Dear Reader:
There are a myriad of reasons why our industrial lighting contracting company does what it does, including the altruistic purposes for which we ply our craft. The projects in which we engage inevitably result in energy reductions, which in turn has a positive impact on both human beings and the environment.
The Nitric Oxide (NOx) effects are one such reason for our existence. NOx is the leading cause of smog, a major contributor to respiratory disease.
The EPA has published a technical bulleting entitled Nitric Oxides, Why and How They are Controlled, and their narrative as to ‘why’ is interesting:
“EPA regulates only nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as a surrogate for this family of compounds because it is the most prevalent form of NOx in the atmosphere that is generated by anthropogenic (human) activities.
“NO2 is not only an important air pollutant by itself, but also reacts in the atmosphere to form ozone (O3) and acid rain. It is important to note that the ozone that we want to minimize is tropospheric ozone; that is, ozone in the ambient air that we breathe. We are not talking about stratospheric ozone in the upper atmosphere that we cannot breathe. Stratospheric ozone protects us and the troposphere from ionizing radiation coming from the sun.”
“NOx and Sulfur Oxides (SOx) in the atmosphere are captured by moisture to form acid rain. Acid rain, along with cloud and dry deposition, severely affects certain ecosystems and directly affects some segments of our economy. All of these facts indicate an obvious need to reduce NOx emissions.”
We can’t say it better than that. In very simple terms, “while severity of damage depends on the sensitivity of the receptor, acid deposition and NOx “represent a threat to natural resources, ecosystems, visibility, materials, and public health.”
The stuff ain’t good. Regardless of where a person stands on the question of man’s impact on climate change, it’s very difficult to debate whether pollution is bad for people and the environment. This reality drives us to do what we can to reduce energy consumption. When we install an LED lighting system, the reduced kWh’s being pulled off the grid result in reduced Nitric Oxide being generated at the power plant, and this appeals to us.
From Sciencing.com, “… the nitrogen oxides that create acid rain promote the formation of ground-level ozone. While ozone high above the Earth helps block ultraviolet radiation, ground-level ozone promotes severe lung problems like chronic pneumonia and emphysema.”
