Air Pollution in South Seattle - Assignment Example

Lecturer Environmental analysis of an area is critical in the understanding how the species that live in a region interact with that environment. Every species has a specific habitat that it is so specific to a point that altering it may mean its extinction. Different aspects of the environment play different roles in shaping it and even dictating the species that one may find there. In this course the application of such knowledge has been used to see how different regions are and the potential threats that pose to destroy the environment and hence the life of the organisms in it. This work will revolve on Seattle, a coastal seaport city that stands to be the largest city in North America. Its specific location is in the Pacific North West and it has been identified as one of the rapidly growing cities in the region rising from the level of a small town to the level of a land mark city in the recent years. One of the major unique factors that make the city to stand out is its location close to the Pujet Sound and the Pacific Ocean. This makes it an interesting location to conduct this analysis and the discussion that will follow. Keywords: Seattle, Gas, Pacific, West gas. West Gas Influence on Seattle Air Introduction One of the greatest challenges in the 21st century is climate change. Different localities and areas have addressed the issue differently as the effects fall over a wide spectrum. Production of greenhouse gases has been a malignant issue that has forced many areas to implement serious methods to tame the highly changing climate. The change in climate has a diverse effect on the seasons and for a region like Seattle that is situated near the Pacific the effects are really far reaching. Over the years, Seattle has stood in the forefront as a leading region in addressing climate change. The most important step that it took in this issue was the release of the 2013 Climate Change Action Plan which worked to show how determined and ambitious the region was in addressing the issue. This action plan (2013 CAP) has in its contents the major aim of putting the Seattle on a path to carbon neutrality by 2050 which translates to be the best plan to be implemented in this time (Erickson & Tempest p. 1). Another notable issue that has been of concern is the west gas and the changing climate. It is important to note that Seattle borders the Pacific Ocean and therefore the climate is affected highly by changes such air current from the Ocean. When this couples with the gases produced in the region the effects that come up are worse. This work will address the effects of West Gas on Seattle air. The effects that we may address is on water resources, effects on agriculture and coastal resources and also effects on the food supply in the region. The essay will incorporate other important aspects of geology and geography to help bring out the ideas that will be discussed. Seattle Climate To understand the effects of west gas on Seattle air it is of crucial need to look at the climate of the region which also plays its part in this line. Seattle has an Oceanic Climate. This is due to the fact that it is located next to the Pacific Ocean and so the climatic changes witnessed are as a result of the ocean. The region experiences long summers and winters with short spring and autumn. The winters are extremely cold while the summer is dry and relatively warm. During the summer season the region experiences hot temperatures which results from the dry wind emanating from the west slopes of the Cascades. This is among the major aspects that determine the climate of this region. In Seattle, the pacific storms are not experienced together with the Arctic air. The Olympic Mountains and the ranges of Cascade block the two leaving the region to enjoy the climate it has. Seattle is located in a rain shadow but this does not deter it from experiencing heavy rains in almost two thirds of a given year. In most times, the weather is cloudy and this may be accompanied by rains. However, this weather is not permanent as changes have been witnessed in the recent past where the clouds do not yield rain. This is misleading as it is hard to predict the months that rain is experienced unless one consults the meteorology department in the region. This has been one of the effects of the changing climatic conditions which have been attributed by the ocean. The west gas has influenced the changes in climate in the region and that was one of the issues discussed while coming up with the ambitious action plan highlighted above. Precipitation is not a major problem in Seattle. Annual precipitation lies close to 650 mm annually which is the lowest in the United States. The main raining months in the region are November, December and partly January. The three months account for majority of the rain experienced in this region. Hurricanes and tornados are not common a condition that has put the region on top ranks when comparing it with the neighborhood which is frequented by the same. The last major hurricane occurred in December 2010 and the effects and damage was devastating. The region has set up clear strategies to handle such calamities when they strike and this has played a role in attracting investors to invest widely in it. This is one of the reasons behind its success and recent wave of growth. Seattle boasts to be the headquarters of Boeing which is the world’s largest aero company. The aero industry has been one of the main pillars of the Seattle economy. However, the city’s economy is also boosted by the manufacturing industries and the sale of forest products such as timber. Having the Port of Seattle also exposes it to international trade which offers jobs to a large number of natives together with foreigners. To boost its income generating activities the city is well marketed and being the hub of aerospace activity it welcomes a large chunk of investors some willing to invest in it and others willing to do business with the natives. Influence of Seattle air by west gas Seattle has been an environmental friendly neighborhood up to three years ago when the residents in the in the southern parts of the region started complaining of a pungent smell in the air. According to the residents, the air smelled like it had been mixed with chlorine and that adversely affected their breathing. Majority of complains came from West Seattle, South Park and Georgetown which are highly inhabited. The region where complains were coming from is highly industrialized and this gave the residents a hard time trying to figure out where exactly the smell was emanating. According to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency which is responsible for ensuring the air is free from pollution and evaluating whether the industries in the regions posed as air hazards, more than two hundred businesses in the region which were registered posed as active sources of air pollution. It was therefore hard to determine where the pollution was coming from at first. The industries that use or emit chlorine and nitrogen oxides were monitored closely to help trace the source. The Lafarge Cement Plant was found to be the source of the gas that was causing the pollution. This cement company is located a few kilometers north of the Duwamish Valley which experienced majority of the complaints (Thomas, 2011). Serious contention followed this developments with the company failing to own up the results that had been produced. The agency’s finding were accused to be faulty but the company however agreed to look into the matter. To address the issue, it installed computer monitored sensors that could detect the rising levels of nitrogen oxides and chlorine. The two stand out as the main pollutants from such industries and so their levels needed to be highly monitored to avoid similar cases. Effect of Gas Pollutants on the Population Seattle is a business and industrial hub which has seen it rise to the level of a cosmopolitan city it is today. With the major industries that have been set there today, there is a high prevalence that the industries maybe a source of air pollution. The main gas pollutant that can be witnessed include carbon (II) oxide and oxides of nitrogen. With the Lafarge cement company being one of the companies that were found to be a source of gas pollutants. The effects of the gases are diverse and they range from health to environment. The gas pollutants first get into the Seattle air where in the case of gases such as chlorine and oxides of nitrogen they lead to formation of acid rain. Acid rain is formed once the acidic gases dissolve in the atmospheric gaseous water. Acid rain corrodes surfaces such as roofs and other metallic items. Inhaling the acidic gases has long term and short term effects on the people living in the land. First, for people who are highly sensitive such as those suffering from breathing problems e.g. asthma. According to a study done in the region, toxic airborne pollutants in Seattle surpass the accepted levels by more than 30 per cent (Thomas, 2011). Another study conducted in the Puget Sound region, it was established that it is in the top six percent of regions highly affected by gaseous toxics. At first the while conducting the study it was thought that much of the gaseous pollutants came from the many industries in Georgetown and South Park. However, to the disbelief of many it was established that the automobiles were the major source of the pollutants. These include cars, Lorries and buses. These automobiles emit carbon (II) oxide which is toxic. This can be cause poisoning and death in extreme cases. Seattle is a busy city. The presence of the Port of Seattle has helped in exposing the city through the pacific. The port is a major hub for exports and imports from various parts of the world. From the port the containers are carried by massive trucks and distributed to their right destinations. These trucks are one of the major sources of pollution in the region. Ways of reducing the pollution have not been devised putting the region at a very risky situation. The Greenhouse Effect In the studies done on the region, cases of cancer were found to have risen in the recent past and that has been linked to the gases being produced from the industries and the automobiles. One of the effects of gas pollutants accumulating in the air is the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a result if the accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere which in turn blocks the reflected rays from the sun back to the earth surface. This has led to increased global temperatures. The increased cases of cancer in the region and also in other parts of the world have been linked to global warming and the emission of carcinogenic gases from the industries and the automobiles (Erickson & Tempest, 2012). Carcinogenic gases have the ability to change the normal cells and lead to the formation of cancerous cells. Once cancerous cells form the maybe malignant or not. They multiply rapidly and this has been witnessed in cases of cancer. The depletion of the ozone layer has also been a key factor in the increased prevalence of cancer cases in the region (Erickson & Tempest, 2012). The UV rays from the sun needs to pass through the ozone layer to reduce their destructive effect. Once the ozone layer has been depleted especially due to the reaction with chloro-fluoro-carbons the rays are subjected to the humans causing skin cancer. Influence on Climate As introduced in the earlier in the work, the west gas has had an effect on the climatic changes in the region. The change in climate has had the following effects on various components in the region. Impact on Agriculture Unlike in the past, Seattle nowadays experience hotter temperatures that have had both positive and negative effects on agriculture. The increase in temperature facilitates quick maturation of agricultural products. On the other hand, the rise in temperature promotes the growth of pests such as worms which act as pests and destroy the agricultural products. This change in climate especially in the recent time has been viewed negatively especially with many people opting to join the manufacturing industry. Many people work in the industries that are well established in the region. Boeing for instance has employed many people from this region to work in its headquarters. The Port of Seattle has also offered majority of the residents with job opportunities and so many of them have abandoned farming and opted to be employed. The income generating avenues in the region are many and the change in climate has not impacted negatively on the region’s economic status. This is due to the flourishing business opportunities that run across the clock. In the recent years however, corrective measures have been taken to ensure that the environment is kept safe from the threat of industrialization. In collaboration with the agency that check for the elevated levels of the toxic gases in the region, the region has been in the forefront to make the region a better place as it was in the previous years. Corrective Measures Due to the alarming rate in which the environment is being destroyed making the region uninhabitable, different groups have come up to try and correct that. Among the ones in the forefront include Seattle City Light group which is also committed to achieve the carbon neutrality goal. In the bid to achieve this goal all the factors that need to be addressed in regard to the emission of the dangerous toxic gases will be covered. Since carbon compounds are among the major gaseous pollutants, then this campaign will be the best to address this problem. The people in this city have been advised to use public means while going around the city to avoid increasing the rate of pollution when using individual cars. This has been successful and effective. The industries in the region have been warned against releasing toxic gaseous substances to the atmosphere. Since the case of the cement company that had led to the release of chlorine into the atmosphere, the relevant organs have been serious and aggressive while implementing the rules. Fitting of the company’s exhaust systems with filters has been one of the most successful operations done to reduce the release of halogenated carbons and chloro-flouro-carbons such as benzene into the atmosphere. These gases have been identified as most reactive and responsible with the depletion of the ozone layer. The effects of its depletion have been discussed in the earlier chapters. Recycling of waste products that can lead to pollution of the atmosphere is also one of the steps that have been put in place to avert this catastrophe. It is hoped that before long the environmental concerns that have been raised by environmentalists shall be addressed and the beauty of the city restored. Conclusion The influence of the west gas on Seattle air is an important and relevant issue to an environmentalist. The damage done to the environment is hard to reverse once allowed to go on for a long time. The issue of air pollution has been malignant in Seattle. Due to the fact that the area is highly industrialized, it has been very hard to identify and fingerprint the various gaseous toxic substances to their origin. Therefore it called for the work of specialized agencies which initially found out that it was coming from a cement factory. This realization was a landmark step to restoring the nature of the city. The city is strategically located and it has an active port which has also played its part in increasing the pollution rate in the city. The machines used in the port and the trucks that ferry the goods from the port have been accused of contributing to the rising pollution cases in the region. The automobiles are the leading source of pollution in this region and measures to reduce the carbon levels in the atmosphere have already been devised. If this plan succeeds then Seattle will be in the fore front as one of the most environmental friendly regions in the states. The project is owned communally by the various agencies involved in ensuring the environment and the users are interacting in a healthy way. The environment is always important to any group of species. Its destruction could be the start of their extinction. With the problems noted in the 21st century such as global warming the biggest question to ask is whether man will eventually finish himself with the technology he has invented. Cited Work Mcclure, R. Breathing Uneasy: Air Pollution in South Seattle. Investigative Journalism for the Pacific Northwest. 2013. Web. Thomas, L. Investigation: Air Pollution Crisis in South Seattle. 2011. Web. Erickson, P. & Tempest, K. 2012 Seattle Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Directory. 2012. Web. Read More