With the summer season at hand, many people are headed outdoors for more exercise, recreation, and relaxation in the warm sunny weather. So as summer brings greater outdoor enjoyment it can also increase ozone smog, which can cause dangerous health problems that can affect even healthy adults.
Ozone, or smog, is a gas that is a form of oxygen. It is created by the action of sunlight on hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides that are produced by the combustion of fuel – such as automobile exhaust and power generation produced by the burning of fossil fuels. Ozone smog reacts chemically with internal body tissues that it comes in contact with and can cause short-term and long-term health problems including shortness of breath, chest pain, and coughing. Repeated exposure to ozone may lead to large reductions in lung function, inflammation of the lung lining, and increased respiratory malfunction. The American Lung Association (ALA) states, “Because it takes heat to produce smog, levels will be increasing throughout the summer months. During this season, we want you to be aware of the outdoor air that you are breathing, and take necessary precautions to protect yourself from any breathing problems high smog levels can cause”. To protect yourself from ozone and to keep ozone levels down, the ALA suggest the following:
- Keep track of daily ozone levels by checking Air Quality Index (AQI) information during ozone smog season. This information is available at www.epa.gov/airnow.
- Pay special attention to the AQI if you or a family member is a child or is elderly or has a chronic lung disease such as asthma or emphysema.
- Limit outdoor exercise during high smog ozone level days.
- Do not use your lawnmower or outdoor grille when smog levels are high.
- Fill up your gas tank after sundown.
- Limit trips in your car; carpool whenever possible.
- Limit use of outdoor power equipment when smog levels are high.
- Support strong pollution control laws – both state wide and nationally.
For more information about outdoor air pollution and lung health, call the American Lung Association at 1-800-LUNG-USA or visit www.lungusa.org.
NISOURCE INC. COMMITS $100,000 TO HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE FUND
The charitable foundation, NISource Inc., which is the parent of Columbia Gas of Virginia has contributed $20,000 to Virginia’s Home Energy Assistance Fund (HEAF). This contribution is the first installment in a five-year commitment to provide $100,000 to the fund. The HEAF is set up to provide supplemental funding to the LIHEAP and Weatherization programs in Virginia. This is the first funding provided to HEAF and can be attributed, in part, to AECP’s efforts to publicize and promote the purpose of the fund through its legislative work on behalf of low-income families.
GREEN CHEMISTRY PRODUCES “PLASTIC” FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES
Manufacturers have produced a biopolymer packaging product from corn. This is based on a process that harvests carbon that has been removed from the air by corn plants during photosynthesis and stored in grain starches. This carbon, combined with other natural sugars, is then used to produce a natural, compostable plastic. Plastic packaging is normally a petroleum-based product that is harmful to the environment as trash because it is not biodegradable and is another process that increases our dependence on imported oil. Using renewable resources such as corn and other agricultural products to produce an alternative to traditional packaging containers and processes is an important step towards an environmentally friendly and sustainable future.
NATURAL GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE
Demand for natural gas is increasing dramatically while prices are continuing to soar. It is projected that natural gas prices will increase by 20% as we enter the winter season. This also means that electricity prices will increase because many of the nation’s power generators use natural gas as fuel. An energy crisis is always hardest on low-income families and those who struggle to pay their energy bills but a crisis can also create awareness about the need for conservation and greater efficiency. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham commenting on the crisis during a tour of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory stated that “individuals can also play an important role in reducing energy usage. Conserving energy in the home saves consumers money while also helping ensure abundant energy supplies in the future”.