NASA Satellites Reveal Decline in U.S. Coal Pollution

NASA /Public Domain

NASA's satellite imaging systems are great for examining a variety of environment stuff: mapping ocean ice extent, revealing the impact of mountaintop removal mining, monitoring oil spills, and, now, analyzing polluting of the environment released from coal plants. As you are likely aware, coal-fired energy plants emit some seriously nasty contaminants (mercury, sulfur, etc) additionally to hefty levels of co2.

And, based on research completed using newer and more effective NASA satellite images, a minumum of one of individuals contaminants, sulfur dioxide, has registered a steep decline recently. That is great news, since it will happen cause acidity rain and myriad respiratory system worries.

Begin to see the pre and post images below:

NASA/Public Domain

Nice, right Then one that everybody can concur: Less acidity rain, less health risks for that public, cleaner air. What exactly lead these coal plants to lower their SO2 pollutants Works out it had been a terrifying, job-killing, freedom-obliterating cap and trade system!

Science Daily reviews:

The researchers attribute the decline in sulfur dioxide towards the Climate Interstate Rule, a guide went by the U.S. Environment Protection Agency in 2005 that known as for deep cuts in sulfur dioxide pollutants. In reaction to that particular rule, many energy plants within the U . s . States have installed desulfurization products and brought other steps to limit the discharge of sulfur dioxide. The rule put a cap on pollutants, but left up to energy companies to find out how you can reduce pollutants and permitted companies to trade pollution credits.

And lo and behold: the CAI rule, passed within the thick of Bush's presidency, didn't result in mass joblessness or even the lights heading out nationwide. Actually, employees needed to install individuals desulfurization products, which most likely led to a internet job gain. And after, less acidity rain and respiratory system illness!

This really is, on the more compact scale, what can happen if cap and trade were passed to curb carbon pollutants: Economically, hardly any. But we'd silently and effectively start to lessen the carbon pollution that's leading to global global warming. Permit this to be considered a lesson to all of us ... but especially to conservatives who incorrectly think that anything cap and trade touches will become tax hikes and economic ruin.

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