Ozone 20 - 30 miles above the earth's surface is good.

Ozone 20 - 30 FEET above the earth's surface can be deadly!

The environment is a passive entity. It has no will or volition of its own. Therefore, whatever we do to it changes it; and we're now aware of the fact that some things we do change the environment in such a way that it will have negative consequences for human well-being sometime on down the road.

One of those things we can do that can and will change (and has been changing) the environment (for the worse) is for us to use machines, such as internal combustion engines, which emit pollutants and toxins into our atmosphere (also in many important cases, into the water supply; see Chesapeake Bay).

As is evidenced by countless scientific studies, performed to the highest modern standards, excessive concentrations of carcinogens (such as tar and the soot found in chimney smoke) have lasting and detrimental effects on human health. Ozone may not be as bad as other noxious gases, but it is one of many other such pollutants that cause harm to living organisms when present in a high concentration (measured in parts per million or parts per billion).

Ozone is not emitted direcly by cars or industrial manufacturing plants. But the toxins they do release, when bombarded by sunlight, especially "during hot, dry, stagnant summertime conditions " are chemically altered to form Ozone (according to the EPA). This is why Ground Level Ozone is sometimes known as the "summertime air pollutant."

Here's what the most up-to-date science is telling us:

Why over-concentration - of Ozone (O3) Molecules

in the lower atmosphere - is harmful to human / plant health:

• Ground-level or "bad" ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight. - EPA
• Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOx and VOC. - EPA
• Breathing in ozone, a primary component of smog, can trigger a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation and congestion. It can worsen bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. Ground-level ozone also can reduce lung function and inflame the linings of the lungs. Repeated exposure may permanently scar lung tissue. - EPA
• The World Health Organization regards ground level ozone as "a pollutant." Obviously the EPA knows of its harmful effects and has documented and studied its adverse health effects whenever humans or plants are exposed to exceedingly high levels of ozone. - wikipedia.org
• According to scientists with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, susceptible people can be adversely affected by ozone levels as low as 40 ppb. - from wikipedia.org - and according to the EPA's findings, ground level ozone concentrations commonly go as high as 80 ppb on a daily basis in certain regions on the United States (and, surely, abroad, as well). Yikes - we go over this threshold daily in some places!
• Ground-level ozone also damages vegetation and ecosystems. In the United States alone, ozone is responsible for an estimated $500 million in reduced crop production each year. - EPA

500 million dollars. That's half a billion dollars worth of damaged crops! Those farmers could sure use a helping hand, and also, judging by the fact that in many parts of the globe there is an ongoing food shortage, the world-wide community of global citizens (if we are all indeed one big human family; all related and from a line of common decent; all going back to nature), we can use a new, stronger regulation too!

Here you can see the discoloraton and obvious damage to this plant (the Red Alder), which was caused by exposure to over-exposure to the pollutant known as Ground Level Ozone (courtesy of wikipedia).

So what's the real story? Who will win this time around?

The EPA and Our Common Health vs. Big Polluters (with money in mind)

The EPA has made the recommendation that we re-set the maximum allowed concentration of ozone from .075 ppm to at least .070 ppm, and preferably, considering the fact that human health can be jeapordized at only .040 ppm, they suggest a maximum allowance of .060 ppm.

Since "there is a great deal of evidence to show that high concentrations of ozone, created by high concentrations of pollution and daylight UV rays at the Earth's surface, can harm lung function and irritate the respiratory system," it is our moral obligation to try to curb our emmisions and set a more appropriate standard for ground level ozone concentrations. So we can protect that which is most precious:

Human Life and Happiness! (which are directly tied to health!)

Let's hope Congress hears our plea for protection from Big Polluters and Listens to the EPA's pertinent warnings!

And for more up-to-date articles on all the important green matters

(environmentalism and sustainability)

Go to the Green Section of GettingOutside.com!