Monday, April 13, 2009

Clean Air Adds Life

Imagine how much more life we could have without all the carbon. Another reason why the wires around San Francisco are music to my lungs.

The project tracked the change of air quality in 51 American cities since the 1980s. During that time general life expectancy increased by more than two and half years, much due to improved lifestyles, diet and healthcare. But the researchers calculated more than 15% of that extra time was due to cleaner air.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the video they show a MBTA diesel locomotive pushing a commuter train. Now of course electrification would solve this.

Anonymous said...

No carbon? How would carbon-based life-forms like humans survive?

crzwdjk said...

Except carbon has nothing to do with it. Ambient levels of CO2 have almost no effect on health. The problem is particulate pollution, which comes largely from things like diesel engines.

Pantograph Trolleypole said...

Haha @anon

Arcady, you are right, particulates are a big part of it which comes from exhaust. There are fixes for that as well in the form of traps etc.