Air Pollution Exposure Mitigation: Solutions at the Nexus of Engineering, Policy, and Society

 

Eliminating air pollution disparities in the U.S. and beyond is becoming increasingly complex due to the convergence of the national average PM2.5 concentration towards the annual standard despite persistent inequities in exposures across underserved populations. This march toward national compliance provides a sense of strong accomplishment, however, close attention should be paid to regions where secondary particle and ozone pollution is impacted by the rapidly evolving e-commerce industry. The Southern California region is particularly susceptible to adverse environmental impacts due to e-commerce and the propensity for secondary pollution formation made viable by the region’s unique meteorology and topography. Here I discuss three modeling and monitoring efforts that lie at the intersection of e-commerce, air pollution, and environmental justice in Southern California. Low-cost monitoring aids in identifying regional vs. local impacts of traffic-related pollution. Personal monitoring resolves space-time variabilities of individual PM2.5 exposures for community members who are most negatively impacted by the convergence of poor regional air quality with the expansion of e-commerce activity near their homes. Regional modeling using chemical transport modeling and machine learning provides context for how climate change will exacerbate the aforementioned issues. I will conclude by recommending policy-relevant solutions that place consideration and priority on vulnerable populations and ecological preservation.

Speaker: Cesunica Ivey, UC Berkeley

Editor's Note: At the time of posting, no location for this event was provided on Stanford's website.  However, this seminar is usually held in the Y2E2 building, room 111, which is what we've listed.