Sunday, November 24, 2013

Air Pollution Watch report today November 24, 2013

It is more fun without air pollution

Rizal PHL  |  November 24, 2013

 Ortigas CBD viewed from Alta Vista, Antipolo City

We must stop finger pointing, or staging hunger strike in other countries to force them to reduce their carbon.   Let us start in our own country.  If the air pollution is this blatant in our country, can we expect others to do any better.   Let us not have the illusion that the super typhoon, the climate change in our country came from  distant country in North or South America.  We are the people nearest this country.  (It is like smelling bad breath, when the very first mouth nearest to us is our mouth). May be these post will mean something to our regulators, enforcers of the Clean Air Act:  (LTO/DOTC  Hmm they are busy shooting with the top Gun)

How many more super typhoons do we need before we take action?

                                     Bikers breathing in smoke laden air; will we get sick soon?



 x


                          What is the relation of this jeepney to climate change? Can we understand that?


                 When shall be responsible citizens/motorists, LTO as responsible enforcer of CAA?


                                   On the way up to smokey city  -  Antipolo City


                                   Is there a clear day when you see Ortigas CBD?


 x


                                 Was it the jeepney or the tricycle that emitted the smoke?


                                      I patiently waited to get this picture, perfect!


                            Hmm what is the relation of this photo to a gestation of supertyphoon?



                      Can your read the sign, "Gift of God"  Is this dirty smoke a gift of God?

Sunday, November 17, 2013

What is the relation of air pollution to deaths and property destruction from Supertyphoon Yolanda

Air pollution kills


                   

 What is the connection between the above and the picture below which I patiently take weekly?


What is the relation of air pollution to Typhoon Yolanda (the strongest typhoon so far)?  None. US and Chinas CO2 emission are the causes?  What is the relation of air pollution to more than 3,000 wh have been killed by the typhoon?  None we do not see?

Since April, I have posted on a weekly basis pictures of air pollution in MM.  The direct short term effect of that is sickness like cancer of the lungs and heart disease (from PM 2.5) What about climate change.?   CO2 emission from factories, electric power plants, vehicles forms greenhouse gases that traps heat of the sun that raises the average temp of atmosphere and that of oceans.  These warmer oceans are the vitamins that fuel stronger typhoons.  And supertyphoon Yolanda was one such result?

Is it still difficult to see the connection?  But if the declaration of Sec. of DENR were accurate, there would be no such super typhoon, would it be.  He says he have good air quality.

Do we have carbon tax?  Do we monitor carbon emissions of power plants?  Why do  coal power plants abound in the country?

Why does ERC make difficult rules for renewable energy despite renewable energy laws or despite the growing trend towards renewable energy.  Shell sees solar as the prevalent energy source in 2050, and oil to be non existent in transportation by the same period.  Such renewable energy are clean and there are no dirty emissions that warm the ocean and the atmosphere that leads to climate change

So Yeb, go on a hunger strike if you may or weep, but the first who should act are public policy watchdogs on air pollution.  Nothing will ever really happen.  I can attest to that.

Which is cheaper?  To clean our act and air, or have 3,000 die (and still counting) and  billions in destroyed properties?

O force majeure lang typhoon Pablo and Yolanda.

BC - Air Pollution and Climate Change

EPA - Air pollution and climate change PDF

Halton CA - How are air pollution and climate change linked?


                       Can the tricycle driver get it that his trikes emission leads to stronger typhoon?


                                      Clean air act is observed in MM?


                                  It is more fun in MM for air pollution?!




 x


                                  We all survive for ourselves, and not for others?

Excerpt of article from Halton Canada post on links between Air Pollution and Climate Change:


"What is Climate Change?

According to the 2007 report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

  • The world has become warmer over the last century.
  • Global average air temperatures have increased by 0.13 degree Celsius every decade for the last 50 years.
  • Sea levels have increased by 0.17 meters over the last century.
  • Arctic sea ice has decrease by 2.7% per decade over the last 30 years.
  • Droughts have increased in frequency and duration since the 1970s.
  • Heat waves have increased in frequency.
  • Heavy rains and tropical cyclones have increased in intensity since the 1970s.
Reference: Government of Canada, "From Impacts to Adaptation Canada in a Changing Climate 2007", 2007

What causes climate change?

While a number of natural phenomena are known to influence the climate, the International Panel on Climate Change has concluded that, since the 1950s, human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and changes in land-use patterns, have been the dominant cause of climate change.
Photo of a flat field.
  • The energy used to drive vehicles, power equipment, and heat homes is responsible for 75% of the greenhouse gases emitted in Canada.
  • Agricultural and industrial processes, that are not energy related, account for approximately 13% of the greenhouse gases emitted.
  • The treatment and pumping of water and wastewater account for about 3% of greenhouse gases.
  • Land uses, such as forests, wetlands, croplands, and grasslands can either capture or release greenhouse gas emissions. The net contribution of these land uses has been estimated at 10% of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
Reference: ICF. "Sustainable Halton: Climate Change", May 2007
When sources of greenhouse gases in Canada are looked at in isolation of one another:
  • The transportation sector is responsible for about 25% of Canada’s emissions.
  • Oil and gas production are responsible for about 18% of emissions.
  • Electricity generation (16% of Canada’s emissions; higher in Ontario).
  • Mining and manufacturing (17%).
  • Buildings (10%).
  • Agriculture (10%).
  • Landfill gases (4%).
Reference: Government of Canada, "Climate Change Plan for Canada", 2002

How are air pollution and climate change linked?

  • Many of the sectors that are major sources of air pollutants are also major contributors of greenhouse gases including:
    • the transportation sector
    • electricity Generation
    • fuel used for building, industry and agriculture
  • Many of the actions needed to reduce air pollution will also reduce emissions of greenhouse gases including:
    • encouraging public transit and active modes of transportation
    • increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and industrial processes
    • increasing the fuel efficiency of on-road and off-road vehicles
    • encouraging the use of renewable energies"

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Air Polluters today, November 3, 2013

Air pollution kills

Air Pollution today November 3, 2013, as I biked this morning.  Nothing changes, nothing stops.There may be a hundred others I missed but my timing sucks.  As soon as I keep the camera, the polluters, the smoke belchers appear.  And as soon as I bring out the camera, none appears....


Vanity of the bonfires


                                      Smoke from a raging bonfire


                                   The dark smoke came from the Besta atop the hill


x                                          The tricycle ahead is the culprit
















Can air pollution lead to severe sudden climate change as in "The Day After Tomorrow" happen?

Air pollution kills
 


Angono, Rizal, PHL  | November 3, 2013

I am watching the movie  The Day after Tomorrow  (it is circa 2004)  It is about a superstorm that hit North America to bring it to a New Ice Age.  The main protagonist Dr. Hall, made  model that shows that climate change could be severe and sudden.  The theory was that the melting of polar caps, block off the warm water being fed by the Gulf Stream to the Northern Hemisphere.  This led into the development of severe superstorm which brought down temperature by as much as -151 degrees Fahrenheit.  The proof that this has happened before are the wooly mammoths that instantly froze with food in their stomachs.

In the movie, the helicopters in Scotland crashed because the fuel lines froze;    NYC was inundated first by rains and then severe snowfall.  Americans crossed down to Rio Grande in reverse illegal migration to Mexico.   Temperatures dropped below zero and all of a sudden North America was deep frozen

Could this scenario/sci fi really happen?  Who knows it could be true, as we experience severe weather now:   frequent severe storms, droughts, winters.

And yet we continue on our own old ways polluting the atmosphere.  Short term effect is lung cancer and heart disease;   long term is severe climate change.  And what are we doing now?  Nothing,   Absolutely nothing.  Nada... Wala.   Alawsss..... So we just wait for the superstorms.... God forbids.

The full movie in German



Saturday, November 2, 2013

Smoking by jeepney captains even in San Fernando City

Air pollution kills



I was in San Fernando City last October 30 2013.  It was still early in the morning about 6 am and the driver lighted up a cigarette.  I thought all the hard headed, thick faced drivers are only in MM.  Not in the province.  I thought they would be law abiding and considerate of the health of their passengers.  Not so..!

Lot of air pollution observed near Holy Gardens Memorial Park and Angono Cemetery today November 2 2013

Air pollution kills

Angono, Rizal  PHL  | November 2, 2013

We observed tricycles and jeepneys polluting the air early this morning near the Holy Gardens  Memorial Park, Angono.  Who else would?

                                        This tricycle is the top polluter for the whole morning

                                  Motorbike does its share of destroying the air we breathe


                                   The air is now greyish



 x


                                        The jeepney contributes


 x


                     The idling engines as the traffic slowed down contributed a lot of fumes