Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Right to Air

No being shall be denied the right to clean air
 as a necessary function of life.


With increased pollution and population and less trees,
will this become a right for the future?

It seems to be a bigger problem than most of us are aware.
There is the Clean Air Council,  the Clean Air Watch, the Clean Air Task Force,
and so many other non-profit organizations,
all dedicated to the Right to Clean Air.
Some countries have a Clean Air Act which limits toxic gas emissions.
The U.S. passed its Clean Air Act in 1963, amending it twice for stricter limits.
Again in 2010, another amendment was proposed but never passed,
which would further limit emissions from coal factories and other industry sources
 of toxins, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury.

56 comments:

cd884 said...

Many of us call those who protect the forests and plants "tree huggers" but they are doing this for our lives. We dont notice the danger we are causing the planet by cutting down our oxygen supply. Now I dont expect people to become obsessed with this but try to keep our planet clean and plant trees and plants. Its a simple task anyone can do.

Unknown said...

The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge. The American people have a right to air that they and their children can breathe without fear.

RhWim said...

I would that not just Americans, but all people across the nation have a right to clean air. It is sad that we are denied of those rights because of our ways of life.

Espy said...

Everyone deserves air obviously because without it, we will perish. Everyone needs to do their small part to take care of trees. At this point we are the ones to blame for the destruction of trees(urban development). We must make sure that the development of homes are done because of need. We all know, especially in South Florida, that we have a serious problem with over-development. These developers only see dollar signs, not trees or animal habitat.

Anonymous said...

Rainforests provide between 20% to 30% of the air that we breathe, the other is produced by phytoplankton.We have to protect our environment.
-D.Diaz

juan arce said...

Many people might not see it now but we have to start thinking for our future generations, they have the right to enjoy our planet the way we do, and by polluting the environment and cutting down trees we are not doing anything for the next generations.

Anonymous said...

It is indeed a very important right for everyone to have the right to clean air. Therefore every nation should try to give to its citizens pure air
to breath.

Anonymous said...

if we didnt have clean air to breathe, we would all have really dirty lungs.

-Michelle

Fernanda A said...

Without clean air, one wouldn't be so healthy. We all need clean, breathable air in order to live.Pollution keeps our environment from obtaining this right.

Anonymous said...

Everyone should have the right to clean air since it is a necessary function of life as mentioned above. We need to be better educated on air pollution as it may become a risk for future generations. Technological advancements have also contributed to a cleaner air. For example, an old lawn mower will produce more air pollution than a car. The non-profit organizations and amendments passed are further improvements to help everyone have the right to a clean air. However, people individually should also contribute to this right. -v.p.

shiv said...

Without clean air how can there be a future for the next generation? Each day that goes by people pollute more and treat the earth as if it was a big trash can. As time goes by, the air will become sickening and life as we know it, can come to an end. Although there are so many non-profit organizations, people regardless will keep harming the air and earth. We need something effective, something called unity, to realize the danger we are causing ourselves, our animals, and plants. We all have the right to air, whether it is us humans or animals/plants. If we are planning a future, we should first think about if there is going to be future with all this pollution.

Anonymous said...

No living thing will be able to survive without clean air. We must all take part of maintaining our environment safe.

Anonymous said...

Everyone has the right to clean air, free of carbon monoxides, free of carbonus gases to protect us from lung disease and cancer at the very least. We all need to do our part and we can do that by preserving trees, as well as decreasing motor vehicle emission. How about we all plant a tree and walk more places.
Ann Marie

Luisa Isla said...

The right to clean air should be demanded to everyone. Just like the right to clean water, unpolluted air is necessary to keep the earth and our selves healthy. At this rate the right to clean air might be hard enough for everyone to be a part of. As population increases, we should consider how we treat our world and how this will impact future generations.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more with Shivani. In order to preserve the right to clean air, we have to take proactive attitude towards our environment so that the earth will be around for future generations. D. B.

Anonymous said...

Also agree with Shivani, a great task is too much for one man, it must be a team effort. It's not just large industries that cause it but it's the little guys too. The neighbor that smokes a pack a day, or the co-worker that walks for a cigarette break every 10 minutes.

Unknown said...

The right to clean air is the right to live tomorrow. If our air is polluted then we are opening the door to more lung irritant, and worse asthma attacks. We all need to do our part and keep the air clean.

-Nicole Chaplin-

Ingrid J. said...

Smoking bans in public areas are steadily increasing. These laws are being enforced in most
of the United States, Illinois being the latest, according to author Don Hall Labels. I say we are moving in the right direction, because everyone has a right to air, especially clean air.

Anonymous said...

It's almost like denying the right to breathe, without it we will die. Power plants, hairsprays, the exhaust coming from the cars we drive today are all the things that are affecting us. Research shows that a long term effect of air pollution can cause chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys. If that is not a wake up call then i don't know what is. The right to clean air is a must.

f.c.

Luz Mery said...

We are all entitled to clean air. We can start by car pooling as well. Here in Miami there are so many cars on the road that cause a lot of pollution. We all have to help by also keeping our rainforest.

RV said...

The need for a clean environment is obvious. A contaminated air could even cause the death of all living things, so if we want to live healthy we need to care for our planet's health

Anonymous said...

Everyone in the world should have clean air. The air that we breathe effects our health. There are studies shown that pollution may cause cancer.

armandoq said...

eveyone in the world needs clean air, raising the awareness of the necessity of clean air to all humans would help humans to fight for their right, but also protect the environment we live in

Pedro Leon said...

The Clean Air Act will always be in effect in the United States. Even though the last amendment did not pass in the government. The U.S. should look at the future with optimism at cleaning our air.P.L

Anonymous said...

I think that everybody in the world should have clean air to breathe.If we have clean air to breathe we can avoid alot of health issues that are happening in today's society.

Esmeralda A said...

The right to air if vital for life. Pollution can cause lots of damage in the air, therefore, it is very important to keep our earth free from pollution and to keep our air that we all breathe clean.EA

Anonymous said...

We should all contribute to protecting our eviroment, a clean enviroment is vital for a healthy life...zulima alvarez

Anonymous said...

Oxygen producing plants have a symbiotic relationship with carbon-dioxide producing living things, so we must take whatever action is necessary to protect that relationship - for the sake of all living things. The quote "What belongs to everyone, belongs to no one" [unknown] sums it up by putting in perspective that clean air belongs everyone and to no one. For survival in a healthy environment (internal and external)it is necessary to advocate for the right to clean air.
Gabe

Anonymous said...

Everyone has the right to air. Unfortunately, people take breathing for granted. This world is being polluted daily, and people are not taking care of this beautiful world that God gave us.
MB

Anonymous said...

Without it we wouldn't be alive, unless we all walked around with oxygen tanks. Then we still get clean air anyways, right?

-CB

Anonymous said...

I believe you said it right. The problem is a lot greater than most are aware of. Pollution is just the tip of the iceberg. -GP

Anonymous said...

Your rights end where my rights begin. With that said, clean air goes further than just a right, but a necessity for all. I believe the totalitarian view is necessary when reviewing this issue. Common necessities are a right that should never be infringed on.

Gary Norris

Unknown said...

The right to breathe air is ours, but who said it has to be clean? Without a sufficient air supply, our right would not matter. I pray that this world understands the importance of people.

Anonymous said...

I think that we have been dined the right of clean air since man put money before love for human lives.

Claudia B.

Anonymous said...

I think this is such a simple idea that it shouldn't even be a question that we all have a right to clean air. Basically, the question is are we ready to give up some of your luxuries in order to live in a healthier cleaner world.

Anonymous said...

If the pollution and the population increase while the trees are cutting down, the future generation will not have a right of air. The air will be so contaminate that it couldn’t be call “air” anymore. Maybe no future generation will exist.
Aimara Ors

Janet Almonte said...

Our right to air is slowly disappearing since industrialization is now taking over our world. Humanity will soon be extinct due to all its prosperity in science even though our nations see this as achievements instead of seeing the real concern.

Janet

TrustMeImADoctor said...

Our right to clean air is limited by our actions to improve the environment we live in. Although many people are realizing that we must protect the Earth today not enough is being done. Contaminating the air with pollutants is an intrusion on nature and a threat to the life of all living things.

Anonymous said...

It is selfish not to respect our environment and take it for granted. Earth is a gift that was given to us.
Marcia P

Unknown said...

Not only is it nice to have clean air to breathe and be in, but it's necessary for our health. Every being has the right to clean air, whether it's the immediate vicinity that's stripping it from you, (someone smoking a cigarette), or
something global, it's a right we should strive to protect.

Anonymous said...

The right to clean air turned out to be a luxury since the amount of pollution increased. As the quality of air decreases the chances of it affecting lives increase. Something must be done to clean the air before it is too late.

Anonymous said...

I wrote an article in 1982 about how important as
an industry is the reforestation, we need to plant
trees to have a better quality of Air that we all
deserved. Therefore, we need to clean our air by
going green on almost everything.

Ismael Delvalle
NSU

Anonymous said...

Taking care of the rainforests and our trees is one of the most important things helping our air stay clean. Luckily we have other ideas such as eco friendly cars that will help our environment from pollution.
Gaby R.

Anonymous said...

Every material that can be burned or consumed to produce heat is making it harder for us to sustain earth's health. Approximately 90 percent of earth electricity comes from the use of fossil fuels. Some chance has to be made soon.
-Jeiner P.

Anonymous said...

Clean air should not be denied to any body because with out it their could be catastrophic side effects, for example with the continue exposure to carbon dioxide human cell would start to mutate causing many diseases one of them being cancer.-AN

Rosa F. said...

Everyone should have the right to clean air, especially those who actually care for the environment and aren't releasing harmful fumes and gases every day. People shouldn't have to deal with dirty air just because of other people's carelessness.
--Rosa F.

Anonymous said...

For the future generations to enjoy a clean air, everybody has to take conscience of global warming produced for deforestation, and our modern living. We need to learn how to reuse, reduce and recycle. This world has to go green,we have to control the emission of dangerous gases to the atmosphere, we have to stop the deforestation, plants are the only ones that inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen, we human beings and our future generations need that oxygen to be able to breath clean air. Laura R.

Patricia Delgado said...

In my opinion in order to have the "Right of a Clean Air" we should start taking care of our environment. There are tons of companies out there around the globe, that are not contributing with this Right. Perhaps, with the year to come we will have less clean air in our communities.

Anonymous said...

I believe stricter regulations on factories and better pollution control will obviously help the environment. I believe that with time, technology will allow us to live more of a "green" existance.

Jenny said...

I believe that every single human being and every single organism has the right to clean, non-polluted air. If we do not act now on behalf of ourselves, then our future generation will not have the opportunity that we have today. We can increase their opportunities by adding little changes into our daily lives, such as: switching our electrical products to Energy Star, taking shorter showers, turning off any unused devices around the house and recycling.

JR

Anonymous said...

Without clean air everything in this world will slowly but surely begin to die out. It is a crime to pollute our air the way we do on a daily basis. Being a "nation of leaders" we should make it a priority to find a more eco-friendly way of life. In the end, we will be the ones to blame if we don't wake up SOON!

GIL RO

Unknown said...

We have the right to clean air. Although, I believe that it's up to us to keep it pollution free. Why should I suffer because my neighbor is careless. If we work together, we can make a difference.

Anonymous said...

We humans ourselves deny the right to clean air. We are the primary cause for pollution and deforestation. We’re not only denying this right to humans, but to other beings and living things like plants. It won't be a right but a necessity for the future. – D.T

Anonymous said...

Until we all contribute to making the earth a cleaner place, we will always have to deal with the current status of the earth's cleanliness.

Eddie M.

Miglaude said...

Air pollution makes worse health problems for people with heart or respiratory diseases. Transport it is another one that has a significant contributor to urban air pollution, acid rain and smog. A clean air in an environment is necessary to keep our families from a numeral of unsafe pollutants that can cause asthma and lung disease. A right for a clean air is right for good health.

Anonymous said...

We all have the right to clean air, but it takes everyone to make it happen. All nations have to do their part to control pollution. Countries, like China and India, are growing at rapid rates. They are emitting more and more pollution and need to do more to control it. On the other hand, I don't believe we are killing the planet. This planet has existed for millions of years and has been through many changes. If we are killing anything, It would be mankind. The earth was here before us and will be here after us.

LV