Cache
Valley's air pollution discussed at Focusing Cache
By Maddie Wilson
February 1, 2008 | LOGAN--"We're destroying the
planet, and we're all going to die," Dr. Brian
Moench said at a Focusing Cache discussion Thursday.
Moench, president of Utah Physicians for Clean Air,
said there are three major threats to mankind: global
warming, energy sustainability and the effects of environmental
degradation on public health.
"Global warming is accelerating faster than we
thought even two weeks ago," he said.
And it has negative effects on our health. Moench
said studies have suggested there is an environmental
component to issues like type 2 diabetes and childhood
obesity.
The problem even goes further than our health. Moench
said he recently read in a report that we are running
out of oil so quickly worldwide, that in 10 years oil
will be so expensive that most people will not have
access to it.
Unfortunately, we are living in the midst of this
thick, dark cloud of inversion that is making global
warming so ominous—although currently, because of recent
snowstorms, PM 2.5 levels (levels of pollution in particles)
have been low in Cache Valley. Still, Moench said Salt
Lake City, Provo and Logan consistently rank in the
top 10 cities in the country for acute spikes in air
pollution.
Ed Redd from the Bear River Health Department said
although the department does not have a "fix"
for inversions, it is doing what it can. He said the
department is in the process of setting up an emissions
inspection program. There has been no such program in
the past because he said the department did not understand
enough to be able to run the program accurately.
Cache Valley residents can play a role in helping
to improve conditions, though, he said. They can watch
for dangerous blue or stinky exhaust coming from cars.
They can also be aware of the United State's Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for physical activity
when PM 2.5 levels are elevated. Redd said residents
need to pay attention to "red air days," when
the PM 2.5 level is 35 or higher. When levels are this
high, he said it is dangerous to participate in prolonged
or heavy exertion outdoors.
Moench said he would feel uncomfortable even going
outside when levels are at 35.
"No EPA level is safe," he said.
That is why the Physicians for Clean Air group is
trying to get dangerous levels lowered. Moench said
medical data shows that PM 2.5 levels at 15 are not
even low enough.
"But, you can't sit in your basement all day
because you are afraid you will die if you go outside,"
Redd said. People still can, and have to live their
lives, he said. They just need to take it easy whenever
they have to be outside.
Moench ended the discussion with one final warning-
"If air pollution is high on the date a child
is conceived, the child is at higher risk of DNA problems
than if the pollution is low."
"So," Redd added, "nobody should have
sex outdoors in January."
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