Plume of Pollutants From a Small Airport
SUMMARY: This was a short and sweet article which proposes and issue other than noise that is associated with airports and airports near neighborhoods. Air quality is something that has been studied very little within smaller airports, but as you can only imagine, the multi-ton aircraft in small-city airports tend to put of quite a bit of emissions, too. What was surprising was that the researchers, who studied Santa Monica Airport, found "ultrafine particles of organic carbon and sooty black carbon" 2,000 feet downwind of the aviation field. Studies are few and far between which focus on the health effects of emissions from airports, but as Dr. Paulson (one of the lead researchers) said, "I wouldn’t personally choose to live there."REFLECTION: I thought that this article was appropriate not only because we're currently studying air pollution, but because it's an example that can be directly applied to all of us. After all, we all live in Lexington, a city with an airport within its limits. Thankfully (for many reasons) none of us go to Dunbar, because the high school and its surrounding suburbs are definitely within the 2,000 foot radius of the airport. Having it conveniently located next to Keeneland and some of our nicest cookie cutter neighborhoods makes it a dangerous melting pot of greenhouse gases that are harming much more than our environment. The only options we have are to create energy efficient airplanes which run on something other than fossil fuels, or to be a little bit smarter about where we decide to place our carbon-coughing machines in the future.
SOURCE: "Fountain, Henry. "Plume of Pollutants From a Small Airport." The New York Times (2009). Nytimes.com. Web."
This article is very relevant to unit 5 curriculum and air particulate investigations and labs. Emissions, airplanes included, play a large role in contributing towards air pollution and diminishing air quality. This study and previous examples noted in class are further arguments for the need of emission regulations. Controlling greenhouse gas emissions and filtration may provide cleaner and healthier air.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we need explore the implications of out actions before we build airports all around our cities. Airports and other carbon emitting bodies pollute a lot into the atmosphere. When these fine particles enter our lungs, it can have long term effects that are very harmful. Although some people believe that it would hamper the economic development of the country, it is important to look our for the environmental implications of what we do. Also it is important to notice that by having airports near neighborhoods we endanger everywhere we interact. Places that emit a large quantity of carbon need to be controlled for the benefit of our health.
ReplyDeleteI agree that something needs to be done about this issue. It isnt fair that businesses can harm people without the people even knowing what is happening. The planes need to find cleaner fuels and find ways to stop greenhouse emissions and particulate matter emissions. If nothing is done about these issues, then the consequences could be very harmful to our health, and the air quality in Lexington.
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