KINGSTON – After three years of monitoring fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the City of Kingston, The Center for the Environment Sciences and Humanities at Bard College has found that air pollution is higher in colder months.
Eli Dueker, one of the study’s coordinators, said the particulate matter is made up of microscopic particles that are the products of burning fuel and released into the air through exhausts from oil burners, gas burners, automobiles, cooking, grilling, and indoor and outdoor wood burning. There are ways of reducing that air pollution,
“Electric vehicles will help with that will reduce the emissions from cars, making good choices on how we heat our homes and unfortunately, reality is that burning wood of any type in a crowded urban area like Kingston actually causes more harm than if you were to burn coal,” he said.
The study was conducted with a monitor on the roof of the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center on Broadway in Kingston.
