Republic Square
Bad Air Days
RECEIVED Thu., Aug. 9, 2007
Dear Editor,
It seems we've finally achieved the unthinkable. Austin's air quality is nearly as bad as Houston and Dallas on many summer days. Reviewing daily information from the www.airnow.gov website, this morning, for example, Austin was recording a particulate matter 2.5 reading of 62, and Houston was just slightly ahead with a 72 reading. Dallas is just below us at 61 for their PM 2.5. Ozone readings are also similar with Dallas slightly ahead of us this morning.
And all of this before the busy back-to-school season starts up. Think about the addition of thousands of idling sport utility vehicles dropping the kids off and picking them up from school and extracurricular activities. Yikes.
PM 2.5 is defined by www.airnow.gov as "Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter are called 'fine' particles. These particles are so small they can be detected only with an electron microscope. Sources of fine particles include all types of combustion, including motor vehicles, power plants, residential wood burning, forest fires, agricultural burning, and some industrial processes."
Also, according to the www.airnow.gov website, PM 2.5 is dangerous to your health. "Particle exposure can lead to a variety of health effects. For example, numerous studies link particle levels to increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits – and even to death from heart or lung diseases."
Yesterday seemed to be the same story.
So forget about bad hair days – it's bad air days we need to control.
It seems we've finally achieved the unthinkable. Austin's air quality is nearly as bad as Houston and Dallas on many summer days. Reviewing daily information from the www.airnow.gov website, this morning, for example, Austin was recording a particulate matter 2.5 reading of 62, and Houston was just slightly ahead with a 72 reading. Dallas is just below us at 61 for their PM 2.5. Ozone readings are also similar with Dallas slightly ahead of us this morning.
And all of this before the busy back-to-school season starts up. Think about the addition of thousands of idling sport utility vehicles dropping the kids off and picking them up from school and extracurricular activities. Yikes.
PM 2.5 is defined by www.airnow.gov as "Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter are called 'fine' particles. These particles are so small they can be detected only with an electron microscope. Sources of fine particles include all types of combustion, including motor vehicles, power plants, residential wood burning, forest fires, agricultural burning, and some industrial processes."
Also, according to the www.airnow.gov website, PM 2.5 is dangerous to your health. "Particle exposure can lead to a variety of health effects. For example, numerous studies link particle levels to increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits – and even to death from heart or lung diseases."
Yesterday seemed to be the same story.
So forget about bad hair days – it's bad air days we need to control.
Kelly Hayes