Critiquing the Clean Air Act and Informing the Public about Its Importance

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Critiquing the Clean Air Act and Informing the Public about Its Importance
Almost everyone understands that clean air is a crucial element in humans, plants, and other animals’ survival. For example, people breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. For individuals to avoid diseases and complications, they should breathe in the purest air. Animals and plants contribute to the balance of gases in the atmosphere. However, air pollution has become a significant issue that affects humans, plants, and other creatures. Industrialization fosters the contamination of air since there exist numerous pollutants. For example, greenhouse gases, such as methane, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide, are released into the atmosphere. These harmful air pollutants affect people’s respiratory tract and their health adversely. That is the reason that environmental policies are enacted to eliminate air pollution and promote individuals’ health and well-being. The paper provides a detailed critique of the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970 and informs the public on how they should adhere to this policy to facilitate healthy lifestyles and a habitable planet for existing and upcoming generations.
The CAA sets the standards for air quality to safeguard public welfare and health. The primary aim of this policy is to prevent and control air pollution (Environmental Protection Agency). The fascinating thing about humans is that they are the enemies of themselves. When someone is implementing measures to combat air pollution another person is setting up a factory that releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere without treating them. In that light, without enacting and enforcing effective policies to eliminate air pollution, the planet will gradually become inhabitable for animals and planets. The CAA encourages cooperation among relevant stakeholders, such as local, federal, and state governments to control and prevent air pollution. Indeed, it also promotes research and the introduction of programs to facilitate clean air. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States of America (USA) monitors, inspects, and keeps records of all firms that emit air pollutants. Those that decrease their emissions of pollutants by 90-95% qualify for waivers (Environmental Protection Agency). As such, the CAA is an essential environmental policy in the USA that plays a significant role to maintain air quality and foster healthy lifestyles.
The majority of individuals might wonder which air pollutants are decreased by the implementation of the CAA. In particular, the CAA has significantly contributed to the reduction of seven primary common air pollutants, namely sulfur dioxide, ozone, particles, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead (Environmental Protection Agency). The emissions emanating from these pollutants have decreased by 78% from 1970 to 2020. That is one of the reasons the USA economy remains stable due to the maintenance of proper individuals’ health. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has improved the air quality that Americans breathe. On that note, it contributes to the increase in life expectancy, meaning that people are constructive since they do not waste their time visiting hospitals due to health complications caused by air pollutants. Many areas of the USA have met the national quality standards. For example, the CAA emission standards have made automotive companies manufacture vehicles that do not release carbon dioxide as was the case with conventional cars. Currently, the newest version of vehicles does not emit carbon dioxide, but instead, they release water and oxygen. The CAA has led to the implementation of air quality standards that foster healthy lifestyles for Americans.
The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) raise awareness of threats posed by air pollution on the planet and individuals' health. The BreatheLife campaign support global leaders and communities in coming up with proper solutions to decrease air pollution to foster a healthier and more sustainable planet (United Nations Environmental Programme). The CAA was implemented over five decades ago. Despite the improved air quality that the USA has witnessed, air pollution continues to be a significant environmental problem today. In that light, it means that the CAA should be updated or amended to ensure that the policy aligns with the dynamic ecological needs. When the CAA was enacted and passed by Congress, a significant proportion of air pollutants came from industrial facilities, which led to the rise in cases of asthma and emphysema. In addition, there were instances of acid rain, poor visibility, and smog that blanketed major cities (United Nations Environmental Programme). Today, the primary causes of air pollution have changed. For instance, the transport industry should be monitored carefully since it contributes to air pollution. The transport sector is dominated by numerous conventional vehicles, meaning that they emit greenhouse gases that foster air pollution. As a result, it is evident that the CAA has its successes, but changes should be done to ensure that it caps the air pollutants in the digital era.
Regardless of relying on air pollutants that were rampant in the 1970s, the CAA should be updated after every five years to accommodate new sources of pollution and curb them before they negate the successes that have been realized for over fifty years. For instance, when the CAA was implemented, the large contributors to air pollution were industrial facilities, power plants, off-road engines, trucks, trains, and cars (Environmental Defense Fund). Currently, although these sources of air pollution exist, there are other pollutants emanating from dumping sites and disposed technological devices. In that light, if the CAA is not amended appropriately, it means that new sources of air pollutants will not be addressed. Policymakers should work closely with relevant stakeholders, such as the EPA to promote cleaner air. For instance, the EPA has introduced a SmartWay program that empowers firms to transport their goods in the cleanest and most energy-efficient manner, which will allow them to save around $27.8 billion in fuel expenses. In addition, SmartWay's clean air achievements include 1,694,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, 70,000 tons of emissions of particulate matter, and 84,000,000 tons of carbon dioxide (Environmental Defense Fund). That way, the CAA will remain up-to-date and capture all sources of air pollution, contributing to air pollution.
Despite the USA having achieved significant air quality improvements, a more ambitious and integrated approach is needed to facilitate further success in maintaining clean air. Besides, air pollution has direct impacts on living organisms, health, buildings, soil, vegetation, and water (Kuklinska et al. 129). Specific air pollutants affect the climate adversely by damaging the protective ozone layer and contributing to global warming or the greenhouse effect. As such, when discussing air pollution, it is not humans or other animals only that experience challenges, but numerous other processes are affected. Based on WHO, the exhaust from diesel engines is said to be carcinogenic to humans. Additionally, the EPA depicts that diesel emissions lead to various health complications, such as aggravated lung disease, increased respiratory mortality, and premature mortality. With that information at hand, the CAA should be amended to ensure that emiss...