2015-2016 Academic Year
Event Title
Particulate Air Pollution: Impacts and Remedies in Household and Urban Settings
Date of Event
Monday, March 21, 2016, 12:10 PM to 1:00 PM
Location
Mailman-Hollywood Building, Second Floor Auditorium
Description
Particulate pollution in the air impacts the global climate as well as human health, inviting consideration for new energy use. Particulates are introduced into the air we breathe through many mechanisms, natural and anthropogenic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), outdoor air pollution caused 3.7 million premature deaths globally in 2012, while over 4 million people die prematurely due to exposure to indoor air pollution arising from burning solid biofuels (wood or coal) while cooking. The sources of the urban air pollution are often complex to address; in contrast, changes in cooking options in individual homes can directly impact the exposure of household members. In addition, increasing the energy efficiency of cooking options can reduce the time needed for gathering fuel used in the stoves, which has important social impacts. In this talk I will review data about air pollution causes and health impacts, introduce a joint international effort to improve cooking options in Africa, and discuss the multiple impacts of improved stove efficiency ranging from deforestation to educational opportunities for children.
Particulate Air Pollution: Impacts and Remedies in Household and Urban Settings
Mailman-Hollywood Building, Second Floor Auditorium
Particulate pollution in the air impacts the global climate as well as human health, inviting consideration for new energy use. Particulates are introduced into the air we breathe through many mechanisms, natural and anthropogenic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), outdoor air pollution caused 3.7 million premature deaths globally in 2012, while over 4 million people die prematurely due to exposure to indoor air pollution arising from burning solid biofuels (wood or coal) while cooking. The sources of the urban air pollution are often complex to address; in contrast, changes in cooking options in individual homes can directly impact the exposure of household members. In addition, increasing the energy efficiency of cooking options can reduce the time needed for gathering fuel used in the stoves, which has important social impacts. In this talk I will review data about air pollution causes and health impacts, introduce a joint international effort to improve cooking options in Africa, and discuss the multiple impacts of improved stove efficiency ranging from deforestation to educational opportunities for children.
Presenter Bio
Dr. Gross is an expert on air quality and instrumentation, environmental improvement and social impacts. She received her Ph.D. in Chemistry form UC Berkeley, and did postdoc in UC San Diego. She is currently a full professor at the prestigious Carleton College in Minnesota.