POOR AIR QUALITY

1. Beyond large populations, what other factors contribute to poor air quality in Los Angeles and Mexico City?

Thermal inversions

• typically, air is cooler as you gain altitued
• In an inversion, a layer of cool air forms beneath a layer of warm, preventing air to rise and vertically mix

Mexico City is a "casserole dish with a lid on top" -Armado Retama

1. Beyond traffic and transportation problems in both cities, poor air quality is due to thermal inversion layers created by surrounding mountains. These inversion layers have trapped the pollution put out by the cities.

1. Beyond traffic and transportation problems in both cities, poor air quality is due to thermal inversion layers created by surrounding mountains. These inversion layers have trapped the pollution put out by the cities.

2. What are some of the adverse health effects experienced by residents in these cities?

pollution effects

• Air pollution costs California $28 billion annually
• LA pollution-related deaths are more than double the number of car-related deaths (3,800 a year) and in mexico City it is more than 4,000 a year
• In 1991 Mexico City's air was deemed hazardous all but 8 days of that year.

2. The residents of these two communities have had many health issues related to poor air quality. These problems vary from chronic dryness and irritated eyes, to respiratory diseases like asthma. Pollutants have even been linked to changes in blood pressure and heartbeat patterns leading to increased risk for heart attacks.

3. What steps are being taken to improve air quality in these locations?

Mexico City INITIATIVES

• Cut carbon emissions by 80,000 tons a year
• Bike/car share programs
• Every Sunday main boulevard is closed to traffic , creating a safe community space

LA initiatives

• Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) cutting port-generated air pollution
• Clean Truck Programs (CTP) phasing out the use of older, more polluting diesel trucks in favor of cleaner trucks

3. Mexico City as of 2007 has a 15 year plan to become the greenest in the Americas. This started with fuel efficient buses and updated subway systems, to now include electric buses and bike sharing. The LA area, thanks to the NRDC, has enacted plans like the their landmark Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) and Clean Truck Programs (CTP) to help air quality.

questions?