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The articles that I will be focusing on can be found at:
https://www.medicalnewsbulletin.com/rapid-increases-in-air-pollution-may-increase-risk-for-heart-attacks/
https://www.airqualitynews.com/2018/06/03/pedestrians-at-highest-risk-from-air-pollution/
https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2018/06/06/dust-biggest-air-quality-issue-proposed-copper-mine-montana-black-butte-environmental-quality/674978002//
The reason that I am using these articles is because I have asthma and these articles describe the effects of air pollution and the potential health impacts; including respiratory diseases and illnesses. The first article I learned that 20% of people in Europe experience a heart attack. This is incredibly important because a lot of these are attributed to air pollution. Short term exposure to nitrogen oxides lead to a higher chance of heart attacks. Also, even clean cities can have poor air pollution because quality varies from day to day. Exposure can even raise risks of heart attacks by 121%. The decrease in nitrogen dioxide can reduce heart attacks by 60%. Therefore, it is clear that air pollution can lead to many health problems among the population. I learned that air pollution is a major contributor to illnesses and that it goes beyond respiratory difficulties.

The next article focuses on the impact of dust pollution from a copper mine. Most of the dust that escapes into the atmosphere originates from the haul trucks that brings material to various regions and companies. Emissions of particulate matter and dust can reach up to 340 tons a year due to mining. Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality plans to force permits in order to limit the pollution. They realize the explosive mining creates a lot of gas emissions which is why there will be a max of 1552 tons ammonium nitrate fuel usage for these explosions. Furthermore, activists are arguing that Smith River is going to be threatened by the pollution which causes a greater issue. The mine is on Sheep Creek which is a tributary of Smith River. The company argues that there is going to be no effects. What this has taught me is that the process of developing a mine is difficult because of the health impacts on water and air quality. The people of the region realize this, which is why they are resisting the construction of this mine. The impacts of this mine goes greater beyond than environmental issues. It impacts humans around the region.

Finally, the last article focuses on the general population of pedestrians. The study found that the amount of particulate matter in pedestrians were much greater than people who drove cars and buses. The pollution caused by others caused the population around to be exposed to their actions. It forces people to consider moving cycling lanes and walkways away from these areas. All in all, I learned that pollution affects everyone around the area when someone contributes to it. It is important to realize the scope of the impacts of our actions on everyone else, especially pedestrians.

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This article is about uranium being found in multiple aquifers across many states. The water is contaminated with a radioactive substance which can harm ecosystems and humans.

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Groundwater in 16 States found to be contaminated by uranium

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Aquifers in as many as 16 States in the country are contaminated by uranium, whose presence in drinking water has been linked to chronic kidney disease by several studies, a recent study has shown. More importantly, uranium doesn't figure on the list of contaminants monitored under the Bureau of Indian Standards' drinking water specifications.

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This article says that tourists are a main contributor to pollution in the Mediterranean sea. The amount of plastic goes up and is caused by tourists primarily.

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Every summer the holidaymakers hitting the beaches of the Mediterranean bring with them a massive wave of marine litter.

A new report released by WWF has revealed tourists cause a 40 per cent surge in waste entering the Mediterranean Sea, 95 per cent of which is plastic.

Among the worst offenders for plastic pollution were Turkey, Spain, Italy, Egypt and France - countries more than 34 million British people are set to visit this year.

The plastic waste is threatening the region's wildlife, with reports of whales dying after consuming plastic bags and tuna found with stomachs full of cellophane.

Though the Mediterranean has received less attention than the infamous "garbage patches" that form in major oceans, it has been described by scientists as one of the regions most threatened by marine litter.

"Levels of microplastics found in the Mediterranean were nearly four times higher than found in the North Pacific 'plastic island'," Lyndsey Dodds, head of marine policy at WWF, told The Independent.

While the Mediterranean holds only 1 per cent of the world's water, it contains 7 per cent of all of the world's microplastic waste.

"Many factors make this the case," explained Dr David Barnes of the British Antarctic Survey, whose research contributed to the WWF report.

"The Mediterranean is a region of high multiple anthropogenic stresses so plastic interacts and compounds these to make life there especially vulnerable."

WWF's tips for avoiding plastic waste on holiday

When shopping for souvenirs use a bag for life

Think twice about buying that inflatable pool toy

Bring your own water bottle

Enjoy a plastic-free cocktail without straws or stirrers

Check out the local recycling when renting a property

Besides being fed by densely populated and highly industrialised waterways, the Mediterranean acts as a trap for plastics from further afield.

Plastics accumulate in the semi-enclosed sea in huge quantities, where they break down into smaller and smaller fragments over long periods of time.

"Increasingly degradation and sinking of plastics mean that what was once a sea surface and beach strand issue has become much bigger and less visible by accumulating on the seabed, into more remote locations and into the foodweb," Dr Barnes told The Independent.

Microplastics - tiny fragments that can come from cosmetics, clothing or the degradation of larger plastics - have become a ubiquitous menace, with samples of sea ice from both poles revealing traces of them.

"I think it's fair to say that the more we look for microplastics the more we find them - and see this is a problem everywhere," said Ms Dodds.

Though scientists are not clear about the impact of microplastics, there is concern that they will accumulate in the food chain and result in health issues for animals and potentially humans.

This appears to be playing out in the fin whales of the Pelagos Sanctuary in the northwestern Mediterranean.

The tissue of these giant mammals has levels of phthalates - potentially harmful chemicals that result from the breakdown of plastics - that are five times higher than whales sampled from less contaminated regions.

Besides the 130,000 tons of microplastics thought to end up in the sea from Europe every year, the report - released to mark World Oceans Day - found that the region dumps as much as 500,000 tons of larger plastics.

This volume, which is the equivalent of 66,000 full rubbish trucks, poses a major threat to marine creatures, which can become entangled in plastic debris or consume it after mistaking it for food.

According to the report, Europe has become one of the largest plastic producers in the world - second only to China.

"The Mediterranean is a beautiful holiday destination enjoyed by millions of British people each summer but when we come home with our happy memories, we're leaving behind a toxic legacy of plastic waste," said Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF.

"The birds, fish, and turtles of the Mediterranean are choking on plastic, but our report also shows plastic is ending up in the fish and seafood we eat on holiday.

"That's why we're asking people to think about how they can cut down on the amount of single-use plastic they use and throw away on holiday."

Besides asking individuals to be mindful of their plastic consumption on holiday, the environmental organisation is urging Mediterranean governments to take immediate action on plastics.

"Each of the countries need to bring in their own targets to try and achieve 100 per cent of waste being recycled or reusable by 2030 under the EU targets - and also to consider bans on particular items," said Ms Dodds.

"In the UK specifically we are asking for a ban on particular items where alternatives are readily available - things like straws, stirrers, cutlery, as well as taxes on a range of other products."

However, the Mediterranean is more than just Europe, and Dr Barnes noted that poverty and governance issues mean many of the region's bordering countries may not consider the issue of plastic pollution to be significant.

WWF has also emphasised the importance of greater responsibility falling on producers and retailers, so they are obliged to oversee the full life cycle of all their plastics.

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Tourists visiting the Mediterranean this summer cause 40 per cent spike in plastic, report reveals

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Every summer the holidaymakers hitting the beaches of the Mediterranean bring with them a massive wave of marine litter. A new report released by WWF has revealed tourists cause a 40 per cent surge in waste entering the Mediterranean Sea, 95 per cent of which is plastic.

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This articles describes the water quality in California. It states that without regulation enforcement, all the legislative acts are going to waste. It leads to damaged water sources without enforcement.

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California's water pollution laws languishing without enforcement

There is nothing more Californian than our ability to swim, surf and fish in clean water. And yet, we have fallen behind Kentucky and Texas when it comes to clean water enforcement. With industry advocates in the federal driver's seat, we need state leaders in California to hold polluters accountable for harming our precious water resources.

Two years ago, I hiked the length of California and waded the Kern, Feather and San Joaquin rivers. At their beginnings, these waters are crystal clear, cold, flowing strong and clean. More than 40 years ago, Congress passed the Clean Water Act to protect these national treasures from pollution.

When California's rivers leave the mountain snowmelt behind, they embark on a difficult journey. Many are diverted, drained and pumped dry before they reach the Pacific Ocean. Those that keep flowing are often polluted with heavy metals, pesticides, bacteria, plastic bottles and runoff from industrial operations. In fact, the number of California rivers that failed to meet basic water quality standards for swimming, fishing and drinking shot up 170 percent from 2006 to 2010, (the last time our state undertook this legally required biannual task).

Photo: San Francisco Baykeeper

Like rules designed to prevent drunk driving, environmental laws are only as good as their enforcement. If police in some areas decided that being over the .08 percent blood alcohol level was not a big deal and didn't issue penalties, we would see an increase in traffic deaths and the officers involved could lose their jobs. Unfortunately, this same scenario is playing out when it comes to actions against those polluting California's waterways.

It used to be that the federal government was a cop on the beat enforcing the Clean Water Act. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency being subjected to a hostile takeover from polluting industries, the number of environmental enforcement cases and the amount of penalties levied has been cut in half.

At least under the Trump administration, California is going to have to go it alone. We are known internationally as a state that cares deeply about environmental protection, so you'd think we'd have this covered. California is suing the Trump administration to prevent rollbacks to vehicle emission standards. Frustratingly, this same vigor has not been applied to taking action against those polluting California's beaches, bays and rivers.

The State Water Resources Control Board in Sacramento and the Regional Water Quality Control Boards are charged with protecting our increasingly scarce and precious water resources. These agencies helped us survive a devastating drought, but are falling short when it comes to levying fines against polluters. In 2016, only 1 percent of the illegal industrial and construction storm water pollution cases brought to the state water board resulted in penalties. Six of the nine regional water boards did not issue a single fine in 2016. In 2017, just 2 percent of industrial and construction storm water pollution cases brought to the state water board resulted in penalties.

This means that of the thousands of refineries, trash dumps, auto dismantlers and cement factories from San Jose to the Oregon border, not a single facility was fined by the state for storm water pollution. In California, the polluter doesn't pay. Even repeat offenders and those who are responsible for "serious" violations face no economic consequences. This puts the majority of companies - which are complying with the Clean Water Act - at a significant competitive disadvantage.

Photo: Russian Riverkeeper

The same state agencies that don't seem willing to issue penalties for polluted industrial runoff have a good track record when it comes to issuing fines for sewage pollution, so it can be done. Let's start enforcing clean water laws by taking these three steps:

1 Have the state set clear enforcement goals for all regional water boards that describe the types of pollution to be targeted, the areas of the state that need the most attention, and how many cases each region shall bring, with specific goals for penalties collected;

2 Require all state and regional water permits and policies go through a review to make sure the language is clear enough to actually be enforced; and

3 If the individual regional water boards aren't willing or able to enforce pollution laws, then the state should take back the program and run the water enforcement work from Sacramento, where there is less room for interference from polluting industries.

For too long, we have been campaigning for clean water with one hand tied behind our back. By using the state's authority to fine serious polluters, we will be giving our rivers, lakes and coast a fighting chance.

Jared Blumenfeld is a member of the Clean Water Accountability Project Blue Ribbon Panel, host of Podship Earth, and the former administrator of U.S. EPA Region 9. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters.

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California's water pollution laws languishing without enforcement

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There is nothing more Californian than our ability to swim, surf and fish in clean water. And yet, we have fallen behind Kentucky and Texas when it comes to clean water enforcement. With industry advocates in the federal driver's seat, we need state leaders in California to hold polluters accountable for harming our precious water resources.

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This article is informative based on statistics about pollution in the world ocean's. It talks about the impact humans have and how it relates back to humanity.

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ENVIRONMENT | World Ocean Day 2018

Dr. Mario Picazo
Meteorologist, PhD

Friday, June 8, 2018, 15:15 - Nowadays it´s become mission impossible to avoid running into some form of pollution when taking a dip in the ocean. Whether it´s oil from some industrial source, fertilizers washed away from gardens or any form of plastic, they have all become present and continue to grow in our contemporary oceans.

While all pollutants pose a threat to our oceans, one of the growing concerns, as the earth´s population continues to grow, is the overwhelming use of plastic. Plastic production is certainly more than an ocean problem, it´s an economic problem for the booming industry that fabricates millions of tons of it every year to make exorbitant amounts of money.

When I first read the estimates of how much plastic ends up in the ocean each year I was horrified by the sheer size of the number. Why can´t we avoid having so much plastic sneak into our oceans when it was not even there initially? Keep in mind that also oils or toxic water, which come from activities on land eventually reach the ocean.

In the past decade, a substantial number of studies relating land and ocean pollution have clearly put across the need to better control how we manage our land made pollution. One study published in the Journal of Science Advances led by Dr. Roland Geyer from UC Santa Barbara, showed the first global analysis of all mass-produced plastics ever manufactured. As of 2015 an astonishing 8,300 million metric tons of virgin plastics had been produced, with 6,300 of those becoming plastic waste. Close to 9% was recycled, 12% was incinerated and 79% was buried in landfills of the natural environment. If current production and waste management trends continue, close to 12,000 metric tons of plastic will end-up in landfills and become part of the natural environment by 2050.

With more than two thirds of the plastic waste put into our natural environment, it's not surprising that we end up with so much of it in our oceans. Plastic takes over 400 years to degrade, that together with the fact that there has been an extreme increase in production since 1950, explains why most of it is still around and growing. Despite recent efforts to introduce the use of biodegradable plastics, these don't break down easily enough and still contribute to the overall volume that reaches our oceans. Actually, by 2050, model projections indicate that the earth's oceans will contain more plastic waste than fish in a ton to ton comparison.

World Ocean Day 2018 will encourage ¨keeping our oceans clean¨ and it's certainly necessary that we clean as much of the junk we put into them year after year, but also avoid adding so much more. This is a palpable issue, a major environmental problem that needs tackling from the root, from the pollution sources. Ocean-based agreements don´t have what it takes to tackle the problem. It´s time to look for other solutions that imply negotiating an efficient global treaty aimed at controlling the production, use and disposal of plastics and other substances.

In simple terms, we need to find an environmental policy formula designed specifically to pamper our oceans today, so that many generations to come will enjoy what we have enjoyed: the largest ecosystem in our planet.

VIDEO: NEW DATA THAT WILL BETTER HELP US UNDERSTAND OUR OCEANS

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We need to pamper our oceans. Here's why

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Nowadays it´s become mission impossible to avoid running into some form of pollution when taking a dip in the ocean. Whether it´s oil from some industrial source, fertilizers washed away from gardens or any form of plastic, they have all become present and continue to grow in our contemporary oceans.

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This paper commands attention to the effects of sand mining. It says that with little regulation and high demand, companies are abusing sand mines and affecting the environment.

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The hidden social and environmental costs of sand mining

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The massive sand mining industry is often forgotten. It happens on a vast scale, is poorly regulated, and can be catastrophic for humans, animals and plants, writes Andrew Masterson.

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This article quotes Yolanda Kakabadse and her opinion on mining pollution. It talks about her plan on reducing air pollution caused from mining and her answering questions about its importance and effects.

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Yolanda Kakabadse is the International President WWF International and the former Ecuadorian Minister of Environment. She was recently selected as the chair of an independent scientific panel that's examining the 2015 Samarco disaster in Brazil, one of the biggest mining pollution incidents in recent times. UN Environment sat down with Ms. Kakabadse to discuss the environmental impacts of mining, and to hear her thoughts on how the extractive industry can become more sustainable.

The Samarco disaster killed 19 people and contaminated more than 650 kilometres of the Doce River. Why was this particular event so devastating?

Will the Doce River watershed ever be fully restored?

Many mining companies produce large amounts of toxic pollution, but this is often overlooked compared to other social impacts. How can we increase awareness among communities and regulators about this issue?

How can governments and civil society work with mining companies to avoid such tragedies in the future? What role do you see for independent panels like the one you chair?

The UN Environment Assembly is gathering in Nairobi from 4-6 December, bringing together environmental leaders from around the world. What should the Assembly do to better address pollution from mining?

UN Environment's recently published Rapid Assessment Report on tailings dams provides an overview of challenges and opportunities for action. Governments and companies should heed this advice.

Pollution is the theme of the UN Environment Assembly, which is gathering in Nairobi from 4-6 December. A side event on pollution in the extractives industry will take place on Monday, 4 December from 6:00-7:30pm. For more information on the side event or email Oli Brown (oli.brown[at]unenvironment.org).

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Tackling mining pollution: a conversation with Yolanda Kakabadse

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Yolanda Kakabadse is the International President WWF International and the former Ecuadorian Minister of Environment. She was recently selected as the chair of an independent scientific panel that's examining the 2015 Samarco disaster in Brazil, one of the biggest mining pollution incidents in recent times.

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This article talks about a new Montana copper mine. It says that dust will be the biggest issue within the use of the mine. It will cause air pollution and cause health problems among the public.

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CLOSE

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued a draft air quality permit to Sandfire Resources America Inc. for the Black Butte Copper Project 15 miles north of White Sulphur Springs.

"Like most mines, particularly underground mines, the biggest issue is the dust, and so one of the biggest sources at the site is going to be haul trucks," said Craig Henrikson, environmental engineer for the DEQ's Air Quality Bureau.

The public has until July 5 to comment on the draft air quality permit.

Under the conditions set in the draft air permit, Sandfire will be limited to a processing a maximum of 3,700 tons of copper-enriched rock a day and 1.35 million tons of ore during any 12-month period.

Those limits serve as a mechanism to control particulate matter emissions, Henrikson.

The maximum amount of particulate matter emissions from road dust and other fugitive sources could reach 340 tons a year, according to the draft permit. The source of fugitive emissions isn't a stack or vent.

More: Great Falls mayor backs push for tougher mine permitting

A dust-control plan will be required that will include speed limits and watering roads to limit dust, Henrikson said.

A lot of diesel fuel for generators also will be used in mine operations.

Diesel engines produce nitrogen oxide, or NOₓ, including nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide. Those gases contribute to the formation of smog.

Sandfire will be limited to using 471,558 gallons of diesel fuel for underground mobile equipment during any 12-month period, and no more than 806,384 gallons of diesel for both surface and underground operations per year.

Those limits are meant to limit NOx emissions.

More: Supreme Court asked to intervene in mining ballot initiative

Explosives will be used for underground mining that will result in the release of gases.

Sandfire will be limited to a maximum usage of 1,552 tons of ammonium nitrate fuel oil during any 12-month period. ANFO is a common bulk industrial explosive mixture.

The public has until July 5 to submit comments before the DEQ makes a decision on issuing the final permit.

Kristi Ponozzo, the DEQ's public policy director, said the air quality permit is one of three permits Sandfire needs to operate the mine.

The main permit needed is the mine operating permit. "That's the big one," Ponozzo said.

A draft mine operating permit has been issued.

The DEQ is overseeing an environmental study of the project's environmental impacts that is expected to be completed later this year or early in 2019. That study will determine whether the DEQ gives final approval.

A surface water discharge permit also is needed.

More: Environmental review to begin on $250 million copper mine

Sandfire is proposing to produce and ship copper concentrate mined from the upper and lower zones of the Johnny Lee copper deposit on 1,888 acres of privately owned ranch land under lease to Sandfire.

The estimated life of the mine is 19 years including two years of construction and pre-production, followed by 13 years of active production mining and four years of reclamation and closure, according to the DEQ.

Conservation and angling groups have organized a campaign against the project arguing it's a threat to pollute the Smith River. The mine is proposed near Sheep Creek, a headwaters tributary of the Smith. Sandfire says underground mine can be developed without harm to the environment while providing jobs and tax benefits for the region.

Copies of the draft permit can also be viewed at the DEQ office in Helena.

Read or Share this story: https://gftrib.com/2M1biRM

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Dust will be biggest air quality issue at proposed Montana copper mine

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CLOSE The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued a draft air quality permit to Sandfire Resources America Inc. for the Black Butte Copper Project 15 miles north of White Sulphur Springs.

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This describes the effects of mining on rhinos in India. The environment is experiencing erosion from this activity which causes habitat loss for these rhinos.

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Mining, erosion threaten Indian rhino haven

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India's Kaziranga National Park, which harbors the world's largest population of greater one-horned rhinoceroses (Rhinoceros unicornis), is at a "high risk" of "permanently" losing its habitat connectivity with the larger...

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This article states that humans are causing extinctions across the world. Humans account for 83% of wild mammal loss despite the biomass of humanity being extremely minuscule.

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Humans Responsible for Loss of 83% of Wild Mammals

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This article talks about Hawke's Bay and the biodiversity there. The bay is losing biodiversity and many animals are becoming critically endangered. People are coming together to create a resolution for this dilemma.

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More than 200 people stepped up to stop any further loss of critically endangered biodiversity in Hawke's Bay.

Those who attended the action plan launch in Havelock North hailed from 60 different regional environmental groups, local authorities, government agencies and educational institutions.

The University of Waikato's Environmental Research Institute has signed up as the first corporate sponsor of the Biodiversity Guardians.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research Bruce Clarkson, said the signing signalled the University's commitment to working with the community to make a difference on the ground.

"To achieve what this action plan sets out, we have to move beyond revegetation in our urban centres such as Napier and Hastings."

"We must look at restoration of our biodiversity and the reconstruction of indigenous ecosystems," he said.

Biodiversity Hawke's Bay Foundation Chairman Charles Daugherty said that without determined intervention such as this, the loss of biodiversity will continue to get worse.

Hawke's Bay's iconic wetland environments are in the red zone, with urban indigenous biodiversity at an-all time low.

"Our forests are largely silent, many of the birds are gone. All indigenous ecological communities have been greatly reduced in scale and in consequence," Daugherty said.

Environmentalists are focusing on the silver lining; that the indigenous ecosystems of the region can be saved.

A three-year action plan will be implemented and overseen by the Biodiversity Guardians Board and the Biodiversity Foundation.

Guardian Chairwoman and Department of Conservation Operations Manager Connie Norgate, said the action plan has already begun, with the Guardians working to ensure its sustainability over the next three years.

"Many groups and individuals in Hawke's Bay are collaborating to take action to preserve our indigenous biodiversity. We need to increase our effort to turn the tide," she said.

The Guardians emphasised that the need to save Hawke's Bay's biodiversity was critical and required the support of partners, stakeholders, iwi and community.

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Hawke's Bay biodiversity in critical state

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More than 200 people stepped up to stop any further loss of critically endangered biodiversity in Hawke's Bay. Those who attended the action plan launch in Havelock North hailed from 60 different regional environmental groups, local authorities, government agencies and educational institutions.

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This articles studies the effects of climate change on biodiversity. There is a correlation with more change with the amount of biodiversity loss. It also talks about the activities of nations to prevent global climate change.

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High levels of warming will lead to systemic ecological simplification, a process where many 'climate losers' are replaced by far fewer 'climate winners.' Such a simplified ecological landscape could have impacts on ecosystem services such as water quality, soil conservation, flood prevention, all of which are important for human well-being.

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This article describes professor Ryan's research creating formulas to find an estimation for species loss. Using these formulas, habitat loss can be attributed a certain percent towards species loss.

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Estimating species loss from habitat clearing

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NUS ecologists have developed improved methods for estimating biodiversity loss from habitat-clearing activities, to aid conservation planning.

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This article focuses on the medical aspect of air pollution. It finds that air pollution can increase heart attacks within the population. It also explains the science of fluctuations in air quality.

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Medical News Bulletin | Health News and Medical Research

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Heart attacks are responsible for 20% of deaths in Europe. Very little is known regarding the day-to-day variation in air pollution and the effects it may have on heart attacks. A research team in Germany evaluates the risk in a multivariable study.

Twenty percent of all deaths in Europe are attributed to acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attacks. Although there are classic risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and age that increase chances of heart attacks, exposure to air pollution from human factors are also related with increased risk of heart attacks.

The European Union has taken measurements to instill regulations on air pollution, however, these do not take into account the rapid increase of air pollution at once. It is well established that rapid variation in other environmental aspects such as temperature and air pressure can cause significantly increased risk for of cerebrovascular disease.

What happens during rapid fluctuations in air pollution?

Short-term exposure to high concentrations of air pollutant nitrogen oxides is known to be linked to increased rates of heart arrhythmias. It is becoming increasingly important to understand the biological basis of what happens during times of rapid fluctuations in air pollution and how this could affect the risk of heart attacks.

This study is relevant because people living in European cities that are following pollution regulations and are deemed to be "clean" cities may still be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease because air pollutant concentrations can vary from day to day, and in fact, it could be those rapid variations that might prove dangerous for heart attacks. More data and research studies will prove useful in understanding the effects of rapid air pollutant concentrations and their risk for heart attacks.

A research group from Jena University Hospital in Germany recently published their findings in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, in which they used a multivariable model to evaluate whether there is an association between fast changes in air pollution, specifically between nitrogen oxides, and the risk for heart attack. The research team used a hospital-based case-crossover study to monitor the effect of changes in nitrogen oxides within 24-hour periods and the risk of heart attacks in 693 patients.

Rapid increases in nitrogen oxides correlated with an increased risk of heart attacks

The study found that rapid increases in the overall concentration of nitrogen oxides in a 24-hour span were correlated with a 121% increased risk of heart attacks. More specifically, the rapid increase of nitrogen dioxide alone was associated with a 73% increase in heart attacks, and the rapid decrease in nitrogen dioxide concentrations was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of heart attack by 60%. It seemed that there was a nearly linear relationship between nitrogen dioxide concentrations and the risk of heart attacks.

Dynamic changes in concentration levels of nitrogen oxides have massive effects on the risk of heart attacks, signifying another risk factor for heart attacks. Although there are EU regulations on acceptable levels of air pollutants, there are none that take into account the rapid variation in air pollutants from day to day. The results of this research call for changes in regulations as well as further validation of these results in other regions of Europe.

Written by Ingrid Qemo, PhD

Reference: Rasche, M., Walther, M., Schiffner, R., Kroegel, N., Rupprecht, S., Schlattmann, P., Schulze, P.C., Franzke, P., Witte, O.W., Schwab, M., Rakers, F. (2018). Rapid increases in nitrogen oxides are associated with acute myocardial infarction: A case-crossover study. European Journal of Preventative Cardiology. doi: 10.1177/2047487318755804

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Rapid increases in air pollution may increase risk for heart attacks - Medical News Bulletin | Health News and Medical Research

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Heart attacks are responsible for 20% of deaths in Europe. Very little is known regarding the day-to-day variation in air pollution and the effects it may have on heart attacks. A research team in Germany evaluates the risk in a multivariable study. Twenty percent of all deaths in Europe are attributed to acute myocardial infarction, ...

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This article raises awareness to the increase in global air pollution. It estimates that 95% of humans are inhaling unhealthy air. It explains rising deaths and why the air pollution levels are rising.

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It is estimated that at least 95% of the world's people are breathing air that is dangerously-polluted. The argument that humans are responsible is no longer up for debate. Needless to say, people in the developing countries are more affected than their compatriots in first world countries.

Changing the ambient air of your house is not going to help, because it is impossible to eliminate pollutants from outside. Unless one happens to have an air-purifier installed, which is rarely the case in the poorer countries and sections of society that are at the centre of the risk circle.

Governments and NGOs are trying to ensure that the problem doesn't escalate. But many fear that all that they do is too little and too late. Steps like the introduction and increasing adoption of electronic and hybrid transport systems are movements in the right direction. But their numbers are far too small to make a visible impact on a global scale. Increasing urbanization is one of the reasons for this. As more people move into the cities, more the demand for cars, scooters, etc. shoot up, and backed by a marketing blitzkrieg, get sold.

Rising Deaths

The quality of air is determined by the fine particuls within it. Although there are other factors that affect air quality, particulate matter is the chief component that is considered when calculating this.

Science says that over the years, the deaths linked directly to bad air quality has been increasing at an alarming pace. It is estimated that in 2015 one in six deaths were related to pollution. This is a significant increase over the figures in the mid-nineties. And if we step into a time before the Industrial Revolution, the effect we see in just about one hundred years is truly alarming, even for the staunchest cynics.

The problem of air pollution is considered to be extremely bad in Asia with the countries of India and China topping the macabre list of deaths. Here are 7 ways in which air pollution damages your health.

Causes for the pollution

Now, every place has a different prominent reason behind its poisonous air. In the case of China and India things are no different. A study of the research reports that examine the causes of air pollution states that in China the biggest pollutant is the burning of coal in industries for power and residential heating, followed by transport. For India, the largest overall cause behind its air pollution woes is residential biomass burning followed by the burning of coal.

A better picture

Awareness and governmental control is trying to change this grim picture. In some cases, they are succeeding but in most, they are not. China has come up as a surprising success story in this battle against air pollution. Its concentrated efforts have helped lift the smog that was once an almost continuous feature in its biggest cities. In contrast, places like Pakistan and India have seen a marked increase in the level of pollution recorded since the last decade.

Today, the sad reality is that if we as a whole do not take concrete and concentrated efforts to check air pollution levels our generations to come will be harmed irrevocably.

It Isn't Too Late To Stop Air Pollution from Ruining Our World

Air pollution has been a huge problem for years. The good news is that there are still plenty of solutions that we can take to stop the problem from escalating. However, we must act before it is too late.

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Global Air Pollution Rises to Alarming Levels

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It is estimated that at least 95% of the world's people are breathing air that is dangerously-polluted. The argument that humans are responsible is no longer up for debate. Needless to say, people in the developing countries are more affected than their compatriots in first world countries.

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This article pinpoints the population with the highest health risks from pollution as pedestrians. It talks about how reforms such as moving cycling lanes to reduce cyclist exposure and how laws can be made to preserve the air quality to be safe for pedestrians.

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Cyclists and pedestrians are twice as likely to keep dangerous particles in their respiratory systems than car drivers, a new study by researchers at the University of Surrey has suggested.
Published in the journal Climate and Atmospheric Science, the study sought to understand how cyclists, drivers, pedestrians and bus-riders were affected by small pollutant particles from fuel combustion in engines and large particles from non-exhaust sources such as brake and tyre-wear on their daily journeys.

Carried out by researchers at the University of Surrey's Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) in partnership with North Carolina State University (NCSU) the study was conducted in Guildford, Surrey, during peak commuting hours in the morning and evening, and during off-peak hours in the afternoon.

Results from the study have suggested that cyclists and pedestrians were more likely to be affect by air pollution than those travelling by bus or car. Previous studies have suggested that car drivers may face the most exposure to air pollution during daily travel. In 2015, a study led by the University of Surrey suggested that drivers were particularly at risk of harm from particulates when stopping and starting at traffic lights ( see airqualitynews.com story).

However, during the latest study, researchers used respiratory deposition doses (RDD) - a method that predicts the amount of pollutant particles left in someone's respiratory system - to measure the impact on each of the four groups.

According to the study, the incidence of finer particles was 20% higher in pedestrians and cyclists than bus passengers, and 2.5 times higher than car drivers if they had windows closed and air conditioning systems on.

Deposition

Commenting on the results Professor Prashant Kumar, director of the GCARE at the University of Surrey, said: "Our study suggests that respiratory deposition doses need to be considered for the management of commuting exposures - and not just exposure concentration - for curtailing adverse health effects related to commuting.

"Even though bus riders have the highest average exposure to large particles for all times of the day, it is pedestrians that have the highest amount of those dangerous particles trapped per unit time in their respiratory system."

"This story is mirrored when we talk about finer particles. Active travel (cycling, walking) benefits the health of people due to increased physical activity. However, increased physical activity also means increased inhalation rates and hence the intake of more polluted air."

The Guildford study comes after similar research in London has highlighted how travel choices can affect commuters' air pollution exposure ( see airqualitynews.com story).

Prof Kumar added: "Better planning by moving pedestrian and cycling paths as far away as possible from roads, adding green barriers between the vehicles and passers-by to trap pollution and, wherever possible, removing cars from busy places where people walk and cycle can improve the health of many citizens."

Co-investigator of the study, Professor Chris Frey from the North Carolina State University, added: "Knowledge of actual exposure to air pollution helps individuals make better choices regarding transport modes, timing and location of outdoor exercise. In the long-run, this information can help planning organizations and governments promote healthier living by including exposure prevention as a criteria for land zoning and the built environment."

Responding to the research, Rachel White, senior policy and political advisor at the walking and cycling charity Sustrans, said: "Whilst the findings from the University of Surrey that pedestrians and people on bikes are twice as likely to keep dangerous particles in their lungs than car drivers are important, it is vital to remember that in this country the health benefits of being physically active by bike or on foot always outweigh any costs from exposure to air pollutants.

"As our Bike Life survey across seven major UK cities shows - 78% of people want more dedicated space for cycling even if that involves taking space away from other road vehicles. We need local authorities to act now to provide a mix of protected direct routes connected to quieter back streets with lower air pollution to achieve modal shift and realise real health benefits."

Related Links
Dynamics of coarse and fine particles exposure in transport microenvironments

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Pedestrians 'at highest risk' from air pollution

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Cyclists and pedestrians are twice as likely to keep dangerous particles in their respiratory systems than car drivers, a new study by researchers at the University of Surrey has suggested.

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This article explains the research of the effects of melting under the ice sheets and sea ice rather than the melting as a whole. The salinity combined estimates that the rate of ice melting is going to increase dramatically.

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We all know intuitively that in a warmer world there will be less ice. And, since the North and South Pole regions contain lots of ice, anyone who wants to see evidence of climate change can look there.

But beyond this simplistic view, things can get pretty complex. First, it's important to recognize that the Arctic and the Antarctic are very different places. In the Arctic, almost all the ice is floating on water - there is very little land. So, we talk about 'sea ice' in the north, formed from frozen sea water. On the other hand, Antarctica is a massive land mass that is covered by ice formed from snowfall (called an 'ice sheet'). There is some floating ice around the perimeter of the land, but the vast majority of Antarctic ice is on land.

This difference not only affects how these regions response to climate change, but it also impacts their importance. We know that when floating ice melts, the ocean levels will not rise, because the ice was already floating in the water. But, when land ice melts, the liquid water flows into the ocean and causes the water levels to rise. So, at least from a sea-level perspective, land ice is more important than floating ice.

There are other differences between the north and south. One feature of the south is that there is a strong current that travels around Antarctica and partially shields it from waters elsewhere in the ocean. The Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides a good summary of some of the differences between the poles.

With global warming, both of the poles are warming quite quickly, and this warming is causing ice to melt in both regions. When we think of ice melting, we may think of it melting from above, as the ice is heated from the air, from sunlight, or from infrared energy from the atmosphere. But in truth, a lot of the melting comes from below. For instance, in the Antarctic, the ice shelves extend from the land out over the water. The bottom of the ice shelf is exposed to the ocean. If the ocean warms up, it can melt the underside of the shelf and cause it to thin or break off into the ocean.

A new study, recently published in Science Advances, looked at these issues. One of the goals of this study was to better understand whether and how the waters underneath the shelf are changing. They had to deal with the buoyancy of the waters. We know that the saltier and colder water is, the denser it is.

Around Antarctica, water at the ocean surface cools down and becomes saltier. These combined effects make the surface waters sink down to the sea floor. But as ice melt increases, fresh water flows into the ocean and interrupts this buoyancy effect. This "freshening" of the water can slow down or shut down the vertical mixing of the ocean. When this happens, the cold waters at the surface cannot sink. The deeper waters retain their heat and melt the ice from below.

The study incorporated measurements of both temperature and salinity (saltiness) at three locations near the Dalton Iceberg Tongue on the Sabrina Coast in East Antarctica. The measurements covered approximately an entire year and gave direct evidence of seasonal variations to the buoyancy of the waters. The researchers showed that a really important component to water-flow patterns were 'polynyas.' These are regions of open water that are surrounded by ice, typically by land ice on one side and sea ice on the other side.

A satellite photograph of a polynya is shown below. When waters from the polynya are cold and salty, the waters sink downwards and form a cold curtain around the ice shelf. However, when the waters are not salty (because fresh water is flowing into the polynya), this protective curtain is disrupted and warm waters can intrude from outside, leading to more ice melt.

A polynya off the coast of Antarctica, near Ross Island and McMurdo Station on November 16, 2011. Photograph: Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.

Based on this study, we may see increased ice loss in the future - sort of a feedback loop. That concerns us because it will mean more sea level rise (which is already accelerating), and more damage to coastal communities. I asked the lead author, Alesandro Silvano about this work:

Lead author Alesandro Silvano.

We found that freshwater from melting ice shelves is already enough to stop formation of cold and salty waters in some locations around Antarctica. This process causes warming and freshening of Antarctic waters. Ocean warming increases melting of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, causing sea level to rise. Freshening of Antarctic waters weakens the currents that trap heat and carbon dioxide in the ocean, affecting the global climate. In this way local changes in Antarctica can have global implications. Multiple sources of evidence exist now to show that these changes are happening. However, what will happen in Antarctica in the next decades and centuries remains unclear and needs to be understood.

This is just another reason to take scientists seriously and act to slow down climate change before it is too late.

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Global warming is melting Antarctic ice from below | John Abraham

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We all know intuitively that in a warmer world there will be less ice. And, since the North and South Pole regions contain lots of ice, anyone who wants to see evidence of climate change can look there. But beyond this simplistic view, things can get pretty complex.

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This article focuses on the impact of global warming and temperature fluctuations on animals and plants. The global warming will cause habitat loss as habitats adapt to the new temperatures while the inhabitants do not. Therefore, it is starting to threaten the survival of species in these habitats.

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What difference does half a degree Celsius of global warming make?

To many plants and animals, and especially insects, it could mean the difference between life and death, according to a new study.

In a paper published Thursday in Science, researchers report that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the average pre-industrial global temperature would avoid half the risks of global warming to plants and animals and two-thirds of the risk to insects compared to 2 degrees of warming.

The new analysis was inspired in part by the 2015 Paris climate agreement in which 176 countries agreed to work together to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, with an ultimate goal of keeping the temperature from climbing no more than 1.5 degrees.

"All the previous scientific literature looked at 2 degrees as the lower limit because that was what was being discussed at the time," said Rachel Warren of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, an environmental biologist who led the new work. "After the Paris agreement, the landscape changed. We wanted to know what the benefits would be to limit warming globally by an extra .5 degree."

"Basically, every plant, animal and insect has a range of climates where it's happy," she said. "Outside of that range, it gets a little bit uncomfortable, and eventually gets to where it can't survive at all."

The researchers found that 18% of insects, 16% of plants and 8% of vertebrates will lose more than half their geographical range if the average global temperature is two degrees hotter than it was before the industrial revolution.

In that case, 49% of insects, 44% of plants and 26% of vertebrates would see more than half of their geographical range disappear.

"The takeaway is that if you could limit warming to 1.5 degrees, the risk to biodiversity is quite small. At 2 degrees it becomes significant, and at 3 degrees almost half the insects and plants would be at risk," Warren said.

For this study, the authors used longitudinal and latitudinal data for each recorded observation of the 100,000 plant and animal species and then, based on that information, calculated what type of climate the individual species need to survive.

Here, climate does not just mean temperature, although that's part of it, Warren said. It also includes rainfall and seasonal changes.

For example, some plants and animals require temperatures to drop below freezing in the winter to reproduce.

"The tropics get hotter, the temperate zones get more like the tropics and the polar zones get more like the temperate zones," she added.

You might imagine that Earth's biomass also would move northward to remain in its preferred climate shadow, but of course it's not as simple as that.

Sometimes the models show a climate shadow moving northward into the ocean or into a mountain range that is not a suitable home for certain plants and animals.

The authors also considered the varying abilities of plants, animals and insects to migrate as part of their analysis.

Previous work has shown that mammals and butterflies are adept at moving in response to climate change, while insects, plants and amphibians are not.

The research team was surprised to find that insects were especially susceptible to changes in climate, and Warren said she'd like to investigate that more.

"So far, we have warmed the world 1 degree," Warren said. "If we warm it another .5 degree by 2100, then some birds and mammals can catch up, but if it gets to 2 degrees, far fewer can catch up and at 3 degrees they won't be able to keep pace with it."

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A little extra global warming will mean a lot more habitat loss for plants and animals, study says

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What difference does half a degree Celsius of global warming make? To many plants and animals, and especially insects, it could mean the difference between life and death, according to a new study.

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The articles talks about how reducing global warming can save the world about $20 trillion. The increase in temperature allows for effects such as spread of disease and coral death to increase. By reducing the temperature, money can be saved and allocated elsewhere rather than be used for these outcomes.

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The scientists found that if temperatures stayed within the more ambitious 1.5 degree Celsius target rather than the 2 degree mark, there's a good chance that these reductions would save the world roughly 3% of global GDP, or around $30 trillion dollars, Burke said. If the global temperatures are kept only within the 3 degree Celsius target, scientists say, it likely would cost an extra 5% to 10% of global GDP.

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By getting serious about limiting global warming, the world could save itself more than $20 trillion

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The scientists found that if temperatures stayed within the more ambitious 1.5 degree Celsius target rather than the 2 degree mark, there's a good chance that these reductions would save the world roughly 3% of global GDP, or around $30 trillion dollars, Burke said.

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This article makes the claim that global warming could increase the risk of lightning-induced fires. The increase in activity for ENSO and other phenomena increases heat transfer activity. This could lead to more convective storms causing more lighting strikes.

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A new study co-led by Portland State University found that climate change increases the risk of fires ignited by electrical discharge.

Researchers examined the relationship between lightning-caused fires, rising temperatures across the Southern Hemisphere, and natural climate variability in drivers of worldwide weather: El Niño-La Niña, the Indian Ocean Dipole, and the Southern Annular Mode.

The first, known as ENSO, is the periodic warming and cooling of winds and sea surface temps over the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Similarly, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) marks the irregular oscillation of sea-surface temperatures between the eastern and western parts of the Indian Ocean.

Odd-man-out SAM (Southern Annular Mode) describes the north-south movement of westerly winds surrounding Antarctica.

Of the three, SAM had the strongest impact on fire activity, due to lower precipitation and higher temperatures, according to a paper published online in the journal Geophysical Research Letters .

In its positive phase, the westerly wind belt contracts toward Antarctica, leaving large areas of South America, South Africa, and Australia rain-free. Recent positive trends in SAM are attributed to increasing greenhouse gas levels and the hole in the ozone layer.

"Now the winter is not as rainy, and the summer is longer, drier, and warmer," study author and PSU geography professor Andrés Holz said in a statement.

Doesn't sound so bad, huh? Well, these changes could spell fiery disaster for certain regions, where a lack of moisture allows soil and vegetation to dry out and ignite more easily.

Most notably, researchers discovered a stronger correlation between the three climate modes (ENSO, IOD, and SAM) on fire activity during the 21st century than the last decades of the 20th century, directly implicating global warming.

"We think that by having warmer oceans and warmer temperatures in general, we're going to see higher evaporation and heat transfer, and thus higher frequency of convective storms that in turn results in more lightning-ignited fires," Holz said. "And with a climate mode such as SAM stuck in its positive, fire-prone phase that seems to amplify climate change, it doesn't look good."

This doesn't mean every shrubbery you pass will be ablaze. In fact, areas that are dry year-round should see a decline in fire activity, unless there is a strong increase in rainfall.

Last year, a NASA-funded report confirmed that lightning storms, which exacerbated recent fires in Alaska and northern Canada, are likely to move further north with climate change.
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Global Warming Boosts Risk of Lightning-Ignited Fires - Geek.com

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A new study co-led by Portland State University found that climate change increases the risk of fires ignited by electrical discharge. Researchers examined the relationship between lightning-caused fires, rising temperatures across the Southern Hemisphere, and natural climate variability in drivers of worldwide weather: El Niño-La Niña, the Indian Ocean Dipole, and the Southern Annular Mode.

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This article centers around the impact industrial nations are having on the carbon emissions and the limiting of human induced temperature increase to less than 2 degrees. China's footprint is expanding and making this goal harder to accomplish.

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By Peter Hannam

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The chance of limiting human-induced global warming to less than 2 degrees is rapidly disappearing as carbon emissions again ramp up in China while reductions in the US and elsewhere stall, scientists say.

Data from the CSIRO's Global Carbon Project indicates greenhouse gas emissions in China accelerated to 1.5 per cent growth last year. China is now responsible for about a third of the world's carbon emissions.

China's emissions are again on the rise, making global climate targets even harder to meet.
Photo: Reuters

"That was quite significant growth for China because we had seen almost three years of little or no increase," the project's director, Pep Canadell, told Fairfax Media.

Early indications are that 2018 could see an even larger rise, with China's carbon emissions in the first quarter jumping 4 per cent alone, according to a Greenpeace analysis.

2017's increase was partly caused by a revival of China's reliance on heavy industrial growth to prop up the economy, and a drop in hydro electric generation amid poor rainfall, Dr Canadell said. This year's growth, though, is also being spurred by a pick-up in the global economy.

Given China's emissions are roughly double the next largest polluter - the US - and triple the European Union's, its acceleration means there is a fast-diminishing chance that the rise in global average temperatures can be restricted to the range of 1.5 to 2 degrees, as agreed at the 2015 Paris climate conference.

"Most climate scientists think 2 degrees [compared with pre-industrial levels] to be aspirational," said Andy Pitman, director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes.

Even if emissions ceased globally, it is probable warming would still reach at least 1.5 degrees given the longevity of carbon-dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, he said.

With increasing evidence of extreme weather events even at the roughly 1 degree of warming so far - including compounding risks of bushfires, heatwaves and droughts - societies can expect impacts to worsen, Professor Pitman said: "The notion that 1.5 degrees is somehow safe is totally incompatible with the evidence."

'Not a pretty picture'

News in recent days that the Trump administration plans to bolster the ailing US coal-fired power industry by intervening in markets would worsen the global emissions picture.

The CSIRO's Dr Canadell said while US carbon emissions had fallen for a decade, last year's decline will likely be much smaller because of quickening economic growth at home and abroad.

The European Union, too, was likely to register a slower emissions drop. Australia, meanwhile, is on course to increase its carbon pollution for a fourth year in a row, a "remarkable" result for a rich nation, he said.

"If you put all the blocks together, it's not coming together as a pretty picture for 2018," Dr Canadell said.

Recent annual falls in carbon emissions are slowing in the US and the EU.
Photo: AP

Bill Hare, director of non-profit science think tank Climate Analytics, said the planet is currently on course for 3.4 degrees warming, although planned but as-yet unimplemented climate action could trim that to 3.1 degrees.

One cause for optimism includes the shift away from fossil fuels, which is speeding up because of tumbling prices for solar and wind.

"China is moving massively into renewables and electric vehicles, and despite some short term increase in coal use, this trend will continue," Mr Hare said.

Bruce Nilles, a former head of the Sierra Club's "Beyond Coal" campaign, who is visiting Australia, said President Trump's "brazen efforts" to help coal in US would likely be stymied by a flurry of lawsuits from other energy suppliers.

The US had seen 266 coal-fired power plants shut or set closure dates since 2010, and these "were continuing at the same rate as during the last few years of the Obama administration", he said.

Filling the gap were more than 10,000 megawatts of new wind and solar capacity each year, a process likely to continue as their technology becomes even cheaper, Mr Nilles said.

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Limiting global warming to 2 degrees now 'aspirational': scientists

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By Peter Hannam Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The chance of limiting human-induced global warming to less than 2 degrees is rapidly disappearing as carbon emissions again ramp up in China while reductions in the US and elsewhere stall, scientists say.