A Note to My Leaf-Burning Neighbors
AUTUMN
Ah…who doesn’t love the nostalgic scent of burning leaves in the fall?
Answer: Anyone with lungs!
It’s Autumn in Indiana and my woodsy neighborhood is filled with fallen leaves. Many of my neighbors are recycling them by mulching them into their lawns or gardens or hiring crews to pick them up. Some others, are piling them up and setting them ablaze, and by doing so filling the air with poisonous toxins and choking ash.
IT’S JUST ONE LITTLE FIRE
What damage can one little fire cause?
It’s not just one little fire…it’s several since we live in an addition with dozens of houses and hundreds of leaf-dropping trees. The point is that “multiple fires in one geographic area can cause concentrations of air pollutants that exceed federal air quality standards” – at least until the current EPA decides that the right of citizens to breathe is just not a priority.
And, about those lungs…
Besides being an irritant, leaf smoke contains many hazardous chemicals, including carbon monoxide and benzo(a)pyrene. Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin in the bloodstream and thus reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood and lungs. So carbon monoxide can be very dangerous for young CONTINUE READING: A Note to My Leaf-Burning Neighbors | Live Long and Prosper
