Wed
Aug 11 2010
07:26 am
Orange alert, day 3
By: R. Neal
THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION HAS ISSUED A CODE ORANGE AIR QUALITY ACTION DAY FOR THE KNOXVILLE AREA. AN AIR QUALITY ACTION DAY MEANS THAT GROUND LEVEL OZONE CONCENTRATIONS WITHIN THE REGION MAY APPROACH OR EXCEED UNHEALTHY STANDARDS.

Our thermometers showed it only got down to 80 last night, and the forecast calls for another high of 95 today. It's hot. The heat, stagnant air and nitrogen oxide emissions from cars and coal-fired power plants* (running at peak demand to keep our AC on) are the primary causes of elevated ground level ozone. At the rate we're going it could be a record year for "orange alerts."

(*To TVA's credit, scrubbers have reduced NOx emissions to one tenth the level they were in 1995. It's hard to imagine how bad it would be right now otherwise.)

Topics:
reform4's picture

Ozone / NOX

Submitted by reform4 on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 8:13am.

(*To TVA's credit, scrubbers have reduced NOx emissions to one tenth the level they were in 1995. It's hard to imagine how bad it would be right now otherwise.)

TVA's done a lot, but keep in mind the Tennessee Valley's airshed extends all the way through the Ohio Valley and the midwest Rust Belt.

R. Neal's picture

Good point. Somewhat related,

Submitted by R. Neal on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 8:33am.

Good point.

Somewhat related, here are the nationwide air quality "Action Day" alerts for today:

Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, NC
Chattanooga, TN
Cincinnati, OH
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
Great Smoky Mtns. Natl. Park - NC, TN
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX
Knoxville, TN
Liberty/Clairton area, PA
Pittsburgh, PA

reform4's picture

Or graphically...

Submitted by reform4 on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 12:14pm.

...http://airnow.gov/

You can also sign up for air quality alerts to your email or cellphone (click on the "Enviroflash" link).

Ignore the twitter feed, though.

michael kaplan's picture

i noticed that, to mark the

Submitted by michael kaplan on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 1:27pm.

i noticed that, to mark the day, many drivers are again leaving their engines idle while their cars are parked (and locked) at shopping centers.

michael kaplan's picture

really? didn't know there was

Submitted by michael kaplan on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 4:57pm.

really? didn't know there was a state more progressive than tennessee ..

Nelle's picture

Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Submitted by Nelle on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 7:12pm.

Thanks for the laugh, Michael :)

bizgrrl's picture

The fine is for leaving your

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2010/08/12 - 9:33am.

The fine is for leaving your car running with no one in it? Do they fine you if someone (or an animal) is in the car?

redmondkr's picture

Aniweather is a nice Firefox

Submitted by redmondkr on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 2:05pm.

Aniweather is a nice Firefox extension that puts icons in your status bar for alerts, radar, precipitation probability, a national temperature map, present conditions, and forecasts. The air quality alert icon has been flashing for days now.

Rachel's picture

Once again I feel guilty

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 4:19pm.

Once again I feel guilty about running my A/C. Once again, I'm not turning it off. I just can't take this heat.

And yesterday when I spent the afternoon running errands, the bad air really messed with my sinuses. Another reason to sit in the A/C in the house.

And yes, I know I'm contributing to the very problem I'm running from. I'm trying to console myself with the thought that at least our two vehicles are a hybrid and a bicycle.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

Let's bring back "The Sleeping Porch"

Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 4:40pm.

Remember how Southern homes of old always had a "sleeping porch" on the rear?

Well, our big 'ol rear covered porch isn't screened in like those, but I used it last month for just that. It took three repairs in July to get our (10 year old) central a/c working again, which meant that for a period of three or so weeks, we were without air more often than we were with it.

It was a joy. Our furnishings out back include a pair of chaise lounges, anyway, so I just cozied up in one under only a fleece throw, and got to wake up at first light to birds twittering.

It had been awhile since I'd taken a camping trip. I'd forgotten the small pleasure of waking up outside. And who gives a flip what the neighbors think :-)

michael kaplan's picture

because of the decent

Submitted by michael kaplan on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 5:01pm.

because of the decent insulation and adequate overhangs in this house, i've been able to turn off the a/c between about midnight and noon. i've been opening the windows during that time, but starting closing them the last few days.

Pam Strickland's picture

My asthma forces me to keep

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 7:59pm.

My asthma forces me to keep the A/C running in spite of my hate of the result. At least until about two weeks ago, I kept the thermostat set on 79. But with the heat indexes over 100 that's not been cutting it Ceiling fans in the bedroom and living room help tremendously. As much as possible, I've been doing any errands and appointments before noon. Or, after 7 pm, if that's the only alternative. I wish I could say I drove a hybrid and rode a bike. But I do drive a vehicle that gets 27-30 mpg in town and is paid for.

Elrod's picture

Visit a waterfall

Submitted by Elrod on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 8:02pm.

The only real tonic is a mountain waterfall. The temperature is cooler. The water is refreshing. And the air is clean. Oh, and no AC.

sugarfatpie's picture

Or some snorkeling on the French Broad river

Submitted by sugarfatpie on Thu, 2010/08/12 - 9:30am.

Its amazing to me how few people take advantage of this gorgeous river, with globally significant biodiversity, that is only fifteen minutes from downtown Knoxville.

Took a canoe trip on Sunday that left me feeling cool and healed.
This is a trip that everyone who lives around here should take, especially during the hot months. The air is much cooler on the water, and swimming will cool you way down, but not too much. You can easily spend a few hours swimming comfortably.

Highlights:
mature bald eagles
osprey dive bombing for fish
big ass fish of all kinds
cute dog wading in the shallows
historic houses oriented toward the river, one built up on a huge mound to avoid flooding
freshwater mussels- the TN river is a global hotspot for freshwater mussel diversity

This last highlight was enjoyed while snorkeling along some shallows near one of the many old rock dams on the river. You get out of your canoe and just float down stream with your mask on. Kind of like flying.

Put in your canoe (you can rent one at Earth Traverse or River Sports) at Seven Islands Wildlife Sanctuary

Float down at a leisurely pace passing by some great swimming spots, bald eagle habitat and other cool stuff discussed above.

Take out at Huffaker Ferry

sugarfatpie's picture

enjoy the river now, before Midway/sewer plant are built

Submitted by sugarfatpie on Thu, 2010/08/12 - 9:36am.

If the Midway Industrial Park gets the go ahead from the new County Commission, the things that make the French Broad worth preserving will start to slip away.

Cue Rachel to say "There is NO PLAN for a Sewer treatment plant on the French Broad".

But we all know how this goes. There is no plan, right NOW, but plans change and building Midway makes the sewer plant on the French Broad much much more likely.

trobinson's picture

You're right Alex, but water

Submitted by trobinson on Thu, 2010/08/12 - 10:24am.

You're right Alex, but water pollution is not the only problem from Midway development. Developing the outermost corner of the county is as bad an example of sprawl that you can have. The traffic count will explode in this area bringing even worse air quality.

Our air pollution problem is only partially caused by coal plants (mostly from Plants north and west of us, I always thought). Half of the NOx is caused by cars and trucks. From the TDOT web site:

Cars, trucks, and other transportation cause a huge part of the air pollution problem in Tennessee. Vehicle emissions make up 31% of the carbon dioxide, 81% of the carbon monoxide, and 49% of the nitrogen oxide in the air we breathe.

Up Goose Creek's picture

Waterfall

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Wed, 2010/08/11 - 9:45pm.

That's where I was. Well more like a cascade than an actual waterfall. Today I took advantage of the fact that my "office" has an organic jacuzzi. Didn't even feel cold - just refreshing.

My apologies for adding to the pollution with the trip, but at least the AC was off at home.

bizgrrl's picture

Orange alert, day 4.

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2010/08/12 - 9:31am.

Orange alert, day 4.

redmondkr's picture

Try canoeing on the Clinch

Submitted by redmondkr on Thu, 2010/08/12 - 10:07am.

Fishin' on the Clinch

Try canoeing on the Clinch or, better yet, trout fishing on the Clinch when Norris is running two generators (most afternoons). The water temperature at this time of the year is about 55°. On a hot afternoon, there is a cool mist that hangs over the water. There are noisy egrets in the trees and, if you know The Secret, you can drag in little foot-long trout all afternoon.

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