Lately it seems as if our society has returned to simpler times. Without the mad dash to work, school or extracurricular activities, an increasing number of Arkansans have settled into new routines.
Families are gathering together for multiple meals each day. Stir-crazy kids are taking socially distanced-approved afternoon bike rides around their neighborhoods. And, when able, adults are ditching their car keys for leisurely strolls to pick up curbside meals from their favorite restaurants.
In many cases, the coronavirus has wreaked havoc on our daily lives. It has placed undue strains on our mental health, personal finances and, perhaps most acutely, our state's economy. But in a small and poignant way, covid-19 has allowed us to grasp the impact of our collective power, particularly when it comes to protecting our environment.
Since the 1970s, the U.S. has focused on enhancing its air quality with the passage of landmark legislation, most notably the Clean Air Act. And its efforts are paying off with consistent and significant environmental benefits. As Peter DeCarlo, an atmospheric air pollution expert at Johns Hopkins, recently noted, "We've essentially had 50 years of effort in trying to improve air quality in the U.S., and we've done a fairly good job ... . Particulate matter levels are down. Ozone levels are down."
Yet, despite our continued progress, DeCarlo said the country is still suffering from high levels of pollution and harmful ground-level ozone. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this is causing many Americans to suffer from long-term negative health effects, such as asthma, chest pain, coughing, throat irritation and congestion. It's also putting our nation's most vulnerable populations at risk of developing serious respiratory illnesses or related complications, including from covid-19.
In a matter of weeks, that has changed in a rapid and dramatic fashion. With the world in a coronavirus-induced lockdown, we've experienced a massive drop in air pollution. Roads have emptied, workplaces have shifted to telecommuting and, as the World Economic Forum and Reuters noted, the world's most polluted cities are "seeing something they have not experienced in years: clean air" as a result.
While temporary, this reduction in carbon emissions sheds a light on the pervasive and meaningful impact our lifestyle choices can make on our environment and the air we breathe.
For years now, Metroplan, with the help of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas Department of Transportation, has encouraged Central Arkansas residents to take these types of voluntary emission-reduction actions to help keep our region in compliance with federal air-quality standards.
Coronavirus or not, we hope Arkansans will continue to follow these newly adopted habits. Now through September, we encourage all residents to use alternate modes of transportation and visit ditchthekeys.com to see how their daily choices can help reduce harmful ground-level ozone. Together, we can help ensure cleaner air for our region--not only during this pandemic, but for years to come.
------------v------------
Tab Townsell is the executive director of Metroplan, an association of local governments that serves as a regional voice on issues affecting Central Arkansas for its members in Pulaski, Faulkner, Saline, Lonoke and Grant counties.
Editorial on 05/28/2020