Oxygen is the essence of life. From the moment we’re born, oxygen becomes the most important chemical we’ll need throughout our entire lives. Making up over 20% of the Earth’s atmosphere, oxygen is an integral part of all living things. However, in the past 200 years, it has been compromised by a slow and powerful force: air pollution. Air pollution is a significant problem that affects millions of people worldwide. In the United States alone, over 100,000 people die from health problems created by man-made pollutants infecting our air (Neuhauser). While it’s certainly an enormous cause for concern, there are many solutions to solving our air-quality crisis, most of which have to do with eliminating fossil fuels. 

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Modern society has grown accustomed to the convenience and efficiency of fossil fuels. Found in the Earth’s crust, these fuels can be burned for energy, allowing us to drive our cars and power our homes. Unfortunately, fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource and make up three-fourths of all human emissions. With the fear of running out of this resource and polluting our atmosphere beyond repair, scientists have been looking for a cleaner and healthier way to fuel our planet and significantly reduce pollution levels. 

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The human reliance on fossil fuels is largely due to the use of our vehicles. Transportation is a necessary part of our day-to-day lives. However, the amount of greenhouse gasses that are released into the atmosphere due to our vehicles is staggering. The Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit organization with a mission to use science to solve our planet’s most pressing issues. They recently expressed their concerns regarding vehicular pollution. According to them, transportation emits more than half of the Earth’s nitrogen oxides in our air. So what is a solution to the transportation issue? 

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All around the world, people are discussing the subject of electric vehicles as a solution to climate change and air pollution. Hybrid and electric cars seem to be the future of transportation. Introducing a vehicle that requires zero consumption of fossil fuels would radically improve the environment and the air we breathe. In fact, according to Earth.org, “if all cars on the road became electric, we could cut almost one-fifth of global emissions” (Igini). The solution sounds like a dream come true. However, after shopping around online for a few minutes, I discovered that the average price of an electric car is over $65,000, a price tag that does not cater to the average person’s budget. The solution to this escalating issue lies in the hands of policy-makers and manufacturers alike. With the help of our government, we can enforce price-caps for brands like Tesla, who are micro monopolies in the auto industry. For the sake of our environment, electric vehicles should be commercially available to every-day citizens; not just millionaires and Elon Musk enthusiasts. 

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Promoting the use of public transportation is another step that our government could take to cut down on air pollutants in the United States. We have already seen the success of public transportation in major cities, such as the New York Subway, or Salt Lake’s TRAX system. These systems allow for inexpensive commuting and create less of a need for private vehicles, which ultimately cuts down on our carbon footprint. In fact, according to the American Public Transportation Association, “a single person switching from a personal car to public transport can reduce their household carbon footprint by up to 30 percent” (APTA). Unfortunately, public transportation is an imperfect system and there needs to be changes in which these systems run.

While public transport is affordable, especially when compared to owning a personal vehicle, it’s not the most convenient way to get around. For example, the Redwood campus of Salt Lake Community College, Utah’s largest two-year college, does not have easy access to the state’s light rail system, making it difficult to commute without a car. With that in mind, I believe that the government should implement an initiative act that creates more opportunities and promotes the use of public transport, which would include providing free public transport to all citizens living in major cities. If we raised the gas tax by 3.5 cents, the country would receive an additional $109 million per year (Barry). The government could use that money to pay public transport fees, including drivers and mechanics, making bus fares and train passes completely free to the public. This is not a difficult goal to achieve. In March of 2020, Luxembourg, which contained the largest number of cars per population in Europe, became the first country to make its public transport systems free to all citizens (Walsh). As Europe continues to lead the way in the race to reduce air pollution, the U.S. must follow suit. 

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 Although public transport systems are environmentally safer than alternative methods of transportation, they still emit greenhouse gasses, contributing to our carbon footprint. To achieve the goal of zero-emissions on our streets, we must find a solution to make public transport safer for the air. The electric bus is a relatively new innovation which is being used in cities like Denver and Portland. Proterra is the leading electric bus supplier in the EV technology industry, and, according to their website,”electric transit buses…have displaced more than 100 million pounds of carbon emissions” (Proterra). This is a massive shift in the right direction and, with the help of government efforts, our entire country could be utilizing these buses, replacing the majority of diesel-fueled public transport. 

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Another large contributor to the greenhouse gasses enveloping our atmosphere is industrial air pollution. Chemical plants, oil refineries, and steel mills are a major source of hazardous air pollutants. A study conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency shows that, in 2020, 24% of greenhouse gasses primarily came from industries burning fossil fuels for energy (EPA).  A step we can take to reduce air pollution is to improve the efficiency of these industrial processes. This can be achieved through the use of cleaner technologies, better waste management practices, and more efficient production processes. By implementing policies that promote clean energy, such as wind and solar power, we can reduce air pollutants caused by industrial sites and move one step closer to our goal of clean air. 

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The most simple and effective way to lower our country’s consumption of fossil fuels is to educate people about the dangers of air pollution and the steps they can take to reduce it. By raising awareness and promoting environmental literacy, we can encourage individuals to make more sustainable choices and advocate for change on a larger scale. We, the people, have more power than we give ourselves credit for. By applying pressure onto state legislators and local representatives, we can gain support in the efforts to cut emissions and reduce carbon pollution. 

Oxygen is the essence of life. It keeps us alive every day, and it’s something we might take for granted. Allowing the burning of fossil fuels to jeopardize the very air we breathe is not an option. It is essential that we take measures to reduce air pollution through individual actions, policy change, and education. By doing so, we can improve public health, protect our environment, and create a more sustainable future for ourselves and future generations. 

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Works Cited

 

APTA (American Public Transportation Association). “Public Transportation’s Contribution to U.S. Greenhouse Gas Reduction.” September 2007. apta.com/wp-content/uploads/Resources/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/climate_change.pdf

 

Barry, Ellen. “Should Public Transit Be Free? More Cities Say, Why Not?” The New York Times. August 15, 2020. nytimes.com/2020/01/14/us/free-public-transit.html

 

EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). “Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” 2020. www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

 

Igini, Martina. “Why Electric Cars are Better for the Environment.” February 16, 2023. earth.org/electric-cars-environment/

 

Neuhauser, Alan. “100,000 Americans Die from Air Pollution, Study Finds.” April 8, 2019. US News. usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2019-04-08/100-000-americans-die-from-air-pollution-study-finds

 

Proterra. “Proterra E-Buses Have Cut Out 100M Lbs. of Carbon Emissions.” September 21, 2021. proterra.com/blog/proterra-e-buses-cut-100m-lbs-of-carbon-emissions/

 

Union of Concerned Scientists. “Cars, Trucks, Buses, and Air Pollution.” July 23, 2008. ucsusa.org/resources/cars-trucks-buses-and-air-pollution

 

Walsh, Niall Patrick. “Should Cities Make Public Transport Free?” January 20, 2020. ArchDaily. archdaily.com/932193/should-cities-make-public-transport-free#:~:text=The%20move%20to%20make%20public%20transport%20free%20has,for%20savings%20on%20fare%20collection%2C%20policing%2C%20and%20administration.