Monthly Archives: November 2010

Recent Findings on Traffic Pollution and Children’s Health

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The majority of DC area residents still use cars as their primary mode of transportation for a variety of reasons, wreaking havoc on the local air quality. Sure, most people are well aware of the effect that vehicle emissions have on the environment, but we often only see it in the abstract or as a long-term problem. What many of us don’t always perceive is the direct effect that our transportation choices have on our health and that of our loved ones—right now.

The American Lung Association gave Washington D.C. an “F” in its annual “State of the Air” report.  So if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of area residents who don’t consider the environmental repercussions when you choose to drive alone, often idling for long periods of time in DC’s notoriously congested traffic, we ask you to reconsider.

Traffic pollution poses a threat to everyone, and can be especially hard on children. Studies at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, led by director Frederica Perera, show that the same amount of black carbon from street traffic is present inside homes as is measured outside. The study, which was featured in Time Magazine’s recent article, “How the First Nine Months Shape the Rest of Your Life—The New Science of Fetal Origins“, also found evidence that links exposure to air pollution during pregnancy to “a host of adverse birth outcomes, including premature delivery, low birth weight and heart malformations.” In a 1998 study, Perera found that 40% of newborns showed DNA damage from PAH’s (a pollutant which comes from vehicle exhaust among other sources). That DNA damage, in turn, is tied to an increased risk of cancer later in life.

Asthma is another health condition liked to poor air quality, and the U.S. has seen a dramatic 75% increase in the incidence of this disease since 1980. While asthma affects everyone who suffers from it, it especially impacts the quality of life for children who typically spend a lot of time playing outdoors. The KidsHealth website provides some great suggestions about what you can do to make a difference in reducing air pollution, including:

  • Don’t drive — share a ride, take public transportation, ride a bike, or walk.
  • Don’t put gas in your car until after 7 PM.
  • Avoid using outboard motors, off-road vehicles, or other gasoline-powered recreational vehicles.
  • Avoid mowing your lawn or using other gasoline-powered gardening equipment until the late evening or until the air quality improves.

If you’re ready to try a new mode of transportation but aren’t sure how to get around without using your car, goDCgo is a great place to start. goDCgo is an initiative of the District Department of Transportation that provides employees, residents and visitors with the education and assistance they need to make more informed choices about their daily travel. Focusing on the overall reduction of single-occupant vehicle travel through the promotion of more sustainable modes, our efforts help decrease traffic congestion and improve air quality thus creating a better quality of life in the District and its surrounding jurisdictions. To learn more, please visit us at www.goDCgo.com and check out our blog. For daily updates on surprisingly interesting transportation-related topics, you can also follow us on Facebook.

goDCgo is an initiative of the District Department of Transportation that provides employees, residents and visitors with the education and assistance they need to make more informed choices about their daily travel. Focusing on the overall reduction of single-occupant vehicle travel through the promotion of more sustainable modes, our efforts help decrease traffic congestion and improve air quality thus creating a better quality of life in the District and its surrounding jurisdictions.

Wind Speeds Increase Across Much of U.S. in Third Quarter

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3Tier has released wind performance data for the third quarter of 2010.  Clearly there was a significant increase in wind speeds across much of the middle of the country.  Of course maps created from previous wind data can’t always predict the future potential of a given region, but 3Tier remains optimistic about being able to capture energy from future increased wind speeds.

In the press release that accompanied the release of the map, 3Tier stated: “While the performance maps clearly illustrate the variability of wind resources…the good news is that we have the scientific expertise and technology to account for these fluctuations, incorporate them into a project’s financials, and forecast their occurrence with a considerable degree of certainty.”  Read more about the data here.

The Science of Green: What is Green Chemistry?

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Green Chemistry is “a science that aims to reduce or eliminate the use and/or generation of hazardous substances in the design phase of materials development,” and the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry is “dedicated to the development of non-toxic, environmentally benign, and sustainable technological solutions for society.”

So, how did an industry – the chemicals industry – that has traditionally been associated with less-than-green products move in a new, green, direction?  It did so through public-private collaboration.  Discussions between chemists and government officials led to the realization that successful pollution prevention begins with changing the inputs before they become the waste products of an industrial process.  So, in an effort to green the inputs, the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry were developed.  The Warner Babcock Institute website tells the full story of the development of green chemistry and even offers training and partnership opportunities for those interested in green chemistry.  GreenBiz.com recently interviewed John Warner, a co-founder of the Warner Babcock Institute, on topics ranging from innovation in green chemistry to barriers facing its progress, and his answers are well worth reading.

Could Overpumping of Groundwater Lead to Rising Sea Levels?

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That is exactly what some scientists believe, as reported recently in The New York Times.

The idea is that sea levels rise because groundwater is over-pumped and then runs into the ocean via rivers.  The water evaporates into clouds, which then rain into the ocean creating a net loss of ground water.  To put the problem into perspective, the International Groundwater Research Center in Utrecht, The Netherlands, estimates that worldwide groundwater depletion reached 55 cubic miles in 2000.  According to the Times article, that volume is roughly “as much as the combined annual flows of the Ohio and Susquehanna Rivers.”  Read more about ground water loss here.