 To breath and die: since when are they synonymous?
by Mercedes Pla
mema@theh2project.com
Right let’s see… Where to start? Let´s go back to 1824 because that’s when something changed our lives forever: the first motor vehicle – better know as a car – was created and went out on the street. With time, the car was improved in the outside (and the inside, thanks to God!) but also what it uses to run ranging from water vapour to fuel. What do we know about fuel? A lot and not much really. In my case, some time ago, fuel (unleaded, gas, premium) was just what my car needed to take me on the roads of my town and around. Today it’s not just this anymore. Situation changed and I’d lie to sahre with you what I know about it. I really hope what follows will surprise you as much as it did suprise me and will make you decide to act now because now isn’t the time to read, be surprised but still keep on doing business as usual. Let’s stop thinking what is the best and let’s implement what can already work. Some of them have always existed but our comfort and worldwide interests have made us put aside.
Here we go… Since when to breath should be something harmful? (see Health vs Oil) Environmental contamination has increased mostly in the last few years and make it one of the biggest problems humanity is now facing. The 5 places that catch the most the attention are: Pekín, México city, Río de Janeiro, Seoul and Shangai. However most of the cities have problems with air pollution.In 1998, a study conducted by the WHO (World Health Organisation) showed that 600 million people lived i urban areas where levels of sulfur dioxide are higher than the authorized limit and more than 1.250 million lived in cities with frightening levels of particules in the air.
Today we know that: Most cars run on gasoline or diesel. These are derived from petroleum, more usually called oil. Globally, motor vehicles use one third of the world's oil—finding oil involves habitat loss, oil spills, air and water pollution, large emissions of carbon dioxide, regular humanitarian abuses and wars.
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Motor vehicles are the single biggest source of atmospheric pollution,contributing an estimated 14% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning (Add the emissions from exploration, transportation, refining and distribution of fuel, and this figure if 15 to 20% of world emissions).
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The average American car releases 300 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from a full, 15 gallon tank of gasoline. The average European car produces over 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
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Buenos Aires, Argentine has high levels of carbon monoxide in the air: up to 14 ppm, whereas the WHO’s authorized limits don’t exceed 9 ppm. For every vehicle on the road, the atmosphere will receive 200 kilos of nitric oxide, 400 kilos de hydrocarburs and 3000 kilos of carbon dioxide. There are an estimate of 4 million units on the streets of Buenos Aires every week, which gives a better idea of the magnitude of the problem.
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At the 2004 Car free Day in Montreal, Canada, measurements taken by the city showed a 90% reduction in the level of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and a 100% reduction in carbon monoxide (CO) within the area closed to cars that day as compared to readings taken the same day at an intersection where motor vehicle traffic was normal. Also, a 38% drop in the ambient noise level was also recorded within the car free zone.
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In Lima, Peru, especially on Abancay avenue, levels of contamination a plant is allowed to emit in 1 day are reached in 2 hours.
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On a single bad day in Athens the smog can kill 8 people and send up to 200 people to hospital.
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7 out of 10 children in Mexico city have had their development stunted by lead poisoning from cars.
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American children aged 6 months to 5 years have 30 times more lead in the blood than any random human being has naturally (a mean of 16 microgramms per decilitre).
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Transport is estimated to account for 20-25% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
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A WHO (World Health Organization) report found that long term air pollution from cars in Austria, Switzerland and France triggered an extra 21,000 premature deaths per year from respiratory or heart diseases—more than the total number of annual traffic deaths in the three countries.
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In 1991 the Oil Spillage Intelligence Report recorded that, globally, 31.75 million gallons of oil (around 100,000 tonnes) were spilt in 1990. And the 1989 spillage rate was more than double that. Half the quantity came from 3 major oil spills:the Exxon (10.7 million gallons in Prince William Sound, March 1989, the Kharrg 5 (20 million gallons off the coast of Morocco, Dec 1989) and the Aragon (7.35 million gallons off Madeira, December 1989).
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Exhaust fumes cause acid air, pollution, cancer, lead-poisoning and a variety of bronchial and respiratory illnesses. The average car emits a cocktail of more than 1,000 pollutants.
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