Outdoor Air Quality As told in the creation story, on the second day, God created the sky and the air we breathe every moment of our lives. While the air sustains us, we don’t always sustain the air. We have polluted the air with contaminants and turned God’s gift into a fallen human image. We must now work to restore the breath of life, rather than promote a source of harm. With a little effort, this task can be easy. Read below to learn more about the health effects of outdoor air pollution and what we can do about it. Toxic air pollutants can cause cancer and respiratory conditions, adversely affect mental development, and cause equally damaging conditions for the rest of God’s creation. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that outdoor air pollution leads to more than 800,000 deaths a year worldwide. Fossil fuels are the single largest source of atmospheric pollution; when burnt, they release particulate matter, carbon monoxide and dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, and metal compounds into the air. According to the WHO, More than 1.4 billion city dwellers are now exposed to high levels of air pollution. Vehicle exhausts pollute the air in large cities with carbon monoxide. Emissions also contribute to the formation of ozone and smog, which may decrease lung performance. People living within one mile of a freeway tend to have worse respiratory conditions. Often times, the communities living closest to these freeways are communities of color. Children are especially vulnerable to air pollution. Exposure to air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, can impair mental development in children. Air pollution contributes to childhood asthma- which is on the rise. Power plants also emit air pollutants such as mercury, nitrogen oxides (NOX), and sulfur dioxide (SOX) into the atmosphere. Mercury can deposit onto soils or surface waters, where they are taken up by plants and ingested by animals. The potency of these toxics magnify up through the food chain in a process called bioaccumulation. Sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides contribute to acid rain. Acid rain has a history of destroying bodies of water and forests. Furthermore, nitrogen oxides, when combined with sunlight, create ozone smog that can trigger asthma attacks. When nitrogen oxides meet with sulfur dioxide they can also create fine particulate matter that gets lodged in the lungs. We are leaving a legacy of destruction, but there is still time for creation to be redeemed by God’s faithful servants. Policies, regulations, and incentives can greatly reduce air pollution and increase the efficiency with which fossil fuels are used. As people of faith, we have a responsibility to protect the air, part of God’s creation, by reducing the contaminants we put in the air. What we can do Reduce your reliance on oil and gas. Commit to walking, biking, carpooling or taking public transportation whenever possible. If purchasing a vehicle, check to make sure that your car meets or exceeds the federal fuel efficiency standards. Advocate for higher federal fuel efficiency standards Replace your incandescent bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs to reduce reliance on coal power plants for electricity and to cut down on your utility bill. Check with your electric company to see if there are clean energy options that your church or home can choose. Advocate for money to invest in energy efficient technologies, and for energy efficient rebates and tax credits for non-profits (churches) and homes. Join with other members in your congregation or neighborhood to test the outdoor air quality. Share these results with other people in your community and with the press. For more information Air- A NCC education and worship resource The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) Environmental Protection Agency More about air pollution on the NCC site Air Pollution Introduction Indoor air quality Outdoor air quality Return to the NCC Environmental Health homepage