air pollution Archives – The Green Optimistic

Exposure to Air Pollution Causes Huge Reduction in Intelligence

Matthew Fiala — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 08:30:21 +0000

According to new research, exposure to high levels of polluted air is equivalent to having lost a year of education. With over 95% of the global population breathing unsafe air, the damage to society goes far beyond the impacts on physical health. Those over 64 years old, for men, and for those with low education […]

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Air Pollution Increases Risk for Dementia, Research Confirms

Matthew Fiala — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 06:01:57 +0000

A recent study indicates that air pollution may increase the chance of developing dementia. The health of people of all ages is at increased risk from breathing polluted air. According to new research, people over 50 years old have a 40% greater risk of developing dementia in areas that have the highest levels of nitrogen […]

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Air pollution particles found in mothers’ placentas

Matthew Fiala — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 16:53:17 +0000

Scientists found the first evidence that air pollution particles travel through pregnant women lungs and lodge in their placentas. A study of women in London, United Kingdom found sooty particles in the placentas of their babies and researchers believe that the particles are likely to enter the fetus. This study indicates that the air a […]

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Beijing Suffocates in Dust Due to Smog and Sandstorm Combo

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 16:23:45 +0000

Previously, it was reported that Chinese researchers installed a giant 100-meter high, the world’s largest, air purifier in one of the country’s provinces. Being able to reduce dust by 15% using minimal electricity – as it takes advantage of solar heat energy – this giant air filter would be desirable to be installed in the […]

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“Safe” Air Pollution Levels Are Not Actually Safe and Linked with Brain Damage in Newborns

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 16:03:08 +0000

In a separate study by Chinese researchers, industrial air pollution is being linked with alterations in DNA’s of newborns. That is, when the mothers were exposed to air pollution brought by industrial plants during pregnancy, their newborns were later observed to have shorter telomeres, which are specific sections in our chromosomes carrying the DNA. Now, […]

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This is How Air Pollution Alters the DNA of Newborns

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 17:42:32 +0000

Telomeres, the specialized regions of DNA found at each end of a chromosome, are discovered to be shorter for newborns that were exposed to air pollution before birth than those who were not. These telomeres are responsible for allowing the chromosomes to be copied exactly during cell division. According to a study conducted in China, […]

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100-Meter High Giant Air Purifier in China Gives Noticeable Results!

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 20:07:58 +0000

“I do feel better,” expresses a manager at a restaurant near the world’s largest air purifier or smog tower, in reference to the improvement in air quality she noticed even if she was unaware of the tower’s purpose. “I can’t help looking at the tower each time I pass. It’s very tall, very eye-catching, but […]

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The Effects of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) on Your Body

Guest Contributor — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 18:56:49 +0000

Particulate matter, or PM, is an air pollutant that consists of both solid, as well as liquid parts, suspended in air. It is usually composed of sulfates, nitrates, ammonium, elemental carbon, calcium, various metals, particle-bound water, and more, however, the exact elements usually change from one area to another. The substance is described through several […]

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Air Pollution Decreases Good Bacteria in Our Airways, Study Shows

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 23:06:41 +0000

Air pollution increases cases of respiratory diseases and risks for other critical illnesses such as heart disease. How it affects our body’s condition can be linked to its effect on the diversity of microbes existing in our respiratory tracts, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Milan. The study shows that […]

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Air Pollution in India Cuts Solar Power Output Over 25%

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 11:24:35 +0000

A study conducted by Indian and American researchers measured for the first time the effect of smog and dust deposition on the efficiency of solar cells in the world’s third largest polluter, India – an unexpectedly huge 25 to 30 percent of power is lost, equivalent to 3,900 megawatts, which is six times the capacity […]

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Real-Life Usage of Euro6 Cars NOT as Clean as Previously Thought, Study Claims

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 23:20:10 +0000

A new study commissioned by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) reports that during real-world usage, the Euro 6 cars powered with diesel and petroleum-gasoline emit carbon dioxide and NOx that are out of the legally accepted levels. The study was conducted by the Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki […]

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UK Wants to Ban All Diesel and Gasoline Cars by 2040, With an Exception

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 06:50:08 +0000

Poor air quality has been linked to many deaths in recent years. Following France’s example, the UK government has recently announced that it will ban all fossil-fuel powered cars from the road by 2040. This move is, however, not intended to hit hybrids and plug-in hybrids. The paper on this matter has been published by DEFRA […]

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Londoners Who Drive Kids to School Could Pay £100 Fine

Nicholas Say — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 12:39:24 +0000

It looks like East London has had it with traffic around schools. A new policy will fine parents £100 for dropping off their kids, and if they keep at it they fines rise from there. This policy is aimed at safety, and resolving the problems that school traffic creates for the neighborhoods. In many cases […]

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Air Pollution Leads to Diabetes in Latino Children, Study Says

Ece Polat — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 13:27:15 +0000

University of Southern California found a correlation between increased air pollution and Type 2 diabetes in Latino children. For about 3.5 years, scientists tried to find a relation between residential air pollution and diabetes. The reason lies in the breakdown of the beta cells, which produce insulin and decrease the blood sugar levels to normal […]

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US Army Drones Detect Biological and Chemical Pollutants

Mila Luleva — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 10:40:32 +0000

A team at the U.S Army has built a technology that can detect biological and chemical air pollution using drones. Air pollution is a serious problem in numerous cities around the world. In some of the world’s metropolitan areas, such as Beijing and London, it is often that citizens can actually see the smog. This […]

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Aerochromic’s Shirts Change Pattern According to Air Pollutants

Courtney Lepping — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 19:48:13 +0000

A new line of shirts from Aerochromic warn you of air pollutants by changing its pattern. No word yet on how the awareness of the level of air pollutants, which you can know by dishing out 500 dollars or more, would increase public health, but at least you’ll be aware. Aerochromic presents three options for […]

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NASA Scientists Just Located Unreported Sources of Sulfur Dioxide Emissions

Mila Luleva — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 16:25:07 +0000

Team of scientists at NASA, in collaboration with two US universities, managed to find almost 40 previously unknown man-made sources of emissions, using satellite data. It is no news that air pollution is one of the most dangerous and quiet killers around us. Often, without even noticing, tiny microscopic particles enter our bodies and slowly destroy […]

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Roosegaarde’s Smog Free Tower Sucks Pollution Out of the Air

Guest Contributor — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 05:14:32 +0000

What do Beijing, Los Angeles, and New Delhi have in common? Devastating air pollution. Wouldn’t it be great if we had a gigantic vacuum and could suck the pollution out of the air? Artist/Inventor Daan Roosegaarde has invented such a device! Roosegaarde’s Smog Free Tower is similar in construction to a common air filter, except […]

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Electric Cars are Saving the Earth, After All

Annika Tostengard — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 05:32:31 +0000

This summer, researchers from the National Bureau of Economic Research reported on a study they conducted which found that electric vehicles actually emit more harmful greenhouse gasses than traditional vehicles. Now, in a rebuttal, the Union of Concerned Scientists have released their annual report, known as the State of Charge report on electric cars. They […]

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China’s Pollution Problem Got Better in 2015

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 16:39:44 +0000

During the first half of 2015, the levels of two major air pollutants in China fell as the country worked to protect the environment despite their economy’s reliance on manufacturing. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide both greatly contribute to the pollution problem, and both can cause acid rain. The government has been issuing large fines […]

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Pollution Clears to Reveal a Beautiful Beijing

Annika Tostengard — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 17:34:12 +0000

Known for its ever-present dark cloud of pollution, Beijing got a rare glimpse of blue skies. The city temporarily banned five million cars from travelling the roads, and the results were beautiful. For residents of Beijing, checking the air quality index is just another part of the day. Usually, they find that the air they breathe […]

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Buying Carbon Credits in Russia or Ukraine Not Eco-Friendly, Says Study

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 04:36:45 +0000

A Stockholm study has discovered that buying carbon credits from Russia and Ukraine may be doing little to nothing for the environment. The countries have been selling carbon credits to the UK as part of a UN deal, and in some cases were even creating problems in order to solve them to create and sell the credits. According […]

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New Citizen Science Equipment for Monitoring Air Quality

Annika Tostengard — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:52:49 +0000

Canadian residents will soon be monitoring local air quality while they go about their daily business. The new equipment, which can be attached to a bike or baby stroller for on-the-go data collection, is a device that both measures particulates in the air as well as the GPS location of the user. The collected data […]

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6 Worst Sports for the Environment

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 10:15:06 +0000

Modern life is hard. Without exercise, health suffers, but what do you do if your favorite physical activity hurts the environment as well? Luckily, most of these sports are only harmful at the professional level, or in places where lots of people are participating at once. The following six sports are some of the most […]

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EPA: States Have Until 2022 to Comply With Pollution Regulations

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 07:18:08 +0000

The Obama Administration previously proposed legislation including regulations written by the Environmental Protection Agency requiring pollution-emitters like power plants to begin dramatically cutting their emissions starting in the year 2020. The legislation still has not been finalized, and according to people involved in the planning, the EPA will extend the deadline until the year 2020. However, the environmental agency […]

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Air Pollution Monitoring Now on Google Street View

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:55:42 +0000

Google Street View cars will soon have sensors for air pollution monitoring. The new project will give people access to important health information-the quality of the air they breathe. Additionally, the information can be used on a larger scale to map where and when pollution is the highest. As the Street View cars collect more […]

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Scientists Find a Pill Against Air Pollution

Mila Luleva — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:55:16 +0000

Air pollution poses a serious health risk, causing painful and often deadly heart and lung disease, as well as being the reason for millions of premature deaths around the world. Everyone knows the solution- “Stop Polluting!”, yet secretly there is that desire to just take a pill and make it all go away with minimum […]

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Dutch Designer Extracts Smog Particles, Turns Them into Jewelry

Mila Luleva — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 08:38:19 +0000

Air pollution in the Chinese capital of Beijing is becoming a major disaster. Cutting down emissions from traffic and industry is no longer sufficient, and thankfully governmental officials acknowledge it. They set tough targets, pushing people to come up with incredible innovations, just like turning deadly smog particles into jewelry. Some time ago we told […]

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Low Cost Dust Sensor for Smartphones Monitors Air Pollution in Real Time

Mila Luleva — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 09:45:52 +0000

Our smartphones are increasingly becoming even smarter, simply because it is so much easier to carry an “all-in-one” pocket device, instead of ten different ones. So, would you be happy to know that your phone can generate an urban pollution map, with the help of a small attachable sensor, or would this be just another […]

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Air Quality in China – Government to Scrap 5.3 Million Cars

Benji Jerew — Fri, 30 May 2014 02:40:59 +0000

China is home to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and, much like other countries who developed before her, air quality is a serious problem. China’s economic growth hasn’t been without its growing pains. The need for power and transportation has been filled by quick and easy solutions, coal-fired power plants and millions of barely-functional […]

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Clearing the Air – Climate Change Mitigation

Benji Jerew — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 14:20:15 +0000

According to the Fifth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions has several side effects, one of which is improving air quality. For decades, under the Clean Air Act in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working hard to reduce emissions. For a […]

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China’s Power Mix Will Be Dominated by Coal for Decades

Benji Jerew — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 16:24:23 +0000

China’s economic growth is very much at odds with her environmental problems. As the economy grows, so does need for power, two-thirds of which is generated by coal. Looking at the air in China’s great cities, such as Shanghai or Beijing, it’s quite obvious that a dark cloud hangs over the residents. Quite literally, in […]

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Tesla Motors, Clearing the Air in China?

Benji Jerew — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 17:23:02 +0000

Moving Tesla Motors manufacturing to China could bring that price down, but the Chinese nouveau-riche love their import luxury cars. In fact, one Chinese investor recently ordered 100 Tesla Model S to be shipped, but not before being convertible-converted by Newport Convertible Engineering, adding between $29,900 and $49,900 to the price of each car. Tesla […]

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Air Pollution Leads to How Many Deaths Per Year?

Benji Jerew — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 00:52:43 +0000

Since the Industrial Revolution, associated with learning how to use fossil fuels to perform work, air pollution has increased and, with it, sentenced millions of people to death. Fossil fuels, essentially the concentrated hydrocarbon-rich remains of plant and animal life from hundreds of thousands of years ago, can be extracted, refined, and used to generate […]

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Air Pollution Cost $1.3 Billion in New York

Benji Jerew — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 14:38:16 +0000

Every addiction has its side effects, some of them deadly. In the case of our worldwide fossil-fuel addiction, the side effects are numerous, including carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution. Air pollution, in turn, leads to other problems, such as smog. Now, smog may seem, at least to those who haven’t experienced it, a cosmetic […]

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Paris Public Transportation Free for Three Days to Combat Air Pollution

Benji Jerew — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 21:08:10 +0000

Automobile density in Paris, France, like many cities, has many leaning toward public transportation as a better option, but not enough, apparently. Because there are so many vehicles in such a crowded space, great cities around the world struggle against air pollution, and the City of Light, Paris, is no different. Unfortunately, these days, the […]

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How Satellite Imaging Can Quantify and Prevent Air Pollution

Mila Luleva — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 21:01:10 +0000

A team of scientists from the Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales claim to have found a way to quantify concentrations of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and ammonia levels in the atmosphere using satellite images acquired by IASI infrared sounder. Their dataset for the study was collected over Beijing and the nearby areas, and the results from […]

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Spider Webs Might Future’s Most Effective Air Pollution Filters

Mila Luleva — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 11:18:23 +0000

Finding effective ways to clean up pollutants from the air has become quite a challenge for quite a number of scientific teams. An interesting approach was taken by researchers from University of Oxford, where the group studied the electrostatic properties of spider webs. They discovered that the glue, which covers the web, attracts not only […]

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The Makeup of the Future Protects Us from Air Pollution

Mila Luleva — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 15:45:47 +0000

If you have seen the famous photo of the futuristic look of the model Vicki Dunlap, taken back in the late 1960s, without reading the fine print you would think it represents the alien-like look taken from a science fiction movie. In fact, the model was showcasing makeup and clothing specifically made to protect her […]

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Tree Leaves Trap 50% of Particulate Matter Pollution

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 07:13:31 +0000

Studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) have demonstrated that air pollution is a bona fide killer and causes more deaths than AIDS and malaria combined. Despite progress in many areas of the world, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East are still plagued by bad air pollution. Scientists from Lancaster University measured how much pollution […]

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China’s Air Pollution Results in Youngest Lung Cancer Patient, Just Eight Years Old

Benji Jerew — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 12:45:06 +0000

Thanks to China’s growth-at-all-costs economic expansion policy, one of those costs has been manifested in worsening air pollution. According to some studies, up to 40% of premature deaths linked to air pollution are occurring in China highlighting an even greater human cost, especially infants and elderly, whose immune systems can’t handle the toxins in the […]

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China Is Playing a Dangerous Game With Air Pollution

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 02:41:03 +0000

China’s pollution problem has been top news lately, mainly because the pollution is so dense that you can see if from space. That’s right, from space. China’s problems are drastic, but they are not as unique as people think they are. In fact, most people forget about the major problems London had in the 1950s. […]

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After Air Pollution Levels Reach Critical Mass, China Finally Agrees to Study the Health Consequences

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 02:12:03 +0000

Over the next five years, China’s Health Ministry plans to create a national network to monitor the long-term impact of chronic air pollution on human health. This is big news from a country known for record-breaking levels of air pollution. China’s future network will gather data on particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers, […]

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Chinese Air Pollution Makes Volvo Cabin Filter a Safety Feature?

Benji Jerew — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 20:38:29 +0000

China is still trying to get a handle on its growing air pollution problem, and air masks and traffic shutdowns aren’t going to be enough to solve the problem. Geely, parent company of Volvo ABG, has a solution, the cabin filters installed in Volvo luxury vehicles. Here in the United States, unless you suffer from […]

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Air Pollution Classified As Carcinogenic to Humans as Tobacco Smoke

Mila Luleva — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 15:31:55 +0000

The World Health Organization finally acknowledged the danger of increased air pollution, and more specifically particulate matter, by officially classifying it as carcinogenic to humans, placing it in the group of tobacco smoke, UV radiation and plutonium. A group of world’s leading experts conducted a literature study on the influence of outdoor air pollution on human […]

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Beijing Fights Air Pollution by Shutting Down Airports and Car Traffic

Benji Jerew — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 18:02:38 +0000

China’s economic growth “at any cost” has indeed some with a cost, air pollution on a grand scale and, in her biggest cities, the premature deaths of hundreds. The increased number of vehicles and coal-fired industry and power plants, combined with weather conditions and geological features, has led to astonishing levels of air pollution in […]

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Lethal Air Pollution Mapped by NASA’s Earth Observatory

Benji Jerew — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 15:08:30 +0000

Air pollution has been linked with many detrimental health effects, and we’ve long known that we need to clean up our act if quality of life is going to be maintained. Cleaning up air pollution, of course, has been a long and difficult road, oftentimes mistaken for an expensive and economically detrimental path by the […]

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China Tackling Air Pollution, But Faces Big Challenges

Benji Jerew — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 19:20:18 +0000

China’s fast economic growth has been backed up by fast and dirty coal power plants to meet new energy requirements of the rapidly expanding industrial and commercial sectors. The resulting air pollution has clouded the skies over many Chinese cities. Aside from the greenhouse gas emissions that we already know are contributing to climate change, […]

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Vehicle Pollution Causes One in 1000 People to Die, MIT Study

Mila Luleva — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 18:07:23 +0000

Road transportation is the main source of air pollution in the U.S., closely followed by power generation and commercial and residential emissions. This is the conclusion of an extensive study conducted by scientists from MIT’s Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment. They established that annually in the U.S a total of 200,000 early deaths are […]

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Extreme China: Capital Punishment for Environmental Damage?

Benji Jerew — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 17:55:14 +0000

China’s economic growth could be described as quick and dirty. China’s growth has been great for the economy, but not so much for the environment. The strategy in the past could be summed up as “growth at all costs,” but now China is realizing the true cost to the environment and to its people. Air […]

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Study: Nuclear Power Prevents Deaths Due to Air Pollution and Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Mila Luleva — Thu, 30 May 2013 18:21:27 +0000

According to a study published in the latest issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology, the use of nuclear power has saved almost 2 million people from developing an air-pollution illness leading to death. In addition, the experts estimated that around 64 billion tons of greenhouse gasses have not been released into the atmosphere. […]

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Air Pollution Killing Children and Elderly in China

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:34:43 +0000

According to the Health Effects Institute (HEI), 40% of premature deaths linked to air pollution across the world occurred in China. In China, particulate matter is the fourth leading cause of death. It is just behind high blood pressure, smoking, and dietary risks. Experts posit that without major changes, by 2050, air pollution will be […]

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Europe Air Pollution Drastically Reduced, EEA Says

Mila Luleva — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:53:19 +0000

According to a report published by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) earlier this week, eight European Union countries have gone under the air pollution standards in 2011. Four countries: Denmark, Malta , the Netherlands and Sweden, managed to reduce their pollution levels and bring it below the authorized levels. In theory, countries that exceed the limits […]

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Toxic Atmospheric Particles Detected Among Benign Ones

Mila Luleva — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:41:15 +0000

According to new research coming from University of California, Davis, it is now possible to distinguish between the most toxic and the most prevalent atmospheric particles. It has already been established that fine and ultra-fine particles are those causing the most serious respiratory and heart illnesses. The new study was designed based on this information, […]

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Air Pollution in India Among The Biggest Threats to Public Health

Mila Luleva — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:37:38 +0000

Outdoor air pollution in India is one of the biggest threats to the nation. Analysis presented by the Boston-based Health Effect Institute in New Delhi released figures that indicate an increase of more than six times over the past decade. Aaron Cohen, the principal epidemiologist at the institute, pointed out that the resulting health problems can […]

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Low Birth Weight Caused by Mother’s Exposure to Outdoor Air Pollution

Mila Luleva — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:38:09 +0000

Emissions from vehicle emissions, urban heating and coal power plants cause low birth weight of children. This is the conclusion that was reached by an international team of scientists led by co-principal investigator Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, MPH, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive sciences at UC San Francisco along with Jennifer Parker, PhD, […]

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Chinese Millionaire Sells Thin Air as Protest to Pollution

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:24:49 +0000

One of the wealthiest men in China, Chen Guangbiao, worth an estimated $740 million, has traded in his entrepreneurial endeavors for ecological ones. Chen, a high profile philanthropist, made his fortune in the recycling business. Wednesday, he handed out cans air of that he declared were from the parts of China known for the cleanest, purest […]

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China Faces Uphill Battle in Efforts to Combat Air Pollution

Leigh Hutchens — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 08:35:57 +0000

China has an uphill battle ahead in its efforts to curb the country’s very serious air pollution problem. 2012 saw a drop in the emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, chemical oxygen, and ammonia nitrogen, and 2013 is projected to have an even greater drop. However, China is plagued by such severe air pollution that […]

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In Unprecedented Move, Chinese Media Asks Communist Government to Take Action on Air Pollution

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:03:22 +0000

In an unprecedented move, the Chinese media, not an outlet known to criticize the controlling Communist Party, called on the government to take drastic measures to combat the massive amount of air pollution that is plaguing the country. Over the weekend, Beijing air quality was far above hazardous levels. The levels reached 755 on an […]

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Air Pollution Now Better Controlled Through “Biomimicry”

Mila Luleva — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:11:11 +0000

Volatility is the property of perfumes or other substances to evaporate easily and give fragrances. In many cases these fragrances are harmless, however factories should always be equipped with appropriate filters to ensure that the aroma does not turn into overwhelmed odor. The pollutants that must be controlled are the so called “volatile organic carbons.” […]

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Biofuels Increase Air Pollution and Reduce Crop Yield, New Study Says

Mila Luleva — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:12:38 +0000

According to a recent study, biofuels might increase air pollution and reduce crop yields. This is the conclusion that a team from Lancaster University, England, reported in the journal Nature Climate Change. The researchers looked into the impact of producing more biofuels as part of the scheme adopted by EU to tackle climate change. The […]

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Public Services in Teheran Are Shut Down due to Air Pollution

Mila Luleva — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 21:45:50 +0000

For a second time in one month Iranian officials will close public schools, universities and government offices in Teheran on Saturday. The reason, as announced by Teheran’s governor Morteza Tamadon on Thursday, is the extremely high levels of pollutants in the atmosphere. The citizens of the Iranian capital are also advised to travel within the […]

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Air Pollution Amongst the Biggest Health Threats Worldwide

Mila Luleva — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:50:41 +0000

Since the implementation of the Clean Air Act, the air quality over the US has improved significantly over the last few decades. Nevertheless, on a global scale, it is still a major health concern for a large part of the world. Health professionals gathered together to produce a report that indicates 3.2 million premature deaths […]

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Increased Pollution-Induced Health Risk Predicted in Asia

Mila Luleva — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:06:59 +0000

The air quality group Clean Air Asia, warned on Wednesday that increased energy consumption, together with rising vehicle emissions, will lead to a rapid increase in air pollution and therefore higher death rates. During a regional conference called “Better Air Quality” in Hong Kong, the executive director of the environmental group, Spphie Punte, pointed out […]

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US Life Expectancy Improves as Air Pollution Decreases

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 06:42:25 +0000

The Harvard School of Public Heath (HSPH) conducted the largest study to date to determine the relationship between reductions in fine particulate matter and improved life expectancy. The study concluded that between the US population being exposed to much lower levels of air pollution than 30 years ago and reductions in fine particulate matter in […]

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Satellites Measuring Air Pollutants From Space

Mila Luleva — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:34:15 +0000

Smog over large world cities is often observed due to heavy traffic, industry, natural minerals and many other factors. It is a thick layer of particles of pollutant in the atmosphere, which present a serious health risk. On-the-ground monitoring stations, however, cannot provide accurate estimates of air pollution, because their positioning is the main, often […]

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Are Autism and Pollution Linked to Each Other?

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:23:55 +0000

Pregnant women exposed to high levels of traffic pollution were twice as likely to bear a child with autism as opposed to children exposed at the lowest level of pollution. The drama and publicity surrounding the controversial claim that vaccinations cause autism has overshadowed a very real, and very verifiable, cause of autism – traffic […]

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New Building Guidelines to Prevent Re-Circulation of Urban Air Pollutants

Mila Luleva — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:00:06 +0000

Considering that urban population increases by the minute, each new building or a construction adds to the levels of toxins and contaminants released in the atmosphere. Researchers from Concordia University claim they found a revolutionary answer to the problem of urban pollution. Ted Stathopoulos and Bodhisatta Hajra examined the course of movement and quantity of […]

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Open Fire Cooking: Health and Environmental Issues to be Researched

Leigh Hutchens — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 05:27:59 +0000

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is launching a 3 year international study to assess the impact of open-fire cooking on disease and air quality. Scientists hope to determine whether newer stoves employing modern technology can reduce disease and improve regional air quality. The study will utilize an unprecedented collaboration of atmospheric scientists, statisticians, […]

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The Cost of Clean Air Based on New Environmental Regulations

Mila Luleva — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:10:28 +0000

Economists at the University of Chicago and MIT published a study, which reports an annual cost of $21 billion for manufacturing companies, due to enlarged environmental regulations. Although cleaner air and improvements in U.S public health are now clearly noticeable, for the period 1972-1993 these regulations have reduced industrial productivity and profits with 4.8% and […]

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Air Pollution in Europe Worsened by Natural Causes

Maria Reyes — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:50:34 +0000

Mediterranean countries find it harder to comply with the EU clean air directive due to the prevalence of natural pollution. Chief among these natural pollutants are desert sand, sea salt, volcanic ash and particulate matter from forest fires. The European Environmental Agency (EEA) reports that Spain has the highest levels of natural pollutants. The country […]

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Gas Resulting from Geothermal Drilling Causes Respiratory Diseases in Iceland

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:07:01 +0000

A three-year study performed in Iceland revealed that toxic gases associated with geothermal drilling can be dangerous to human health. The study found a link between underground-originating hydrogen sulfide (the rotten eggs-smelling substance) and asthma and various respiratory diseases. The hydrogen sulfide had been measured next to a busy intersection in Reykjavik, from March 2006 […]

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London Uses Special Glue for Trapping Air Pollution

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:16:31 +0000

London has been famed for its dirty air even since the early days of industrial revolution. Things aren’t like that anymore, however the city hall has decided it’s high time to meet the European legislation in the matter – if not for anything else, then for the $450 million fine the EU is going to […]

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Plug-In EVs and Hybrids Could Help Reduce Health-Damaging Ozone, Study Says

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:39:36 +0000

A recent study performed by University of Texas researchers shows the advantages of using plug-in hybrid vehicles such as the upcoming Prius over the ozone. The scenario in which the ozone layer is badly affected by pollution is already well documented, but the basics fact is that the gas is formed when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react with sunlight. For humans, though, breathing ozone in high quantities can be damaging for health by causing respiratory problems.

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Air Pollution Kills More People Than Drugs and Alcohol, Study Says

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:31:28 +0000

A study led by Tim Nawrot from the Hasselt University in Belgium reached a stunning conclusion: chances are people can suffer a heart attack because of air pollution than because of marijuana, coffee, sex or anger.

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Colder Winters Bring Higher Pollution Levels, Swedish Researchers Say

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:35:13 +0000

A strong link between the coldness of the winter and air pollution has just been established by a group of researchers from the University of Gothenburg. Nitrogen oxides levels have been much higher than usual in the Swedish city during the last two harsh winters.

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Researchers Develop New Green Paving Slabs to Improve Air Quality

Mike Sandru — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:08:40 +0000

In the German cities, the toxic nitrogen oxide concentrations are exceeding the maximum levels but this is about to change with the new innovative paving slabs which are reducing the amount of the nitrogen oxide in the air.

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Ratio Between Black Carbon and Sulphates in Atmosphere Crucial to Global Warming

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:12:31 +0000

Black carbons are emitted from diesel exhausts and burned biomass and are considered an environmental and health hazard all over the world. Besides the fact that they favor global dimming, black carbons also attract heat.

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Bob Rohner – co-producer of Joseph Papp engine on GreenOptimistic.com

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:29:51 +0000

I got a comment yesterday from one of the “guys” who helped Josef Papp succeeding with his inert gas engine. It’s Bob Rohner, who also has a website: rohnermachine.com. He said: “To set the record straight, I built all the engines seen in any videos, not Sabori. Your article is a fine introduction to the […]

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Why is our Earth warming up?

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:26:02 +0000

The concentration of carbon in living matter (18%) is almost 100 times greater than its concentration in the earth (0.19%). So living things extract carbon from their nonliving environment. For life to continue, this carbon must be recycled. That is our topic. Carbon exists in the nonliving environment as: carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere […]

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