Last week, the state of Wisconsin was one of a kind, nationally recognized, the leader of the pack.
In what you ask? Dirty air.
From Sunday the 7th through Thursday the 11th, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources declared the state to be under an Orange Level air quality advisory. The classification is made according to the concentrations of soot pollution in the air from power plants, factories, industrial sources, vehicle emissions and outdoor fires that emit particles into the air and can lodge in people's lungs.
This classification is done to alert the population about unhealthy air. Last week, the DNR wanted Wisconsinites to know that the levels of pollution were close to those that can harm healthy people, just by breathing. The classification last week was Orange, meaning that people in sensitive groups were advised to curtail physical activities. Wisconsin had an observed particle pollution level of 54.6 micrograms per cubic meter of air, just a mere .9 units from the rare and dangerous Red Level threshold.
Call me naïve, but when the DNR encourages people to stay inside, I get a little worried.
Katie Nekola, energy program director at Clean Wisconsin, explained that this air pollution is due in part to our dirty coal plants. Not only does Wisconsin spend over $16 billion annually importing foreign coal, it also creates excess power. In other words, more coal is burned than what is needed to meet demands.
To make it clear, Wisconsin allows literally billions of dollars to leave the state each year in order to buy coal to burn and pollute our air. It does so at a rate that's unnecessary for even our energy-heavy lifestyles, and all while there are many cleaner, safer renewable options available here in the state.
This is a recipe for disaster for Wisconsin, and last week's Orange Alert is just one warning sign to add to a host of others. When will we finally get the message?
One could argue that this air quality advisory is meaningless —a result of foggy weather and no wind. While it is true that this condition is affected by the weather, it's also true that inclement weather is never cause for respiratory danger, except when paired with an excess of human caused pollution.
It's not the DNR's classification that bothers me, it's that Wisconsin and the United States have seen one indication after another: ongoing and violent oil conflicts, disastrous hurricanes, poor air and water quality, and three of the warmest years on global record ('98, '05, '09) all occurring in the last decade.
It's time to make a change to improve our energy technology and depart from fossil fuels and pollution heavy answers of the last century. While these systems are convenient for us right now, they're becoming increasingly costly, not only for our pocketbooks, but also for our health.
Sometimes, this is where things get tricky. Even the most well-intentioned environmentalists have little say in national or international politics, but there happens to be an incredible opportunity upon us. The Clean Energy Jobs Act is an answer to some of these problems for Wisconsin and it's still in the making.
State politics is one area where we can and should be involved and an area that currently needs our help. This bill calls for 25 percent renewable energy for Wisconsin by 2025—a stipulation that would have direct effects on these air quality advisories and health concerns.
The implications for the Orange Alert may have mainly affected those in ""sensitive groups,"" but inefficient energy technology affects us all. Let's not let this scary air advisory pass us by as another thing we shake our heads at. It's time to work to get new energy policies passed and use our creativity and drive to create a safer, cleaner Wisconsin.
Jenny Lynes is a senior majoring in communication arts with an environmental studies certificate. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
