Rod Malloy as you may recall, gave a lecture to us about two months back, August 11th, to be exact. We are  honored to have him back again (virtually) to expand on his original topic "Future Breath" with "Clean Air, Gone Forever". We gave him then, I think, a very thorough introduction and as I can not think of a way to better it, it is reproduced below. I must say that if you want to be impressed by a great video that he produced to celebrate the 100 year of the founding of the Jackson, Michigan Rotary Club, click on link below as it is outstanding:

Like most of us, Rod has been living an isolated life during the pandemic. The good things about it is that he has written and recorded three a cappella songs and has expanded his victory garden with beets for the fall (very healthy). Rod also was impressed that Governor Newsom took action to address climate change with several important executive orders:

 

It is very easy to get air quality information for the Sacramento Region, and Rod produced a slide about air quality information. You can go to sparetheair.com and go to their home page and learn about wildfires, or you can sign up on your phone or tablet or desktop. And there is a light blue button (upper right) that can register you for updates.

Ozone is caused by vehicles, most of it by large cars and trucks. Rod says that health risks are highest where people live near overpasses and near Freeways. Ground level ozone reaches it's highest levels during the afternoon and evening hours. High levels are most often during the summer months. It is a strong irritant that can cause constriction of the airways forcing the respiratory system to work harder to get oxygen. It can aggravate respiratory diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma, wheezing, chest pain, dry throat, headache or nausea, and reduce resistance to infections.

 Then there is particulate matter such as soot, smoke, metals, nitrates, sulfates, dust and tire rubber, and it can form in a gas caused by reactions with nitrogen oxide. The smallness of particles can bypass the body's natural defenses potentially affecting both your lungs and your heart.

 2020 is the year of air quality oddities, COVID-19 sheltering in place and working from home results in short term clean air. Wildfires created short-term serious hazardous air in most of California. In recent years we have had 5-10 Spare the Air Days in Sacramento due to the Sacramento basin stale air and extreme high temperatures in summer months. Spare the Air Days peaked with 20 in 2018 from June to September. This year we have had only one Spare the Air Day due to reduced vehicle usage.

 

There ensued a lively Q and A in which charcoal or gas grills were discussed, along with gasoline lawn maintenance equipment, electric trains and buses. Rod said that the restriction in new car sales to 0-emmision vehicles in California by 2035 will help the improvement of air quality.

 

President David affirmed to Speaker Rod that for the second time, a book, in his honor, will be donated to the Carmichael Library (subsidiary of the Sacramento Public Library)