Air Quality and Human Health

Good air quality is essential to human health. Local fossil fuel emissions pollute the air and seriously exacerbate problems like asthma, heart disease, and nervous system damage. The use of clean energy technologies can significantly reduce air pollution and improve local human health.

Impact of Emissions on Health

Air pollutants that come from the burning of fossil fuels for electricity production, industrial uses, home heating, and transportation can have the following impacts:

Respiratory Problems
Respiratory problems are exacerbated by all six of the main air pollutants: ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulates, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In particular, ozone can cause serious lung damage when people are exposed to it over long periods of time.

Heart Disease
Emissions like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulates can exacerbate symptoms of heart disease. Particulates are proven cause of increased hospital and emergency room admissions for heart problems.

Nervous System
Carbon monoxide can damage the nervous system when a person is exposed to it over long periods of time.

General Health
Volatile organic compounds that are used in indoor materials like carpets, paints, and solvents can have general negative impacts on people's health. Studies have shown that poor indoor air quality, caused by a combination of VOCs and other design factors like ventilation systems increase the number of sick days people take from work and school.

Environmental Problems
Air pollutants can also have significant impacts on the environment through their creation of smog (from ozone), haze (from particulates), and acid rain (from nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides). Particulates can also alter soil and water composition, impacting ecosystems and agricultural practices.

Air Quality Today

Air quality varies greatly in different locations. For example, people in cities are often exposed to more direct emissions than people in rural areas. In New England, air quality is surprisingly poor. The rates of asthma and other respiratory disease in the region exceed those of any other region in the country. Pollution sources within New England are partially to blame, but recent studies have shown that additional emissions are carried by air streams from the Midwest and settle in New England. Visit the Environment in Massachusetts section to learn more.

How Clean Energy Can Help

Electricity production plays a smaller role in air quality than other sources like transportation, but its role is not insignificant. Most clean energy technologies used to produce electricity do not produce air pollution emissions, so they can help greatly in improving air quality. Other solutions like energy efficiency and green building can also have significant impacts, reducing emissions from electricity and heat production and improving indoor air quality.

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