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Along with the vehicles we operate come many robbers we may see on a regular basis. Some problems you do not see until it is too late to reverse. Vehicles produce air pollution through petroleum based gasoline and diesel fuels that these cars use. The fuel burns through a process in which has no other positive feedback besides getting us from point A to point B. During that process air pollution is formed from evaporation and combustion. During the combustion process carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydro carbons, and air toxin are released into the environment.
Air toxins are what has been suspected/ known to cause cancer and other errors health and environmental issues. The other gases that are being emitted into the air are known as green house gases and have a larger contribution to the global changes in the climate. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous and odorless gas that is emitted into the air as a result from incomplete combustion of fuel emitted directly from the tail pipe. This can happen from a low air to fuel ratio in the engine. Also in altitudes when air is thin. The thin air reduces the amount of oxygen available for combustion.
Once carbon monoxide is released into the air and breathed in by every individual a cycle begins. This cycle affects a person by entering the bloodstream through the lungs and forms chronologically ( a compound that makes it difficult for the blood capacity to carry oxygen to organs and tissue). Both healthy and non healthy people are affected by this. In a healthy person they may be affected when their exercise capacity is impaired, visual perception, manual dexterity, learning abilities, and the ability to perform complex tasks.
In a non healthy individual their problems or symptoms may worsen and may encounter chest pains and loss of breath. Along with these problems with pollution comes more statistics to help us legalize the impact vehicles have on our daily life. Gregory Boss provides us with the knowledge and breakdown of the amount of pollution produced on a yearly basis through vehicles. In one estimate, 590 million passenger vehicles operating world- wide consume an average of 550 gallons of gasoline per year. Which would results in a world- wide consumption of gallons of gasoline per year.
Also estimated was that each vehicle exhaust on a yearly basis emits an average of 80 pounds of smog causing hydrocarbons, 606 pounds of carbon monoxide , 41 pounds of nitrogen oxide (which causes acid rain and contributes to smog) and 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (which is believed to cause climate change) ( Boss, 2010). With all those high number in mind I think it would be wise remember that alternative fuel sources will eliminate these pollutants. While serious human health problems can arise with the pollution of vehicles, there is a number of problems occurring with the things do not live.
For example, the green house effect. The green house effect makes the earth able to have people live on it. The green house has gases in which the earth’s atmosphere collects heat and light from the sun. With too much being collected cause by pollution such as carbon dioxide the earth will collect too much heat and get to hot. This will result in plants and animals dying Off due to the heat being too strong. Next is global warming. Acid rain (Nitrogen oxide) is the known pollution to cause global warming.
The acid rain is known to gradually destroy everything it touches. This process is done through the rain and emission of Nitrogen Oxide during a rainfall. The ozone is being destroyed due to chlorofluorocarbons. This chemical is emitted from the vehicle and will form ground level ozone or smog. This allows higher LIVE-b levels to reach the earth’s surface and will cause harm to crops and plants under the oceans water. When it comes to pollution from vehicles it is known as being man made. Something that is man- made we have control over.
We can produce both positive and negative impacts. As many the amount of miles we drive to keep our economy and life style going as doubled over the years, the need for vehicles has come to an all time high. Since we can’t eliminate vehicles all together it would be a positive thing to inherit in alternative fuel sources. This would be a positive impact on our health and environment. For those who can make the sacrifices of eliminating vehicle use by riding electrical scooters or bicycles would be doing the most positive impact on eliminating the problems.
Negative impacts we as humans have on pollution from vehicles is being uneducated about the understandings and seriousness of the problems occurring. Some of us think the less we know the better off. Currently there is a way to reduce the amount of air pollution being emitted from automobiles. Although they are very pricey an electric car can do wonders. With electricity being used means no gas. NO gas would lead to no arbors. No gas also leads to no costly trips to a pump. Electric motors provide a clean and safe alternative to the internal combustion engine. With all things comes pros and cons.
For instance the electric car provides faster acceleration but that leads to shorter distance range. There may be no exhaust but there is longer charging times. The main problem with the electric car is the cost of the product. Recently the costs have dropped due to the manufactures learning more technology. So take a look at the price range to help the pollution be eliminated. Natural gases are another alternative fuel source. Natural gases are from gas wells or through crude oil. Natural gases are considered an alternative fuel source due to its clean burning qualities and domestic availability.
The greatest benefit in owning a natural gas vehicle is they have a 90 % reduction of the carbon monoxide produced over gas or diesel vehicles. In order for the natural gas to pass and meet standards the water and sulfur need to be removed. Although this ides seems very perfect it is still very costly. A natural gas vehicle is way more expensive than a gas ran motor vehicle. Another alternative fuel SOUrce is hydrogen fuel cells. These fuel cells make electricity from a reaction of oxygen from the air and water. This is a renewable source that can be produced from unlimited resources.
This makes the fuel cell very important to the United States transportation system. The benefits of hydrogen are it provides zero emission. With zero emission there is cleaner air and a reduction in green house gas emission. The only thing that is vaporized is water. The problem with this product is there is nothing to show. There is no hydrogen fuel celled vehicle being produced for the public. However when fuel cell technology is developed to be cost effective and provide efficient outcomes it will revolutionize the way the nation is powered.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has been involved in controlling automobile emissions and pollution from vehicles. Since The Clean Act of 1970 gave the EPA standard to dictate how much pollution any auto can emit they have been contain joyously working hard to protect our environment. Recently they have announced that there will be a final rule to reduce hazardous air pollutants from mobile sources. Standards will significantly lower emissions of benzene and other air toxic in three ways: 1 . Lowering benzene content in gasoline. Reduce exhaust emissions from passenger vehicles operated at cold temperatures (under 75 degrees). 3. Reduce emissions that evaporate from, and permeate through portable fuel containers (PA,2007). This ruling will take into effect the beginning of 201 1. In order to meet all these statements refiners must meet an annual average Of gasoline benzene content standard Of 0. 62 percent by volume. This decrease is for reformulated and conventional nationwide. Today the level is 1. 0 volume percent. So you can see the drop that will take place. For other places with higher levels the drop will be more significant.
The government is aging actions like these to help do their part in providing us with less air pollution due to motor vehicles. A great mitigation plan to bring air pollution caused by vehicles to a decreasing rate is to reduce the amount of trips a delivery truck, train, and car can make. This would of course include: LIPS, FADED, and other major distributors. This would help lower the amount of emissions being presented to the air on a daily basis. Of course this could not be something the businesses would want to do voluntarily so we would need the government to step in and make a requirement that only so many miles can be traveled.
This would make companies get products and mail out in the shortest route possible and may even save money on a monthly basis on gas. The huge challenge of this plan would be the companies would fall behind in their delivery dates and the people of the United States would be very angry upon this request due to their packages not being delivered on time. A way the companies Can go about this is to use smaller cars for the small packages that need to be delivered to closer locations. That could possibly even put more people to work. Another great mitigation would help the support of alternative fuel sources.
Since we are stuck in the middle with these sources we need to take the extra step to put them in action. We have to have the Government issue us a grant to help bring these sources to play. They are expensive but once people see the difference they will all catch on a slowly be able to eliminate gas ran motors. Once a demand is brought down so will the prices. The same way gas motors were established we can establish alternative fuel sources. A great problem with this plan is finding the financial sources since the economy is down in a drought there is not much money to be lien ant with.
The EPA would have to also help out a little more. The EPA already provided information that says for sure gas motors are to blame for green house gases. This will boost the process. It will take more than just the government to put any mitigation plan into effect. People will need to start thinking and viewing the world differently. Until we can make alternative fuel sources a reality the population should be educated on how to prevent unnecessary emissions. This includes things like quit idling your vehicle and find alternatives to driving your vehicle (carpool, public transportation).