal of nitrogen dioxide, ozone and particulate matter. Trees and plants use carbon dioxide in the air along with sun, soil and water to make food and release oxygen for us to breathe in the process. Trees store carbon dioxide in their trunk and roots.

Turn that leaf over though and you will see that trees release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which can react with nitrogen oxides from cars and power plants to form ozone and particulate matter. In some rural areas with low nitrogen oxide concentrations though, the VOCs from trees can actually remove ozone. When you start looking at a tree from different angles, you can really get in some deep weeds!

The earth’s vegetation is responsible for about two-thirds of the VOCs emitted around the world, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  In their computer simulation model, removing man-made pollutants created a 50 percent drop in tree pollutants. When we reduce our pollutants we help trees reduce their pollutants.

We can plant trees and then help trees pollute less by reducing our own pollution. In return trees will shade and protect us. As Chief Seattle said, “All things share the same breath – the beast, the tree, the man…the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.”

For more information about air quality, visit the Air Pollution Control Program or the Environmental Services Program’s Air Quality Assurance and Air Quality Monitoring websites.

 

 

 

 

Posted on Apr 03, 2013

Ozone season starts April 1

No fooling! The start of ozone season is just around the corner. The reason for the season is ozone is good up high and bad nearby. 

Summer heat can bring some lovely days for a dip in the swimming pool but the heat and sunlight can also produce ground-level ozone – commonly known as smog. Smog is a gas created when the pollution from business, power plants and vehicles mix in the presence of sunlight. Higher temps and sunlight speed up the formation of this ground-level ozone.

Exposure to ground-level ozone contributes to health and environmental problems. Adults and children can experience problems breathing, especially those who exercise or work outdoors. Ground-level ozone may also damage trees and agricultural crops.

Simple everyday steps can help reduce the emission of harmful ozone-causing pollutants:

  • Keep vehicle tires properly inflated. (Under-inflated tires also increase gasoline consumption.)
  • Use public transportation, carpool, bike or walk.
  • Stop at the first click when filling up gas tanks. Do not top off the tank. Resist the urge to squeeze that nozzle!
  • Don’t use gas-powered lawn equipment on hot, sunny days with little or no wind. Consider waiting until early evening to mow your lawn.
  • Conserve energy by turning off lights and appliances when leaving a room to reduce emissions from power plants.
  • Set a goal to reduce your utility bill by two percent. You will save money and protect air quality.

Ozone monitoring data for ozone season, which begins April 1 and runs through Oct. 31, is available from monitors placed around the state. For more information on ozone, visit the department’s Ozone webpage. You may also want to read the article The Darker Side of Ozone in the summer 2011 edition of Missouri Resources’ magazine. 

Posted on Mar 25, 2013

Does your school have a School Flag Program?

Did you know air pollution is a trigger for asthma? Did you know children are especially sensitive to the harmful effects of air pollution? When the air quality is unhealthy what changes are you going to make in children’s outdoor play?

The School Flag Program is an effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help schools improve the health and wellness of students and staff.

Air pollution can affect the health of children, especially those with asthma. The School Flag Program is designed to help the school community stay aware of outdoor air quality conditions so teachers, coaches and students can take protective measures to reduce students’ exposure to air pollution. Modifying outdoor activities is recommended when air quality has reached unhealthy levels.

There are four easy steps to get the School Flag Program started at your school to ensure healthy learning environments.

First, purchase five flags, pennant style, solid colors, Schools participating in the School Flag Program raise a flag each day. The flag colors are based on the colors of the Air Quality Index. Each flag color corresponds to a different level of health concern:

  • Green = good
  • Yellow = moderate
  • Orange = unhealthy for sensitive groups
  • Red = unhealthy
  • Purple = very unhealthy 

Second, educate and inform parents, teachers and students.

Third, check the Air Quality Index each day and fly the corresponding flag. You can sign up for an email,  check the local news, or go to www.airnow.gov for a free air quality app or free widget.

Fourth, follow the recommendations for schools and others on poor air quality days.

Learn more about the School Flag Program.   Resources for teachers are also available. For questions, contact Ellen Wildermann, 919-541-5408 or email at wildermann.ellen@epa.gov.

For more information about air pollutants, ozone and the air quality data system, visit the Air Pollution Control Program.  

 

Posted on Oct 31, 2012

Ozone – Something you can easily reduce!

Summertime definitely means fun in the sun, however, the heat and sunlight can mix with volatile organic compounds to produce ground-level ozone. Pollution from vehicles, businesses and power plants combines in the presence of sunlight creating ground-level ozone – known commonly as smog. Typically, ozone pollution is a problem in the hot summer months from late May to early September when sunlight and higher temperatures speed up the formation of ground-level ozone. Ozone levels from the combustion of fossil fuels tend to rise mid-morning, several hours after the rush-hour and peak in the late afternoon.

Simple everyday steps can help reduce the emission of harmful pollutants that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone or smog.

Ozone-reducing activities include:

  • Keep tires properly inflated.
  • Use mass transit, carpool, bike or walk.
  • Do not top off gas tanks. Stop at the first click.
  • Do not use gas-powered lawn equipment on hot, sunny days with little or no wind. Consider waiting until early evening to mow your lawn.
  • Conserve energy by turning off lights and appliances when leaving a room to reduce emissions from power plants. Purchase Energy Star® appliances.
  • Set goals to reduce utility bills by two percent. This can save money and protect air quality.

The department maintains and collects data from air monitors across Missouri to see if Missouri’s air quality meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Visit the Air Pollution Control Program for more information. 

Posted on Jul 13, 2012

Firefighters’ pleas and open burning

Was scanning some news stories from across the state and came across this headline: Firefighters issue plea: get a burn permit.

(The full article is on the Lake News Online Web page.)

Turns out Camden County firefighters have been fighting a lot of brush fires so far this year (32 of ‘em).

In addition to local governments and fire districts having their own restrictions on open burning, there are some state regulations. For example, there are some things that may not be burned: tires, rubber products, plastic foam, demolition waste, treated wood and any asbestos-containing material.

Take a look at our Facts on Open Burning Under Missouri Regulations fact sheet for a good summary of what is and isn’t allowable from the state’s perspective. Remember to contact your local government or fire district for any additional requirements before putting lighting up.

There are also options besides burning. Yard waste, such as grass clippings, leaves and smaller twigs, can be composted. Check out our Homeowners’ Composing Guide Web page for more info.

And as the fire chief in the article said, be careful if you do burn. Things can get mighty dry in winter, so if it’s a breezy day, hold off for another day with less wind.

 

Posted on Jan 24, 2012

Cleaner air (and we can prove it)

We often talk about how the air is cleaner today than it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago. But can we prove it?

Check out this presentation created by the Air Pollution Control Program. The first half is a summary of 2011’s air quality. The second half focuses on air quality trends over the last 20-30 years.

We’ve come a long way.

Look at sulfur dioxide emissions: in 1970 more than a million tons of sulfur dioxide was being emitted into the air. That number has dropped 60 percent.

Even with these improvements, we know there’s still work to do.

Improving the air takes a team. Work we’ve done here, and are doing, at the Department of Natural Resources has helped, but so has the work done by Missouri businesses and Missouri citizens.

If you’d like to know some things you can do to help improve air quality, there’s a fact sheet What You Can Do to Improve the Air that has some great tips.

Posted on Jan 05, 2012

Help fight ozone this summer!

Here’s a news flash: It’s going to be another hot one this week. Temperatures across much of Missouri are staying in the middle and upper 90s, occasionally crawling to the triple-digit mark.

There’ s not much that can be done to control this heat wave, but there are some things that can be done to control an environmental and health concern that often accompanies the hot days of summer: ground-level ozone.

Ground-level ozone – commonly known as smog – is a gas created when pollution from vehicles, businesses and power plants combine in the presence of sunlight. Typically, ozone pollution is more of a problem during hot summer months because sunlight and warm temperatures speed up the formation of ground-level ozone.

Exposure to ground-level ozone contributes to health and environmental problems. Healthy adults can experience problems breathing, especially those who exercise or work outdoors. Children are at increased risk from exposure to ground-level ozone because their lungs are still developing. Ground-level ozone can also damage trees and agricultural crops.

Simple everyday steps can help reduce the emission of harmful ozone-causing pollutants:

  • Keep vehicle tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires increase gasoline consumption.
  • Use public transportation, carpool, bike or walk.
  • Stop at the first click when filling up gas tanks. Overfilling can lead to gasoline spills, which allows harmful ozone-causing vapors to escape into the atmosphere.
  • Don’t use gas-powered lawn equipment on hot, sunny days with little or no wind. Consider waiting until early evening to mow your lawn.
  • Conserve energy by turning off lights and appliances when leaving a room to reduce emissions from power plants.

Ozone monitoring data for ozone season, which began April 1 and runs through Oct. 31, is available from the Missouri Air Quality Data System Web page. For more information on ozone, visit the department’s Ozone Web page  and read the article on Ozone in the latest Missouri Resources’ magazine. 

Posted on Aug 02, 2011