Air Quality Standards and Pollutants

Donna Bergman, Director of Sustainability, discusses air quality, its importance, and the role of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee in setting standards. She explains common misconceptions about air quality, identifies six key pollutants, and highlights local concerns in Southern Indiana. Donna shares her vision of ideal air quality, emphasizing the need for air that doesn't harm health or the environment.

Who is Donna Bergman?

• A professor of environmental science

• A local environmental activist

• Director of Sustainability, Energy, and Environmental Quality for Evansville

• A scientist at the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee

What is the primary goal of air quality standards?

• To reduce industrial emissions

• To improve visibility in urban areas

• To eliminate all air pollutants

• To ensure air is healthy to breathe

What does the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee do?

• Develops new air purification technologies

• Reviews studies to set air quality standards

• Monitors air quality in urban areas

• Enforces air quality laws

When was the Clean Air Act established?

• 1980

• 1990

• 1970

• 1960

What is the role of the Clean Air Act?

• To fund air quality research

• To provide guidelines for air quality

• To enforce penalties for pollution

• To monitor air quality in rural areas

Which of the following is NOT a criteria pollutant?

• Nitrogen oxide

• Sulfur dioxide

• Carbon monoxide

• Methane

What are the two main pollutants of concern in Southern Indiana?

• Ozone and lead

• Particulates and sulfur dioxide

• Ozone and particulates

• Carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide

Which pollutant is a concern during the summer months in Southern Indiana?

• Sulfur dioxide

• Ozone

• Lead

• Carbon monoxide

Which of the following is a criteria pollutant that affects both health and the environment?

• Ozone

• Helium

• Methane

• Water vapor

What is Donna Bergman's dream for air quality?

• To have air free from any smell

• To not worry about harmful pollutants

• To have air that is always cool and fresh

• To eliminate all industrial emissions