PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 23, 2022
Over 7 million die from bad air. Over 100,000 pollution-related deaths occur every year in the U.S., most caused by fine particulate matter created by humans. What can we do? First, identify the sources. Five key activities contribute to pollution: electric generation, passenger cars, industrial boilers-internal combustion engines, residential cooking and livestock rearing. And three key processes: diesel, gasoline and coal combustion. Second, reduce pollution by switching to renewable sources of energy, electrify our cars, switch to electric motors for industrial uses and eat less beef. Third, get feedback. Burning coal is bad for health. If we end our love affair with coal and oil as a source of heat, we will do more than save the polar bears, the birds, and maybe ourselves. ~ Peter Konieczko, Scarborough