Discussion
After compiling and calculating our information, we did some research on the implications these pollutants have on the inhabitants of the Wingra Watershed. The many inhabitants of the Wingra Watershed include: humans, various plants, seagulls, geese, fish, raccoons, squirrels, and other animals.
Motor vehicle emissions contain many different harmful toxins that enter the environment. These toxins are breathed in by all of the inhabitants of the Wingra Watershed. We are continuously exposed to air pollution from motor vehicles. Some pollutants, like hydrocarbons, are known to cause serious health problems in humans even at very low levels.
According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Mobile Sources, hydrocarbons react in the presence of nitrogen oxides and sunlight to form ground-level ozone, a major component of smog. Ozone also irritates the eyes, damages the lungs, and can cause respiratory problems. Ozone, very toxic to leafy vegetation, inhibits plant growth and can cause widespread damage to crops and forests. Hydrocarbons are also a toxic, potential cancer causing pollutant. Nitrogen oxides, like hydrocarbons, can help cause the formation of ground-level ozone. Nitrogen oxides can also contribute to the formation of acid rain. Carbon monoxide reduces the flow of oxygen in the bloodstream and is particularly dangerous to people with heart disease. Carbon dioxide, although it doesn’t directly affect human health, is a greenhouse gas that traps the earth’s heat that contributes to global warming. Smog is formed from hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from motor vehicle emissions. Children and the elderly are very vulnerable to smog because it can damage lung tissue and heighten respiratory diseases. Smog is also harmful to plants.
After finding the implications of air pollution on the inhabitants on the Wingra Watershed, we decided to look into the possible alternative forms of transportation. One of these alternatives is a concept called Biodiesel. Any vehicle which uses diesel fuel can instead use this new fuel. Biodiesel is an organically produced fuel processed from food waste such as vegetable oil and restaurant greases. Specifically, Biodiesel can be comprised of oils and fats like soy, canola, and mustard. Additionally, compared to the fuel we currently use, Biodiesel is much more environmentally safe and economical. Biodiesel is completely organic so even a spill will easily degrade into natural residues. The use of Biodiesel will lower the amount of air pollution including cancer-causing toxins and greenhouse gases because of the natural elements and the methods used in refinement. Biodiesel is a revolutionary fuel that must be further developed and popularized at this time because of the magnitude of people depending on high emission cars for transportation. We need to look closer into alternatives to save our environment. By conducting this study, we found that there are numerous ways to help significantly lower the amount of motor vehicle emissions on the Wingra Watershed. There are a lot of unnecessary motor vehicle emissions on the Wingra Watershed that can be eliminated by utilizing the alternate methods of transportation, such as biodiesel fuel or the bus system that Madison and Dane County provide to people.