Air quality and asthma in Black communities in Los Angeles

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Call-to-Action Air quality and asthma in Black communities in Los Angeles In this case, the Black Atlantic environment has been chosen because these of the regions that have been most affected by the issues revolving around climate change, specifically air quality concerns. The environmental issues have not just been looked at as health issues but can also be considered racial justice issues. When the environmental hazards tend to be more detrimental to the more under-represented populations, there will be the need to analyze pollution data in the context of the communities which they affect. For example, the Latinos, African Americans, Asians, and the low-income people in California are said to be breathing in more tailpipe pollution as compared to the other demographic groups in the state. This puts them at increased risk of more health problems.

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The magnitude of the problem Averagely, it has been established that the Latinos and African Americans breathe in about 40 percent of particulate matter from buses, trucks, cars as compared to the white Californians, as unveiled by the Union of the concerned scientists. The Asians are exposed to about 20 percent more pollution. Households that are said to be earning less than $20,000 every year and people who do not own cars are said to suffer vehicle pollution levels of about 20 percent higher than the state average. Even in the less polluted regions such as San Francisco Bay, poor communities such as Wesk Oaklands are said to be exposed to greater vehicle pollution levels. Such communities are likely to be contending with disproportionately high levels of other sources such as warehouse delivery trucks, factories, shipyards, aviation, and agriculture. The industries are located closer to the poorer neighborhoods. This is a problem that Los Angeles and California, in general, have faced for decades (ACTNEWS, 2020). The lowincome communities of color are said to be bearing a disproportionate burden from air pollution, and the air pollution that is related to vehicle traffic is the source of most of the problem.

Call to Action In an attempt to address the inequities and address the concerns surrounding air pollution among the minority, there will be the need to move quickly to reduce the effect of diesel vehicles for transporting goods. The relevant stakeholders such as California Air Resources Board are supposed to move very fast to mandate zero-emission buses by 2029 and aggressive efforts to reduce emissions in the commercial transport sector. At the state level, there should even be more initiative to expand on efforts meant to encourage the use of personal electric vehicles, this focusing specifically on developing infrastructure for electric vehicle charging in the low and densely populated areas (Pacific Standard, 2019).

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The sources of pollution in the region are wide, which calls for joint efforts to control the alarming trajectories. There are simple steps that individuals can even take in the process. For instance, people can be encouraged to walk or ride a bike and take public transportation or carpool when possible. They should organize and condense errands into one trip, telecommute if possible, drive less, and this mostly applies on days with unhealthy air. People in Los Angeles should also come together to support the smog check program. When it the market for a new car, people should be encouraged to look for the most efficient lowest-polluting vehicle, or even a zero-emission electric car (Gabbe, 2018). At all times, there will be the need to harness the power of the sun, open the blinds and turn off the lights. There should also be a call to action for the people to use an EPA-approved wood-burning stove or fireplace insert, do not use your wood stove or fireplace on days with unhealthy air (Zhao, Chen & Zhou, 2018). People should plant trees, store all solvents in air-tight containers, print, and photocopy on all sides of the paper, among other initiatives that can be taken at a personal level.

There are already some policies in place that are helping to reduce air pollution. For instance, the Clean Air Act has been put in place and is supposed to focus air pollution efforts on six air pollutants found across the state that are known to harm human health. These include lead, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, and particulate matter. As much as Los Angeles meets the standard for nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, there will be the need to regulate the emissions because they are the precursors for particulate matter and ozone formation.

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References ACTNEWS. (2020). Los Angeles Takes Steps to Improve Air Quality and Public Health.

Retrieved from https://www.act-news.com/news/los-angeles-takes-steps-to-improve-airquality-and-public-health/ Gabbe, C. J. (2018). Residential zoning and near-roadway air pollution: An analysis of Los Angeles. Sustainable Cities and Society, 42, 611-621.

Pacific Standard. (2019). HOW MUCH HAS CALIFORNIA'S WAR ON AIR POLLUTION REDUCED ASTHMA RATES? Retrieved from https://psmag.com/environment/howmuch-has-californias-war-on-air-pollution-reduced-asthma-rates Zhao, B., Chen, C., & Zhou, B. (2018). Is there a timelier solution to air pollution in today's cities? The Lancet Planetary Health, 2(6), e240.