Ambient Air
On average, each of us breathes over 3,000 gallons of air each day.*1 This is important when you think about the quality of the air we breathe or how clean it is. Air pollution is any unwanted substance in the air in amounts that cause harm to human health and the environment. Dirty air can make people, animals and plants sick.
Ambient (Outdoor) Air
Air pollution enters the outdoor air from natural sources or human activities. Natural sources of air pollution include forest fires, dust, and volcanoes. The majority of air pollutants, however, come from human activities which burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas.
Air pollution is especially a big problem in cities; however, dirty air affects everything on earth. Scientists are finding that air pollution in one area can be swept up into high level air currents and travel long distances, even to other countries and across the oceans. Some of the effects of human activity on the air are seen in the formation of smog and acid rain and with the depletion of the ozone layer. It is also believed that air pollution, such as greenhouse gases, contributes to climate change.
Things you can do to reduce air pollution:
- Choose to walk, ride a bike, or carpool to get where you are going.
- Save energy by turning off lights, televisions and computers when leaving the room.
- Plant a tree. Trees absorb the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from the air.
- Read about the environment and find more ways to help the planet.
*1 Information from the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air and Radiation
Outdoor Burning
Burn Wise is a voluntary partnership program between EPA, state agencies, manufacturers and consumers to emphasize the importance of burning the right wood, the right way, in the right appliance. The KBIC Natural Resources Department has on hand Burn Wise material if you are interested in learning more about best burn practices, health effects of wood smoke, and choosing the correct appliance. Also, below is the link to the EPA’s Burn Wise website.
Education regarding the effects of wood smoke is an important component in reducing pollution on the L’Anse Indian Reservation. On May 26, 2016 the Tribal Council adopted the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Waste Management Ordinance. This ordinance is in place to ensure that the people of the L’Anse Indian Reservation practice efficient, practicable, environmentally-sound, and nuisance-free waste management practices. A copy of this ordinance is below:
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Waste Management Ordinance
If you have any questions or concerns regarding outdoor burning, please contact the Natural Resources Department at: (906) 524-5757 ext. 16.