Fog and Pollution
So it’s early morning and you are walking out your door on your way to work and notice it’s one of those foggy mornings. You would hardly say to yourself…yay! its foggy! I know I hate driving in it, and i think most people would think of it as a nuisance on their daily commute. It’s definitely a contributing factor to car accidents due to poor visibility. So fog basically has gotten a bad rap.
But there is some good news about foggy mornings, recently scientists have revealed that fog may actually be helping clean up our polluted skies. This is especially good for people with respiratory health problems. It helps clear up airborne particles which are hazardous to them. Knowing that there is a link between fog and pollution in that it helps cleanup the air helps me to appreciate fog a little more.
There are all different kinds of fog around the world but the kind responsible for air pollution cleanup is called radiation fog or ground fog which is mostly occurs in the morning.
So here’s how it works: on a clear night, heat from the ground radiates into space, leaving cool air just above the ground. When the air reaches a specific temperature, water droplets form surrounding the pollution particles which creates radiation fog. Later, when the sun rises, it evaporates the water droplets, cleaning the particles out of the air. Left behind on the ground are the dirt and dust.
I found out California is actually one of the 5 foggiest land areas in the world. The bay area is pretty densely populated and air pollution is high due to cars, buses, airplanes, construction, and industry. So this fogginess is actually a good thing for the area.
If you live in the city, the next time you see fog draping over the ground you can take a deep cleansing breath and know it’s as fresh as its gonna get!
Thoughts, Comments, Questions…
Just living life in Portland, Oregon and enjoying every day that goes by. I love the environment, and I love community, and I love being able to share my experiences and perspective with the world.
