Air-Pollution In California

[TylerDurden]

Here's the article, a useful read for all those wishing to go and work in big cities:-

"Scientists link 24,000 deaths with air pollution in California
LOS ANGELES (Xinhua): Air pollution might be blamed for as many as 24,000 deaths annually in California, according to figures released on Thursday.

The deaths are probably due to chronic exposure to fine particulate pollution, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which released two studies in this area.

The figure triples the previous official estimate of 8,200, the CARB said.

The revised figures are based on a review of new research across the nation, including by Los Angeles-based researchers, about the hazards posed by microscopic particles, which sink deep into the lungs.

"Our report concludes these particles are 70 percent more dangerous than previously thought, based on several major studies that have occurred in the last five years," CARB chief researcher Bart Croes said.

The studies, including one by University of Southern California tracking 23,000 people in greater Los Angeles, and another by the American Cancer Society monitoring 300,000 people across the United States, have found rates of heart attacks, strokes and other serious disease increase exponentially after exposure to even slightly higher amounts of metal or dust.

It is difficult to attribute individual deaths to particulate pollution, Croes said, adding that long-term studies that account for smoking, obesity and other risks have increasingly zeroed in on fine particulate pollution as a killer.

"There's no death certificate that says specifically someone died of air pollution, but cities with higher rates of air pollution have much greater rates of death from cardiovascular diseases," Croes said.

Californians exposed to high levels of fine particulates had their lives cut short on average by 10 years, the board staff found."


taken from:-

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200805231024.htm
 

[Raw Kyle]

Interesting article, and more interesting source page!

I was planning on buying an air filter for my house years back when I started on raw vegan, but found other things to spend my money on in the meantime. Anyway have any experience with one of those machines? Right now I'm trying to get a lot of plants in my house, particularly my room, with the idea that this will be good for the air. It looks nice too.

[xylothrill]

I'm very fortunate to live along the gulf coast with no mountains to trap the pollution and no smokestacks for miles.
 
Plants do make a world of difference. I have four aquariums and all the filtration I need are plants - no bio or mechanical filtration - only a power jet for circulation. A little off topic but for anyone with fish I recommend the book ECOLOGY of the
PLANTED AQUARIUM by Diana Walstad.  http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm#Contents 
It goes to show what plants can do in the aquarium but I believe it also can apply to any closed environment, such as a home.

Craig

[lex_rooker]

I had a beautiful planted aquarium at work.  The place was a cement bunker with no windows and it is amazing what a difference something like a garden aquarium makes.  I started with Diana's book and of course my library now has all of Amano's books as well.  If you don't subscribe to The Aquatic Gardener magazine you should consider it.  I think it's published quarterly and Karen Randall is the editor.

The tank I created just before I retired a couple of years ago had CO2 injection, auto PH correction, automated nutrient management, and an interesting design where we used a regular under gravel filter with a light source shining on the bottom of the tank 24 hours per day.  This encouraged algae to grow and take up the excess nutrients out of sight under the tank and was an interesting approach to a bio filter.  It also kept the tank well oxygenated.

I wanted to put a tank in the gaping hole of the unused fireplace in our family room but the little women would have none of it.  So sad to say, at the moment I'm tankless....

Lex   

[xylothrill]

I've seen some of Amano's work. What a talented individual.

You know, I'd seriously considered CO2 ferts, and high-watt lighting but I'm glad I went the natural route. My plants grow fast enough as it is, I would forever be aquascaping were they growing ten times faster!

You're such an industrious man! You should be an inventor, Lex! So, you made something like an in-tank sump sort of contraption? You should patent that, really!

[lex_rooker]

Wish I could take credit for the undergravel filter with a light shining on the bottom of the tank to encourage alage growth, but I actually got the idea from another much more talented aquascapest.

Planted tanks can be a lot of work, but my goal was to automate everything possible.  Of course, trimming and thinning the growth must be done manually but I found with the 50 gal tank I created, it took about 2 hours maintenance per week to keep it looking its best.

Lex