Novi's Air Pollution Crisis

This past summer, Novi went through an unexpected challenge as wildfires from abroad took a toll on our city’s air quality. The usual blue summer skies were covered with smog and dense smoke. But how did the wildfires from Canada affect us so deeply? According to the National Institute of Health, one of the main ways air pollution travels is through transport which is the movement caused by a time-averaged wind flow. Michigan’s poor air quality this past summer is a consequence of pollutants and dense smoke traveling downwards from Canada carried by the wind.

According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, wildfire smoke accounts for about 20 percent of P.M 2.5, particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter that can cause serious health problems when inhaled, in the United States. A dangerous mixture of NO2, PM 2.5, ozone, aromatic hydrocarbons, or lead can be found in wildfire smoke which increases the risk to a human’s respiratory health. Wildfires also contribute to climate change as they release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Canada’s wildfires directly affected Novi’s air quality as the micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter increased from 35 to 100 in the metro Detroit area. The standard for micrograms per cubic is 12 stated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. With the recorded levels being well above the standard of 12 micrograms per cubic meter, there is an increased risk of health effects for residents in affected areas such as Novi and other close communities. The harmful air pollution will have many negative impacts on various systems of the human body of Novi residents, with the most damage done to a human’s respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, and nervous systems. On the respiratory side, pollutants can get trapped in the lungs and airways, causing irritation and inflammation that affects proper lung function by causing harmful symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, phlegm, and chest pain. This, in turn, increases the risk of contracting fatal respiratory diseases such as trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers, worsened asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). On the cardiovascular side, long-term exposure to dangerous pollutants can prematurely age blood vessels and restrict blood flow to the heart which leads to symptoms such as heart palpitations, unusual fatigue, lightheadedness, and chest tightness/pain. As a result, these symptoms increase the risk of deadly cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, heart attacks, arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat), stroke, and cardiac arrest/sudden death. Common air pollutants such as lead and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) can also harm fetal development by increasing a woman's risk for pregnancy complications such as premature birth, low birth weight, miscarriage, and developmental issues in children. As for the body’s central nervous system, airborne pollutants can damage brain structures and lead to a variety of neurological diseases including ischemic stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and other types of dementia.

The most effective way we, as Novi residents, can prevent the air pollution issue from worsening is by reducing our overall energy consumption. This includes using cleaner transportation methods such as carpooling and using buses, establishing an energy-efficient home, power generation, industry, and better municipal waste management, and direct access to clean household energy would all reduce key sources of outdoor and indoor air pollution. By making small, yet impactful lifestyle choices, we can reduce our use of gasoline, natural gas, and electricity in our everyday lives, resulting in a less polluted atmosphere and earth. As stated by biologist Barry Commoner, “Environmental pollution is an incurable disease. It can only be prevented.”