As co-chairman of the MARC Regional Air Quality Forum, I have developed an appreciation for our region's need to address the increasing ozone levels. Ozone occurs naturally as a byproduct of a chemical reaction between certain compounds with oxygen in the atmosphere. Ozone is quite harmful to persons with respiratory problems, particularly asthma, that affect one-third of the families in our region.
There are many sources of the compounds that interact to create ozone, but they include byproducts of burning of most fuels. The compounds also originate from solvents and gasoline exposed to the air. We only control one-third of the harmful emissions, with the other two-thirds coming from the natural environment and from other regions of the country through prevailing wind currents.
Because the sources of the harmful compounds are so diverse, it is imperative that each of us does what we can to minimize the presence of these materials in our air. For a list of steps you can take, look at the website of the Mid America Regional Council at www.marc.org/Environment/airQ/.
