A

s seen in the previous entry, air pollution is of paramount significance and so remains the topic of exploration and discussion in this entry. Air pollution has many origins and the previous blog focused on emissions from vehicular exhaust and the development of an urban heat island. This blog zooms in on another serious and very pressing issue affecting cities, which is smog.

            Smog by definition is a form of air pollution originally named for the mixture of fog and smoke in the air, usually found in and around cities. It takes the appearance of a dark smoke like cloud hovering over. It is a problem in a number of cities because it is harmful to human health as it can cause eye and nose irritation. The presence of smog can also inflame breathing passages, decreasing the lungs working capacity, making coughing and wheezing more prevalent.

            In Trinidad, the landfill lies right on the outskirts of Port of Spain, and a large portion of the country’s waste is brought here for disposal. There was an incidence of fires being set inside of the landfill which were ablaze and uncontrollable for days, so much so that it had to be closed. This fire triggered a catastrophic chain of events where clouds of thick smog blew into Port of Spain, enveloping the area. Schools and business were forced to close on advice given from the Environmental Management Authority (EMA). EMA test conducted revealed that toxicity levels were 13 times higher than what was considered safe.

             This was the extent of pollution and health hazard present and persons were being exposed to in a small nation. Smog affects many of the world’s cities and is highly encouraged by factories spewing out harmful gases into the atmosphere and vehicular emissions. Smog cans stay for extended periods over densely populated areas and geologic basins encircled by hills or mountains. I wasn’t able to take an actual picture of the smog or the fire that raged through the landfill but, I was able to source a picture from online http://www.newsday.co.tt/day/1,39074.html, and the article published in the Trinidad and Tobago Express newspaper: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,189928.html.

This image shows a contributor to the Port of Spain smog, the
cloudy look represents the fumes being spewed by vehicles that
contribute to smog.

F

urther exploring our capital, Port of Spain, it was a clear observation that traffic is a major concern for the city. In some areas, traffic is at a standstill as commuters try to weave their way in all directions through the narrow street. The scene is quite chaotic and disorganized as some commuters may openly express their annoyances however these are not the problems being considered. The capital of a country provides all services needed for the population and as a result, vast numbers of vehicles flock to Port of Spain on a daily basis to carry out their activities.

The extent of cars coming in to Port of Spain, as mentioned before has resulted in large traffic pile ups. Consequently a chain reaction occurs, where vehicles in standstill jams spew pollutants into the surrounding atmosphere.  These pollutants cause a number of other problems, ranging from health infections in humans such as bronchitis to other critical illnesses. Furthermore when these gases combine with rain water, Carbonic acid is formed. This is a dilute acid that can act on buildings by eroding it and can damage vegetation.

Additionally, another phenomena originating from urban areas is the urban heat island. The urban heat island is the variation of temperature in metropolitan areas: the city area is significantly warmer than its surroundings and this could be characteristic of the high number of automobile presence. For this particular happening, one online source discovered that in Trinidad, urbanization has little effect on defining the temperature changes. However this urban heat island exists in many other city areas of the world (New York City being the most suitable). Air pollution was positively identified as existent and continuous in Port of Spain.

Traffic pile up into the capital, Port of Spain.

C

ontinuing from a previous post, pollution is the biggest disadvantage of cities and one of its saddest realities. Pollution is a result of various contributing factors and during the course would be explored. One form of pollution is a result of informal urban settlements in and around the city, for instance a slum area or a squatter settlement. Major countries of the world face the problem of slums developing right outside their cities, making it some of the most unattractive sights. Slum areas are characterized by low income housing, no access to infrastructure and poor housing quality.

Our city of Port of Spain is no stranger to squatters. As a matter of fact, right outside of the city is a squatter settlement community called Sea Lots. This area is characterized by a lot of vagrancy, low income households and graffiti “decorating” the walls. This squatter settlement is a problem, not only because it is unsightly and not a characteristic of first world status, but the presence of squatters, causes much deeper problems.

Squatters have the basic sanitation issues which transforms into pollution. They lack the basic needs like a clean water supply. Improper disposal of waste, results in pollution of the surrounding areas and many times it escapes into the neighboring sea. This is the origins of water pollution in Port of Spain. Many a time one passes and solid waste matter is visible on the sea line, close to the Sea Lot area. It is unpleasant. Throughout the community, drains are noticeably overflowing with dirty water, and litter is strewn throughout the street. This shows a positive correlation between a low income slum area and low sanitation rates.

Vagrant walking along Sea Lots