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bookmark_borderClimate Change Case Study: How to Shutdown a Climate Denier

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by Daniel Brouse
Climate Scientist

Climate Change Case Study:
How to shutdown a climate denier making a “false narrative” political stand

Darren Wolfe is the self-proclaimed “world’s first authoritarian libertarian”

Darren Wolfe
Darren Wolfe

In this study, we show how to prove liars about climate change are lying.

According to an analysis from the Center for American Progress, there are still 139 Republicans in the 117th Congress, including 109 representatives and 30 senators, who refuse to acknowledge the scientific evidence of human-caused climate change. All 139 of these climate-denying Republicans have made recent statements casting doubt on the clear, established scientific consensus that the world is warming—and that human activity is to blame. These same 139 climate-denying Republicans have received more than $61 million in lifetime contributions from the coal, oil, and gas industries.

Darren Wolfe replied: Did human CO2 emissions cause the Medieval Warm Period? How about the Roman Warm Period? Or the Minoan Warm Period? No, they didn’t, just like they aren’t causing the Modern Warm Period now. These are natural cycles the Earth goes through.

I responded:  Wrong. Everything you said is incorrect. I’m a climate scientist. Read my work. This peer reviewed paper addresses your misconception on natural cycles:
Climate Change: How Long Is Ever?

And here is the math if you want to test your knowledge of physics.
Climate Change: Rate of Acceleration

And here is the basic peer reviewed primer (written at an 8th grade level) for help gaining the basic concepts. “Human induced climate change is an exponential component of an unordered system (chaos theory). That means global warming is accelerating at a rapid rate in a complex way.”
Anthropogenic Global Warming: The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

Darren Wolfe replied: I don’t see much but unsubstantiated assertions. There’s no explanation of how CO2 is causing warming. To repeat, the Earth goes through natural warming and cooling cycles. We’re in a warm one now.

The article is wrong about deforestation. Per NASA the Earth is getting greener 
https://www.nasa.gov/…/carbon-dioxide-fertilization…/

Here are 1600 scientists and professionals declaring that there’s no crisis 
https://clintel.org/world-climate-declaration/

Here’s Greenpeace founder, Patrick Moore on the AGW hoax 
Dr. Patrick Moore– Carbon and Climate Catastrophe

I responded: Are you literate? Do you have an education? Did you read my peer reviewed papers? You have not supplied a single scientific nor peer reviewed paper. Everything you have said is incorrect, ignorant, and arrogant. Sorry, but I do not suffer fools gladly. You are a danger to yourself and others. Seek help. Get educated.

By the way, you face potential legal action for posting the clintel link on my timeline. The “paper” is known to be fraudulent. Shame on you.
Fact check: Did 1,200 climate experts sign viral misinformation?

Darren Wolfe responded: Well Mr Educated, is this how you have a discussion? Insulting people and threatening legal action? You haven’t debunked a single point I’ve made. All you do is appeal to authority. BTW, the government spends $billions on climate research. Guess what side of the debate you have to be on to ride that gravy train. You worship that bought and paid for “consensus” while posting articles critical of people connected to oil companies. Both sides have monetary incentives for what they say. Even the writers of peer reviewed papers and the reviewers too. Try looking at the facts yourself and stop the threats and insults. If you’re not interested in discussions why are you posting?

I replied: You weren’t having a discussion. You were spreading lies and misinformation. And, no… there is no appeal to authority. Everything I’ve said and written is based on my own research. Not opinion. Not belief. Our research has nothing to do with government, money, nor consensus. We are the team that first concluded — “Human induced climate change is an exponential component of an unordered system (chaos theory). That means global warming is accelerating at a rapid rate in a complex way. ” So, you are completely off-base in your false assumptions… as well as your personal authoritarian point-of-view. You have yet to ask an intelligent question. If you want to learn the facts and have a meaningful discussion, why not ask some good questions?

Darren Wolfe responded: I guess I’m the world’s first authoritarian libertarian. Anyway, I’m not the one threatening legal action to silence a different POV. Who is the authoritarian now?
Let me repackage what I’ve already posted. Do you agree that the Earth goes through natural warming and cooling cycles that have nothing to do with CO2 emissions?

I replied: No. Not during the existence of humans has the Earth warmed to the levels of July 2023. That’s why I asked you to read my peer reviewed research. You also need to learn the difference between your opinion/point of view and facts. I’m not trying to silence your point of view. I’m trying to silence your dangerous and inaccurate information. What you are doing is equivalent to telling people to ignore the fire alarm in a crowded theater during a fire. So, back to your good question. No. The Earth has never been through a warming cycle like the one caused by burning fossil fuels. Climate Change: How Long Is Ever?

Darren Wolfe responded: Actually it was warmer thousands of years ago coming out of the last ice age
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/…/file/4385537/still_forpost.0.jpg

I replied: No. Again, you do not listen nor learn. Instead you post a misleading link… then make statements that are not true — “Actually it was warmer thousands of years ago coming out of the last ice age.” No. It was not. Shame on you. Your point of view is wrong. You should apologize and change your point of view. More importantly, you should not purposely propagate false and misleading information.

Darren Wolfe responded: What are you talking about misleading? Peak temperatures were reached thousands of years ago. Temperatures have been relatively stable since with a slight downward trend:

“By 5000 to 3000 BC average global temperatures reached their maximum level during the Holocene and are estimated by some to be 1 to 2 degrees Celsius warmer than they are today. Climatologists call this period either the Climatic Optimum or the Holocene Optimum.”

ATMO336 – Fall 2016

I replied: You are an idiot. Once again, you provide a bogus link written by a student years ago… and make false statements about it. You are a liar. You are WRONG. Today’s temperatures are 1.5 degrees C higher than they were 3,000 to 5,000 ago. Sit down and shut up. The next lie you post on my timeline will result in action against you. You are causing harm to my work and reputation by knowingly making false and misleading statements. Cease and Desist.

Darren Wolfe responded: Ja wohl Herr Gestapoman! You really need a shrink. I’m merely trying to have a discussion with you. Are you really so weak and insecure that you can’t handle respectful disagreement? I will cease and desist because I’m tired of your dogma. You win and freedom of speech loses. I hope you’re happy now.

I concluded: No. Freedom of speech wins! Liars lose. This is not a respectful disagreement… this has been an ignoramus making a “false narrative” political stand on a climate scientist’s page.

Climate Denial Part II: Freedom of Speech
Climate Denial Part III: The Climate Denier Syndrome

What you can do today. How to save the planet.

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderInsurance, and the Lack Thereof

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The Washington Post reported, “Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies as climate risks grow“.

“Allstate, American Family, Nationwide, Erie Insurance Group and Berkshire Hathaway — have told regulators that extreme weather patterns caused by climate change have led them to stop writing coverages in some regions, exclude protections from various weather events and raise monthly premiums and deductibles.”

“they will cut out damage caused by hurricanes, wind and hail from policies underwriting property along coastlines and in wildfire country”

“places once considered safe from natural catastrophes could lose crucial insurance protections while their natural disaster exposure expands or intensifies ”

“Allstate said its climate risk mitigation strategy would include “limiting new [auto and property] business … in areas most exposed to hurricanes” and “implementing tropical cyclone and/or wind/hail deductibles or exclusions where appropriate.””

“Nationwide said it no longer underwrites coverage for “properties within a certain distance to the coastline” because of hurricane potential.”

“There’s no place to hide from these severe natural disasters”

“a policy in a region afflicted by hurricanes may exclude coverage for wind or hail damage, or in wildfire country, a policy without fire and smoke protection.”

“Activity has been observed in recent years that has differed from historical norms or modeled expectations.”

More articles on Flood Insurance, Rising Sea Levels and Global Warming.

bookmark_borderClimate Change: Rate of Acceleration

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By Daniel Brouse and Sidd Mukhurjee
August 25, 2023

How fast are humans causing the climate to change? When we started our experiments in the 1990’s, we thought the time scale was in millenniums. If climate change were happening on a linear basis, we would have been correct; however, by the late 90’s we were convinced climate change was non-linear.

By 2020, there was enough data to see the “doubling period” of some anthropogenic climate affects had gone from 100 years to 10 years. For instance the rate of sea level rise has gone from about 1.5 millimeters per year to over 3 millimeters. We expect to see the doubling period to continue to shrink raising the possibility of sea levels rising a foot/year by 2050.

Though the rate of change in climate disasters’ intensity, duration, and likelihood vary according to the type of extreme weather, a “rule-of-thumb” can be derived from the Canada wildfires of 2023. The World Weather Attribution Organization found, “Climate change made the cumulative severity of Québec’s 2023 fire season to the end of July around 50% more intense, and seasons of this severity at least seven times more likely to occur.”

50% more intense
7 x more likely

These numbers may be similar in other catastrophes like hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, floods, tornadoes, and sea level rise.

If the doubling time remains at 10 years, we could see extreme events 100% more intense and/or longer in duration, as well as, 14 times more likely to occur. As mentioned above, we expect the doubling time to be reduced. If the doubling time is 5 years, in ten years we could see 200% more intense and longer extreme weather events being 28 times more likely to occur.

At what rate is climate change accelerating?
A: Rapidly
As described above, we do not know the rate of acceleration other than to say it is more rapid than previously thought. In the summer of 2023, the extreme temperatures left most climate scientists shocked. The average earth surface temperature recorded record highs for months reaching over 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The Paris Agreement calls for keeping temperatures below 1.5 degrees. Scientists concur that a rise of 2 degrees will trigger feedback loops and tipping points. Triggering these tipping points results in the CO2 stored in nature to be released. Though we do not know how much carbon is stored in nature, it would be reasonable to assume that the temperature could be pushed from 3 degrees to 6 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Humans can not thrive above a rise of 1.5 degrees. Humans can not survive if the temperature rises 6 degrees.

About the 2023 wildfires in Hawaii, Governor Josh Green said, “For perspective, we’ve had six fire emergencies this August, we had six fire emergencies between 1953 and 2003. That’s how- how fast things are changing. I know that there is debate out there whether we should be talking about climate change or not. Well, let’s be real world, climate change is here we are in the midst of it with a hotter planet, and fiercer storms.”

About the catastrophic die-off of 10,000 emperor penguin chicks in the Antarctic, Dr. Caroline Holmes of the British Antarctic Survey (an expert on Antarctic sea-ice) said, “What we’re seeing right now is so far outside what we’ve observed previously. We expected change but I don’t think we expected so much change so rapidly.”

What you can do today. How to save the planet.

Climate Change: The End of Times

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderHawaii Wildfires Increased Flow Volumes, Damage, and Deaths

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By Daniel Brouse
August 13, 2023

Physicist Sidd Mukherjee said, “Wind and water flow forces scale as the square of velocity, so as flow speeds increase (say due to more intense heating or heavier rain) the damage scales as the square of the velocity. That force is proportional to density times square of velocity (v^2).”

The hall of historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission are engulfed in flames along Wainee Street on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP)

In the Hawaii wildfires of August 2023, both wind and water flow forces contributed to the devastation. Hurricane Dora was at least 500 miles from Hawaii yet the wind forces impacted the fire in Maui. The winds were so strong that before the fire reached Lahaina extremely hot air blew over the town. The streets were so hot they burnt people’s feet trying to flee. The surface of everything became hot. Even after people jumped into the ocean, they said the debris in the water was too hot to float on.

The blast of hot air over Lahaina created the conditions for a flashpoint. A flashpoint is the temperature at which a particular organic compound gives off sufficient vapor to ignite in air. The entire town ignited so quickly that warning sirens could not be activated and people did not have time to escape.

In an unexpected twist, water flow forces also contributed to the chaos. How could water flow add to the fire emergency conditions? When people fled the heat and fire, they jumped into the sea. ABC news reported: Shawn Dougherty, of Lahaina, was among the hundreds of residents forced to flee the resort city when the wildfire began engulfing their homes.

Like others, Dougherty said his only means of survival was to jump into the ocean with his girlfriend, but while some found safety in nearby jetties, the rocks and coral tore up Dougherty’s body.

“At one point, it seemed like I might drown,” he told ABC News. “I’m a good swimmer, but the water was just really rough because of the wind and the turbulence.”

“By increasing the energy in the system, humans have increased flow volumes, masses and velocities leading to increased damage (and deaths.)” — Brouse and Mukherjee

From: Climate Change: The Equation / Brouse and Mukherjee (2023)

What you can do today. How to save the planet.

Climate Change: The End of Times

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderClimate Change: Increasing the Energy

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by Daniel Brouse and Sidd Mukherjee

Technically Speaking, It’s Not the Momentum That Kills You

It’s not the fall that kills you; it’s the sudden stop at the end.

Technically speaking it is the impact from the momentum that causes damage and deaths. Global warming causes an increase in mass and/or velocity (momentum) of things that are mass flow driven by heat, like wind and flood.

The burning of fossil fuels and other human released emissions have impacted momentum’s impact. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. Warmer air allows for the creation of more massive raindrops. Warmer ocean temperatures create stronger hurricanes. Hail and tornadoes form in strong thunderstorm clouds with intense updrafts, high liquid-water content, and large water droplets.

Sidd added: It’s worse than that. Wind and water flow forces scale as the square of velocity, so as flow speeds increase (say due to more intense heating or heavier rain) the damage scales as the square of the velocity.

About “square of the velocity”, I asked Sidd: is this Bernoulli’s Equation?

Sidd replied:

look at Wikipedia: Drag (Physics)
you will see that force is proportional to density times square of velocity (v^2)

The Drag Equation
So a twenty mile an hour wind exerts four times as much force as a ten mile an hour wind. And a forty mile an hour wind exerts sixteen times as much force as a ten mile an hour wind. A wind of fifty miles an hour exerts twenty five times and a wind of sixty miles an hour exerts thirty six times as much force as one of ten miles an hour. Then you have the density term. Water is about eight hundred times denser than air, So the force exerted by a ten mile an hour flow of water is eight hundred times that of a ten mile an hour wind. So as flow velocities go up due to climate change, force and damage scale as square of the velocities. What is not clear is how much these velocities increase with climate change. But in a sense we are seeing this already as, for example, flood and sewage systems succumb and hillsides fall down, and so on.

Norway Floods 2023

Update — Climate change’s influence on wind flow forces caused more severe damage and deaths. The Maui wildfire of August 2023 is an example. What would have been a fairly routine wildfire was fanned out-of-control by hurricane force winds. One headline read, “Maui fires: Hawaii blazes fanned by Hurricane Dora”. Another headline read, “Hawaii wildfires kill as ‘apocalypse’ hits Maui island”. The New York Times reported, “Gov. Josh Green of Hawaii said on Thursday that the devastating wildfires that swept through western Maui and killed at least 55 people, and possibly many more, were ‘likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history.'”

Also in August of 2023, climate change’s influence on water flow forces caused more severe damage and deaths. AccuWeather reported, “Dam bursts open as deadly flooding washes away homes in Norway. Torrents of water gushed through multiple towns across Norway and landslides cascaded down mountainsides after a deluge drenched Norway.”

Summary

Summary

By increasing the energy in the system, humans have increased flow volumes, masses and velocities leading to increased damage (and deaths.)

Newton’s second law: F = m * a
F = force
m = mass of an object
a = acceleration

Acceleration Formula

From: Climate Change: The Equation / Brouse and Mukherjee (2023)

What you can do today. How to save the planet.

Climate Change: The End of Times

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderClimate Change: the Equation

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By Daniel Brouse
August 5, 2023

I’ve been thinking about the giant global warming formula that has been formulating in my head for the last few decades.

Human induced climate change is an exponential component of an unordered system (chaos theory).

Though the equation is complex… too complicated to write down…

I’ve lately begun considering trying to write down a small part of it:
Tipping points and feedback loops are parts of an equation that determine the rate of acceleration in climate change.

What do you think about this?

(t ² * f ²) nth
or
the domino effect * the snowball effect:
(h cos α−(s+d)sin θi+1) * a(1 + r) x

Acceleration, tipping points etc. I know that no simple formula exists for any of these. The reason you can’t write a formula is because they are chaotic systems. Chaos theory is the study of unordered systems; however, trying to write it down helps me quantify what I see in my mind’s eye.

These formulas are similar to what we imagined in 1995:

Abstract
Earth is in a space-time continuum similar to the vortex of a flushing toilet.

if acceleration = velocity/time
and v = speed of light = 2.9979*10^8 m/s
and for the sake of argument we are accelerating at pi (rounded to 15 decimal places) m/s^2
then time = 95426120.77903860 seconds (rounded to 16 significant digits)
= 1104.468990498130 days
= 3.025942439720910 years = roughly 3 years + 9.5 days as relative to the rotation and revolution of the planet earth.

Important note: this is motion at constant speed in a circle. So the speed of light isn’t changing but the direction of motion is, so there is acceleration (= change in velocity, not speed is the acceleration. Velocity has a direction as well as a magnitude, it is a vector, not a scalar like speed.)

a couple other fundamental physical constants to contemplate:
permitivity of free space = 8.854*10^(-12) C^2/(N*m)
permeability of free space = 4(pi)*10^(-7) Wb/(A*m)

SIDD: the tricky part is .. u cannot maintain a constant acceleration like pi m/s^2 on a massive body

In 2023 Sidd added:
On another note, regarding the permeability mu and permittivity epsilon
… those are deeply related to the speed of light thru maxwell’s equations
c=1/sqrt(mu*epsilon)

As for deep contemplation, let me see, in terms of formal schooling
I deeply contemplated those for two years in undergraduate
and about a year and a half in grad school … made my head very pointy.

What you can do today. How to save the planet.

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderA Tipping Point

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By Daniel Brouse
August 3, 2023

Push a glass toward the edge of a table and eventually it will fall off on its own. No matter how slowly or meticulously you push… no matter how you weight or fill the glass, it will reach a tipping point and fall off before being pushed completely off the table.

No matter whether you believe the glass is half-empty or half-full, when the tipping point is reached it will plummet out-of-control to its end. This is science not fate, faith, nor belief.

Human induced climate change has resulted in environmental tipping points being breached.

Climate Change Tipping Points

What you can do today. How to save the planet.

A song about The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderClimate Change: The End of Times

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by Daniel Brouse
July 21, 2023

What will the “End of Times” look like?

In the 1990’s, we wrote a paper on the worst-case scenario entitled, “The Impact of Governance & Globalization on Forecasting (The Tunnel Under Thesis).” The theory predicted that forecasting would become increasing difficult. “The result — a figurative, as well as, literal tunneling underground.”

Since that time, forecasting has become increasing more difficult. “In general, as energy is added to a system, the fluctuations in the system increase. So, we expect more storms, more droughts, more wildfires, more floods, more fluctuations of all kinds. What we are saying is that weather conditions will become more volatile due to the impact of humans,” said Mukherjee and Brouse. (2004)

In a report published in Nature entitled Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change, data analyst and associate professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Hawaii Manoa, Camilo Mora, said climate hazards aggravated 58% of all known human pathogens. That is over half of infectious diseases discovered since the end of the Roman Empire. 58% of an authoritative list of infectious diseases documented to have impacted humanity have already been shown to be aggravated by climatic hazards — a finding the researchers found “shocking,” Mora said.

Movement of people and animals caused by climate is one factor. Warming at higher latitudes allowed vectors and pathogens to survive winter is another factor. The report goes on to say, “The human pathogenic diseases and transmission pathways aggravated by climatic hazards are too numerous for comprehensive societal adaptations, highlighting the urgent need to work at the source of the problem: reducing GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions.”

This research reveals more evidence that humans will have difficulty adapting to climate change, especially those in developing countries, Mora said. “The magnitude of the vulnerability when you think about one or two diseases — okay, sure, we can deal with that,” he said. “But when you’re talking about 58% of the diseases, and 58% of those diseases can be affected or triggered in 1,000 different ways. So that, to me, was also revealing of the fact that we’re not going to be able to adapt to climate change.”

In 2023, I wrote the paper, “Climate Change: How Long Is ‘Ever’?“. When we wrote the Tunnel Under Thesis, we forecast these events would not happen for centuries. We underestimated Man’s ignorance and arrogance. Fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions have continued to set record highs. Humans have caused chain-reactions resulting in domino-effects, snowball effects, and feedback loops.

Events we thought would not happen in our lifetimes are happening now. My last resort emergency plan was to escape to Canada. (I am a dual citizen.) This summer that plan literally went up in smoke. “Beginning in March 2023, and with increased intensity starting in June, Canada has been affected by an ongoing, record-setting series of wildfires.” — Wikipedia

All of my life I have located my office and bedrooms in the uppermost southern exposure (preferably in the tree canopy.) I love sunlight, elevation, trees, fresh air, and wildlife. It is becoming ever more obvious my dreamlife is coming to an end, and I will be forced to tunnel under. For those forward thinkers, think about your poop. Pumping sewage above ground level will be a major problem at all times. In addition, the inability to pump flood water will become deadly during extreme weather events. In July of 2020 NPR reported, “The remnants of Hurricane Ida dropped unprecedented rainfall on several eastern states, killing dozens of people. Eleven of them were Queens residents who died when their basement apartments flooded.” In August of 2022 CNN reported, “Seoul has vowed to move some of the city’s poorest families out of underground and semi-subterranean homes after 13 people were killed in flooding caused by record rainfall this week, sparking public horror and calls for government accountability.” Drowning in your own poop may result for those unprepared.

Fresh air, water, food, and light will also be problematic; however, your most severe concern will likely be security. Those with supplies will be at high risk of being raped and looted. Good luck!

More From the Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderClimate Change: How Long Is “Ever”?

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By Daniel Brouse
July 8, 2023

How long is “ever”… as in “the hottest it’s ever been in recorded history”?

During the first week of July 2023, the Earth had the hottest days ever.

Humans are about 200,000 years old with our closest variety being dated to about 140,000 years ago. The earliest “recording of history” is approximately 100,000 years old. It is the story of The Seven Sisters of The Pleiades. The Seven Sister are a cluster of stars in the Taurus constellation. There are six stars visible to the naked eye. The story is about seven stars. The seventh star has not been visible to the naked eye for over 100,000 years.

The 20th-century surface temperature average for Earth was 13.9 °C.
In July of 2023 we are seeing average temperatures of 17°C.

Q: Is it possible for humans to push the temperature 3 °C above pre-industrial levels?
A: Yes. Humans have pushed global temperatures up more than 3 °C.

Q: Is it possible for humans to survive at temperatures greater than 3 °C?
A: Probably not long. Humans have never done it before.

Extreme weather will become more frequent and intense. Sea levels will rapidly rise as the coasts disappear. However, the most concerning development will be feedback loops. Plants will become extinct and many carbon sinks will vanish. The Earth’s temperature will continue to accelerate at an exponential rate no matter what humans do. Food, fresh water, and breathable air will cease to exist. Humans will likely follow in short order.

“The increasing heating of our planet caused by fossil fuel use is not unexpected, it was predicted already in the 19th century after all,” said climate scientist Stefan Rahmstorf at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research in Germany. “But it is dangerous for us humans and for the ecosystems we depend on. We need to stop it fast.”

This is our current situation. Not “years away”. Not tomorrow. Today.

Stop burning fossil fuels today, stop exploiting hydrocarbons today, or else….

You replied, “I don’t see anything I can do…!”

I responded, “Here’s what I have done. (Not only have I saved many thousands of dollars, I am also carbon negative.)” — How to go net zero now. Free and easy. Save the planet.

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderHealth Impacts of Air Pollution

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By Daniel Brouse
June 30, 2023

The health impacts of air pollution are both cumulative and irreversible. The more polluted the air, the more severe the effects. The more polluted air you breathe over time, the more severe the effects. That is to say breathing “Moderate” quality air for 3 days might be similar to breathing “Unhealthy for Sensitive Group” quality air for 1 day. In both cases, your respiratory, circulatory, neurological, and immune systems have been damaged. A partial list of ailments include:
Alzheimer’s Disease, asthma, bronchitis, cancer, cataracts, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dementia, developmental damage, emphysema, gastrointestinal disorders, heart ailments, heart attacks, immune system dysfunction (including susceptibility to infections), ischaemic heart disease, impaired brain development in children, kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease, premature death, pneumonia, nasal and upper respiratory tract health problems, neurological disorders, respiratory system failure, skin diseases, strokes

You can (and should) check your local air quality several times a day at AirNow.gov. The air quality index (AQI) goes from 0 to 500. An AQI value of 50 or below represents good air quality, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality.

EPA establishes an AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act. Each of these pollutants has a national air quality standard set by EPA to protect public health:

  • ground-level ozone
  • particle pollution (also known as particulate matter, including PM2.5 and PM10)
  • carbon monoxide
  • sulfur dioxide
  • nitrogen dioxide

Following is an explanation of two of these pollutants — particle pollution and ground-level ozone.

Particulate Matter (PM)

The EPA defines particulate matter (also called particle pollution): the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.

Particle pollution is similar to smoking cigarettes. The more you inhale, the worse it is for you. Also, the more particles in the air you breath, the worse it is for you. Breathing air on a day with an AQI that is unhealthy is similar to smoking a half-pack of cigarettes. If you go running instead of walking, it might be equivalent to smoking 2 packs of cigarettes.

The more particulate matter you breathe in over time, the greater the cumulative effect. The impact on your health will depend on your predisposition. In all cases your risk increases for nasal and upper respiratory tract health problems, heart attacks, strokes, asthma, and bronchitis, as well as premature death from heart ailments, lung disease, and cancer. Studies show that exposure can impair brain development in children and are significantly associated with the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Some of the impacts of particle pollution may be reversed overtime if further exposure to particle pollution is eliminated. After five years of quitting smoking, the risk of developing complications decreases by up to 50%.

The best lifestyle is to avoid particulate matter. Exercise outside only on days with a “Good” AQI under 50. If you must go out on days with an AQI over 50, wear an N95 mask. Indoors build and run a Corsi-Rosenthal Box filter.

Ground-level Ozone

Tropospheric ozone is low level ozone caused by humans. Tropospheric ozone is “bad ozone” that causes health problems in humans, plants to die and other destructive results. (Stratospheric ozone, the good ozone, is the ozone layer in the stratosphere that keeps 95-99% of the suns ultraviolet radiation from striking the earth.)

“Tropospheric ozone is formed by the interaction of sunlight, particularly ultraviolet light, with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which are emitted by automobiles, gasoline vapors, fossil fuel power plants, refineries, and certain other industries.” — National Center for Atmospheric Research

Ozone primarily affects the respiratory and immune systems. The damage is permanent, untreatable and often results in death. The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District reports, “Roughly one out of three people in the U.S. is at risk of experiencing ozone-related health effects.”

The best lifestyle is to avoid ozone exposure. Since heat and ultraviolet light are needed to create ozone, staying indoors offers the best protection. Neither masks nor air purifiers protect from ozone exposure. (Ozone is O3 and almost the same size as Oxygen O2)

REFERENCES
Death by Ozone
COVID-19 and Air Pollution
Ozone Know Zone
Air Pollution Kills
Indoor Air Pollution: How to Purify the Air, Aromatic Plants, and Phytoncides
Corsi-Rosenthal Box filter
The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment