My Abstract Yo.

Air pollution and traffic corridors are a problem that has been increasing over the years. Air pollution primarily comes from six different particulate pollutants. These pollutants include, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and lead. Traffic corridors are urban neighborhoods that see a lot of traffic. Traffic corridors can cause air pollution; which will increase the risk of human health problems. Traffic corridors are often located in lower income neighborhoods, causing habitants to have potentially greater health problems. This paper will go in depth about the different pollutants and what kind of negative affects they have on human health.

Traffic corridors are sometimes referred to as asthma corridors because of the different health issues associated with living by urban areas with heavy traffic. “Nine percent of all childhood asthma cases in Long Beach and six percent in Riverside were attributable to traffic proximity.³” “Approximately 1,400 yearly episodes of asthma-related bronchitis episodes in Long Beach (21 percent of the total) were caused by the contribution of ship emissions to nitrogen dioxide levels in the city.³” Air pollution is contributing to an increasing amount of health related issues, and a lot of the air pollution is concentrated in these traffic corridors.

We are burning fossil fuels at an alarming rate, and if we continue, the levels of CO2 will continue to climb. The rising CO2 levels increase air pollution; which contributes to deteriorating human health. We need to find an efficient way to ease off our CO2 dependence by looking for alternative fuels. We need to realize that it’s not only the environment we’re hurting; we’re hurting ourselves. We are contributing to the respiratory illnesses, childhood asthma, lung disease, heart disease and so many more human health issues. The worst part is that these illnesses are affecting people that live in traffic corridors, people that don’t necessarily live in the best neighborhoods or have the ability to go to the doctor all the time.

If traffic corridors continue, the health of nearby residents will dramatically decrease. With less carbon emissions and less pollutants in the air, residents will have less medical problems.

Pull Quote:

"The rising CO2 levels increase air pollution; which contributes to deteriorating human health."