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Surprising Science

Air Pollution Worse Than Oil Spills

“The Gulf oil spill ranks as the nation’s worst environmental disaster only if you ignore the great ongoing spill in the sky.” The L.A. Times says air pollution gets a pass, but shouldn’t.

“The Gulf oil spill ranks as the nation’s worst environmental disaster only if you ignore the great ongoing spill in the sky.” The L.A. Times says air pollution gets a pass, but shouldn’t. “What a relief it will be when the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico gets plugged, ending the colossal mess caused by gushing crude. Or will it? Once the spill stops, oil will resume flowing as it always has, to be burned in engines, released to the sky and breathed deep into our bodies. We know now that these emissions contribute to a longer-term and perhaps ultimately more dangerous form of pollution — climate change. As deadly as the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe is, the pollution pales in comparison with the hydrocarbons spilling into the air over our cities, farms and highways.”


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