LOOK!  UP IN THE SKY!  IT'S A BIRD!  IT'S A PLANE!  NO, IT'S A PARTICULATE!

by Molly Regan



Had a good cough lately and not sure what caused it?  Well, there's a good chance it could be one of those pesky, airborne PARTICULATES.  Just what is a particulate?  Here are a few examples:



When
COAL is mined, transported or burnt, large pieces as well as
microscopic parts are bi-products.  Other human activities cause
particulates to take to the sky.



These microscopic segments play havoc with our lungs.



According to the NATIONAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL at www.nrdc.org,
“Particulate matter includes a wide range of pollutants – ROAD DUST,
DIESEL SOOT, FLY ASH, WOOD SMOKE, AND SULFATE AEROSOLS that are
suspended as particles in the air.  These particles are A MIXTURE
OF VISIBLE AND MICROSCOPIC SOLID PARTICLES AND MINUTE LIQUID DROPLETS
KNOWN AS AEROSOLS.



“COMBUSTION
OF FOSSIL FUELS IS THE PRINCIPLE SOURCE OF FINE PARTICULATE EMISSIONS,
INCLUDING THE BURNING OF COAL, OIL, DIESEL FUEL, GASOLINE AND WOOD IN
TRANSPORTATION, POWER GENERATING AND SPACE HEATING.



“OLD
COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS, INDUSTRIAL BOILERS, DIESEL AND GAS-POWERED
VEHICLES, AND WOOD STOVES ARE THE WORST CULPRITS. HIGH TEMPERATURE
INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES, SUCH AS METAL SMELTING AND STEEL PRODUCTION, ARE
ALSO SIGNIFICANT SOURCES….



“People
cannot choose the air they breathe, BUT THEY CAN CHOOSE CLEANER AND
MORE EFFICIENT ENERGY SOURCES FOR HOME HEATING AND COOLING,
TRANSPORTATION AND APPLIANCES.  Carpooling, recycling, maintaining
automobiles, and insulating homes can make a big difference. 
PERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTION AN INDIVIDUAL CAN TAKE IS TO LIMIT
THE USE OF FIREPLACES AND WOOD BURNING STOVES…CITIZEN SUPPORT FOR CLEAN
AIR PROGRAMS CAN HELP COUNTER INDUSTRY PRESSURE TO WEAKEN THE CLEAN AIR
ACT….”



So look
into your heart and see what you can live without.  If each and
every one of us is willing to change just one behavior this year, less
coughing may result. If we all use less electricity, if we don't fly on
vacation this time, if we shut all lights out when not in use and read
a book on solar power, these can all help out.  OUR LEGACY TO ALL
CHILDEREN SHOULD BE A CLEAN, ILLNESS-FREE ENVIRONMENT.



On another note,
today while listening to RING OF FIRE on Progressive Radio 1270 AM here
in Scott County, there was a REAL news item about our national
parks.  Seems in GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, the government workers
cannot mention that GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE aka GLOBAL WARMING is the
CULPRIT for the park's glacier deteriorating!!!  They also have to
hand out literature on CREATIONISM (as opposed to EVOLUTION)….Once
again, your tax dollars hard at work.



www.ringoffireradio.com
is where you can go to view a wonderful site with BOBBY KENNEDY,
JR.  He is an environmental lawyer who has up to the minute
information on pertinent issues that affect us all.  Check out his
book “CRIMES AGAINST NATURE.”  Will speak about that sometime in
the future.



For now, be sure to administer CPR to our beloved earth: CONSERVE – PARTICIPATE – RECYCLE