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Dust, or Particulate
Matter (PM) as it is called in scientific terms, makes
quite an impact in Clark County. Over the last four
years the county’s Department of Air Quality and
Environmental Management (DAQEM) has encouraged Southern
Nevadans not to be a “dusthole” like its commercial
character Dusty. Dusty was portrayed as constantly
doing something to break the desert’s crust, which not
only released dust into the air but caused injury to the
desert.
You
see, the crust is to the desert much like skin is to our
bodies. It keeps everything together and safeguards the
ecosystem. Most people have no clue about the rich
diversity of animal and plant life in the desert, or the
role the desert's surface plays in maintaining that
life.
The crust actually
reduces the effects of the wind on the desert by
cementing together fine dust particles. This fine dust,
also called Particulate Matter-10 (PM-10), is dust
smaller than the diameter of a hair on your head, and as
you can imagine, can be very easily breathed into your
lungs and even into your bloodstream. These particles
also hamper your visibility by contributing to urban
haze.
Because of tremendous
growth, there are more people, more construction
projects, more industrial sites and more vehicles of all
kinds in Clark County than ever before. In general,
there is more activity going on in the southern Nevada
portion of the Mojave Desert. As a result of our
progress, the delicate nature of the desert crust must
be disturbed; but we need to be more careful about how
and why we do it.
The Department of Air
Quality and Environmental Management (DAQEM) is
constantly monitoring and working toward maintaining our
air quality, as well as developing regulations and
programs to protect our natural resources.
According to DAQEM, desert crust forms in three ways:
rainfall creates a light, temporary crust; algae and
fungi growth creates a biological crust and a harder
crust can form through a conglomeration of gravel and
stones, often referred to as desert pavement.
Once the desert’s crust
is broken, an abundance of dust can be released into the
air by the wind or other disturbances and we are then
exposed to these microscopic particles that when inhaled
can potentially affect our hearts and lungs Some
individuals are more sensitive to the effects of dust
and can experience major health problems, including
asthma and bronchitis. In Southern Nevada, asthma has
become one of the most prevalent respiratory ailments.
Dust
can be significantly decreased, and we can all breathe
easier if residents remember and act on any of the
following five tips:
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Drive slowly, or avoid driving on unpaved roads.
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Stop taking shortcuts across barren land.
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Try not to drive on the shoulder of the roads.
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Fence off barren property or cover it with gravel,
rock or desert-friendly landscaping.
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Only drive All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) or
Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) in designated areas.
With all of us desert
dwellers working together with the county’s DAQEM to
maintain good air quality, our community can breath
easier. Be aware of the dust advisories that are
distributed by DAQEM and broadcast on television and
radio. Get in the habit of checking the Air Quality
Index daily located on the DQEM website at
www.accessclarkcounty.com/daqem. Act prudently,
especially if you are in a sensitive group that is prone
to allergies or heart or lung problems. Don’t be like
Dusty, the Dusthole; help protect your community’s
quality of life by respecting the desert crust and
keeping down the dust. Remember that once the desert
crust is broken, it can take a very long time to heal.
The Department of Air Quality and
Environment Management encourages the public to contact
the Dust Hotline at (702) 385-DUST or to visit
www.accessclarkcounty.com/daqem to report excessive
amounts of blowing dust from vacant land, construction
sites, or other sources.
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