Hey, there! Log in / Register

As people stay home and workplaces shut, air pollution goes down

Before and after levels of nitrogen dioxide across the Northeast

NASA has posted some satellite images that show the change in atmospheric levels of nitrogen dioxide - generated by cars and electric plants - over the Northeast. The left image shows the mean of levels between 2015 and 2019; the right, the mean for 2020 so far (NASA provides additional info and caveats at the link).

Neighborhoods: 
Free tagging: 


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

The essential work of our society is still getting done, despite the reduction in work commuter traffic. But hey, I only asked the question of how necessary it was for everybody to clog up the roads at the same times when they could work remotely repeatedly over the last decade. Nobody listen to me, I'm under the age of 60 and thus stupid and underqualified to point out society's inefficencies.

This whole shutdown/distancing thing is a giant rhetorical victory lap for me. It feels really, really good.

up
Voting closed 0

So necessary that the unemployment rate is projected to rise to 25% in MA. When people had to work remotely, 1/4 people don't have a job anymore.

up
Voting closed 0

Sure, people are being fed but 20% of the population is outright unemployed and a large portion of people are lucky enough to have their jobs but aren't able to do much actual work.

Working from home isn't feasible for a majority of people in the long term, nor is social isolation.

That's not too say personal cars aren't a problem, BTW.

up
Voting closed 0

Apparently slick Willy still has a job in this new, cleaner economy.

up
Voting closed 0

In this whole mess is that there will be a new realization that certain roles can function and even thrive remotely. This will of course lead to less pollution, more leisure time, and higher job satisfaction. I’m all for that.

However, gloating about the fact that society is still able function in the face of skyrocketing unemployment is a bad look.

up
Voting closed 0

I bet that’s one job that you cannot do remotely.

And what everyone else wrote.

up
Voting closed 0

Between taking an hour to go 20 miles and 25% unemployment. Let's find it.

up
Voting closed 0

20 mile commute in 1hr? Not ideal, but I'll take it.

up
Voting closed 0

You still haven't offered a single viable solution to unclogging traffic or any middle ground.

up
Voting closed 0

For values of "essential work" that don't include a lot of dentistry and other medical care, but do include the distribution of liquor and ice cream.

My cancelled hair cut may not be part of the essential work of society, but my mother's half-completed dental implants are but one of the many necessary things that can't be done in person.

up
Voting closed 0

Will, I understood what you meant.. saying one word was how you lost everywhere. (like a job interview I had years ago..)

I think what will meant to say is that while there's massive unemployment, some who still have jobs and could work from home are doing so now. I'll leave "productively' out here because productive is relative to who you are talking to.

My company is mostly cloud based, we already had VPN, and stuff like zoom. All our apps are in the cloud, as is our product. So the move to WfH wasn't much, and just an adjustment. Some are adjusting and staying productive, some are not.

And for me, part of my role I can do at home and others I can't. I have a few projects that are on hold because its site visits. And with offices being 'closed', no sense in going on site.

But to Wills point and to better phrase it..

Those who are still employed are still able to work, are working. And it is giving a new look at how much office space do companies need, how employees communicate and collaborate. I think outside of all the sadness and despair, if we do make it out of this.. we will see a drastic change in the workplace.

up
Voting closed 0

And health in general.
Just looking at that chart makes me feel healthy.

up
Voting closed 0

Obviously, less pollution is great. But it's not even close to reasonable to claim that society is continuing to run well.

I live with a teacher. Based on what I see and over-hear, kids are lucky to be learning 25% of what they normally do.

Whatever virtue there is in travel, be it for vacation, for visiting grandma in Florida, for study abroad, for immigration (including American citizens/immigrants who travel home to visit family on occasion), no travel is happening. Airlines also represent a ton of jobs.

My company is doing so-so with everyone working from home. But when we succeed, it's mainly due many of us having having spent months or even years working face to face. Bringing on someone new and expecting them to learn 100% remotely would be very difficult.

I guess we can all live without haircuts, but hard to say it isn't going to change society after a few months.

Construction. Half of this message board is lamenting a lack of affordable housing in Mass. Guess what's mostly not being built? (I actually think affordable housing projects are allowed to continue construction. Not exactly sure).

Dentists. Someone else mentioned dentists. They aren't open, and nobody is driving to appointments.

I'm sure there are 100 examples I'm not thinking of.

Less pollution is great. But I don't' think most of us are ready to live this life forever.

up
Voting closed 0

Seems like a whole lot of Nitrogen Dioxide [NO2] is still emanating from NYC

By the way -- NO2 is generated whenever you burn anything in air including tobacco and Marijuana

Also:
Re: Health effects of Nitrogen Dioxide and relationship to Urban Areas

For the public, chronic exposure to NO2 can cause respiratory effects including airway inflammation in healthy people and increased respiratory symptoms in people with asthma....

Near-roadway (within about 50 metres (160 ft)) concentrations of NO2 have been measured to be approximately 30 to 100% higher than concentrations away from roadways.....Approximately 16% of U.S. housing units are located within 300 feet (91 m) of a major highway, railroad, or airport (approximately 48 million people).

Studies show a connection between breathing elevated short-term NO2 concentrations, and increased visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions for respiratory issues, especially asthma. NO2 exposure concentrations near roadways are of particular concern for susceptible individuals, including asthmatics, children, and the elderly.*1

*1
Article on Nitrogen Dioxide in Wikipedia
Health effects of NO2 exposure

up
Voting closed 0