Coal burning produces several air pollutants. One group of the air pollutants is called the green house gases, or GHGs. There are three primary GHGs:
Nitrogen oxides (several of these) Symbol: NOx
Sulfur oxides: Symbol: SOx
Carbon dioxide: Symbol: CO2
Electric power consumption is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). A kWh is equal to leaving 10 lamps with a 100 watt bulb on for one hour. The rates at which these three GHG pollutants are generated, in pounds of pollution per 1000 kWh hours (or leaving 10 lamps with 100 watt bulbs on for 42 days), is:
NOx = 5.5 pounds
SOx = 12.7 pounds
CO2 = 1,500 pounds
Large quantities of GHGs are released daily, even though the Environmental Protection Agency mandates use of emission control equipment used at many coal-fired power generation stations.
As you look at the GHG pollutant rates, consider small changes in your daily routine that could decrease in the amount of electrical energy required. What would the cumulative effects of these changes be over the course of a school year?
Long-term exposures to NOx may lead to increased susceptibility to respiratory infection and may cause alterations in the lung. Atmospheric transformation of NOx can lead to the formation of ozone and nitrogen-bearing particles (most notably in some western U.S. urban areas) which are both associated with adverse health effects.