You are both right. -- Columbia County Talk

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Subject: You are both right.

Author:
Ned Depew

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Date Posted: 08:58:42 12/22/05 Thu
In reply to: Gwen 's message, "Re: Some facts for U" on 23:32:51 12/21/05 Wed

It's true that we can't pin-point any specific chemical pollutant as being the "cause" of asthma. Yet we find the sharpest increase in asthma cases in areas where the air is most heavily polluted. So there is a direct, statistical correlation on a large scale between air pollution and asthma. Yet there are anomalies - places where the air is heavily polluted, but asthma has not risen to the same degree.

But there are also some clearly established facts. For instance, we now know unequivocally that even small rises - 10% - in the concentation of the smallest particulate pollution - PM2.5 - even for short durations of an hour or so - leads to increased admissions to hospitals for respiratory distress, including acute asthma attacks. So we know that PM2.5 is a trigger for asthma.

What we can conclude, in spite of our specific ignorance, is that more pollutants in our air have a negative effect on our health - including the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Less pollution is better for us. Its what Tom would call (I would hope) "common sense."

Therefore, whatever can be done to reduce pollution is in our best interests. Certainly there is going to be a point where benefits and costs have to be weighed - but in general I hope we would all agree that protecting the health of our friends, neighbors and family should be the foremost goal, and that reducing pollution - not increasing it at all, even slightly (let alone with some of the most toxic chemicals known to man, like Dioxins) - is essential.

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