Smog City Save our city! Jean Guo, Laura Gruenburg, Hun Baek
What is the atmosphere?
Any additional gases or particles that are introduced into the air (either by nature or human activity) distorts the natural balance and can cause harm to living organisms. This is AIR POLLUTION. NASA Educational Product Without the atmosphere, we would be burned by the intense heat of the sun during the day or frozen by the very low temperatures at night. The atmosphere helps protect the Earth and allow life to exist!
What is Air Pollution? Air pollution occurs when gases, dust particles, fumes (or smoke) or odor are introduced into the atmosphere in a way that makes it harmful to humans, animals, and plant.
Main pollutants that are harmful to human health: Particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) Small (less then 2.5 micrometers). You can fit 5 PM 2.5 molecules along the width of one strand of hair. Ozone (O 3 ) Three Air oxygen Pollution molecules bonded together. Note! Here we talking about surface-level ozone! O 3 within 10 miles of the earth s surface PM2.5 Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat Coughing, chest tightness, stuffy sinuses PM2.5 and Ozone Aggravate heart and lung disease Increase the amount of asthma attacks Aggravate bronchitis Increase susceptibility to lung infections
Why do we care about Air Pollution? Health: more than 131 million Americans over 40 percent of the nation's population - live in areas with bad air. Roughly 30 percent of childhood asthma is due to environmental exposures, costing the nation $2 billion per year". The Environment: Air pollutant can form acid rain, which destroys buildings. It can destroy trees and crops. Economy: Air pollution reduces agricultural crop and commercial forest yields by billions of dollars each year. People take off work for health reasons. Source: Natural Resources Defense Council: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/fasthma.asp
What do you notice about this photograph of Manhattan?
Have any of you ever seen the smog forming over NYC?
Our air in the U.S. is relatively clean now, but it hasn t always been that way Members of the Highland Park Optimists Club evidently spent at least part of their 1954 banquet in smog-gas masks. Courtesy of UCLA Library Special Collections -Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive L.A. Civic Center masked by smog on January 6, 1948. Courtesy of UCLA Library Special Collections -Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive
What do you think are some of the causes of air pollution?
Where does air pollution come from?
How can we decrease air pollution? Riding bikes, taking subway or bus, and walking instead of driving in cars or cabs short distances Carpooling also helps to reduce air pollution Reduce the amount of electricity that you use Remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room! Try to use less heat or A.C. to use less electricity Purchase food and clothes that were made locally (less transportation of goods = less emissions from trucks) Only buy what you need!
Congratulations! You have been elected mayor of Smog City!
As mayor, you understand the need to help your city grow and prosper, while also protecting the environment and the health of your citizens. How will you balance these concerns?
Scenario: A powerful and well-respected company wants to build a new factory in your town New jobs! Increases in population as more people move into town! But what does this mean for air pollution?
Scenario: A powerful and well-respected company wants to build a new factory in your town New jobs! Increases in population as more people move into town! But what does this mean for air pollution? More Cars/trucks More air travel More consumer products
Air Quality Index
Instructions Go to http://www.smogcity2.org. Choose Create Your Own Smog City 2 Experience Last link on the left On the left panel, you will see a variety of parameters that can be changed. On the lower right you will see a panel with the AQI value and health condition. The plot above the AQI index shows how particulate level and ozone concentrations vary throughout the day Follow the instructions to learn about the controls: http://www.smogcity2.org/howtocontrol.html Tasks Note the current conditions! How will these conditions change when the new industry and people move in? How will these conditions vary depending on the weather? What can you and the townspeople do to decrease air pollution? Play with the controls. What would be your ideal city?
Sample Scenarios to Try. Note the response for each Scenario 1: Emission Sources 1. Turn only Cars and Trucks control to 1. Leave all other choices at the default settings. Use the reset button to return the Cars and Trucks control to 3. 2. Turn only Off Road down to 1. Leave all other settings alone. 3. Use the reset button to return the Off Road control to the middle setting, so all controls are in default position. Scenario 2: Weather 1. Using the reset button, return all Emission and Population controls to the middle setting. What is the AQI level? 2. Set the Temperature to 80 degrees F. Check the black sign in the cityscape for the temperature. How does this affect particle pollution? Why? 3. Move the Inversion control to low-altitude (the far right). How does this affect particle pollution levels? Why?
Discussion 1. Was there any one variable that seemed to have a greater increase in particle pollution than others tested? Which one? 2. What steps could be taken to control emissions levels? 3. Can you think of ways to reduce particle pollution levels?
Make Your Own Aerosol Catcher! 1. Take a plastic covered index card. 2. Spread some cocoa butter on the index card. (Try doing it on the white side of the card). 3. Choose some ribbon and make yourself a bow. 4. Get some saran wrap and wrap up your aerosol catcher! 5. When you get home, hang it outside a window and see how much dust you catch! If you live in a clean neighborhood, it might take a while so leave it outside for a month or so and check on it periodically. Try seeing if the results differ in different places. Do you get a different result when hanging the catcher in a windy area versus one that is more secluded?