Published: May 8, 2012
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/04/tech/smog-eating-tiles-california/index.html
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| Ths photo deminstrates how the tiles work to reduce the pollution. |
Can the roof over our heads do
more than provide shelter? The answer is yes. The Boral Roofing Company is one
of the first in the US to offer these interesting smog eating roofing tiles.
The tiles are coated with titanium dioxide, a chemical that can oxidize harmful
air pollutants caused by fossil fuels. The roof breaks down the emissions into
harmless calcium nitrate and the roof also help to fertilize the soil when it
rains because of the runoff. A study done in Los Angeles, one of the most
ozone-polluted cities in the U.S., showed that these tiles help reduce the
amount of air pollution. It has also been estimated that 2,000 sq/ft. of tiles
can reduce the emissions that are equivalent to driving 10,000 miles a year in
a car. Air pollution is a huge problem
in cities, and these tiles are now available to be used in construction with
the hope of reducing the amount of air pollution released into the atmosphere every
day.
Opinion/Reflection
I really think that these tiles
have a huge potential to reduce the amount of air pollution. I think it is a
great idea because it doesn't have extremely harmful environmental effects,
like other air pollution reducing ideas. I think air pollution is something
that people need to start focusing on because if we don't do something soon the
problem may become too big to handle. I think these tiles are a start to
reducing the air pollution. I like reading about the different way, ideas, and
options there are to reduce air pollution because it shows that we are getting
closer to eliminating the amount of pollution being released. This affects me
because air pollution is becoming a bad problem and the tiles would help make
the air cleaner for me and those with respiratory problems.
Questions
1) Do you think this chemical could be used on other things to help reduce are pollution?
2) What is your biggest concern about these tiles? Why?
3) The tiles are way more expensive than regular tiles sometimes being up to $1,000 more. Are these tiles worth the price?
4) Who benefits the most from these smog eating tiles?
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| This is a house that uses the air pollution reducing tiles, which you might have seen on some local houses. |
Opinion/Reflection: This was such a cool article! My family has to purchase these awesome roofing tiles that will help keep our environment safe. Not only our environment, but our own health too! Air pollution is bad for our own health, and for our environment as well. These tiles are so interesting (who would have came up with such a genius idea). They help reduce harmful emissions, and it has also been proven to fertilize soil! How fancy! I can connect this to my own life becaus I certainly want to be breathing clean, safe air rather than air that contains 1,000s of pollutants. Everyone should purchase these awesome roof tiles!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to question 2: My biggest concern with these new tiles is probably cost. Yes, it is a genius idea and product all around! However, they probably are expensive to manufacture, and I'm unsure of how many people would actually purchase them at an expensive rate.
Expand: As Casey's article mentioned, Los Angeles is one of the most polluted cities. And to follow up with my previous blog post, let's stick with the California state.... I found this interesting article about why Los Angeles' air is so polluted. Read more here: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_12247707
Opinion and Reflection: Wow, I actually have never heard of these! They remind me of solar pannels, but I wonder if they are as noticable as the pannels for that. Anyways, this really sounds like a good way to start in cities where smog is an issue. If these were installed into every new home being built, then this could really start to improve certain areas that need it the most, like the example of Los Angeles. This sounds like something that my family would consider doing, depending on the cost of the tiles and the installment. I think the air quality issue is often overlookd, since I had never paid much attention to it until I started this enviornmantal science class. Our country should really move this up on our priority list, considering the other articles have sadi the dangerous affects this smog iscausing to our future genertaions. This sounds like a good way to get the common man involved with reducing smog.
ReplyDelete3) I think that they are worth it, especially if you live in a polluted area or near a facotry of some sort. It is also providing Americans with jobs, reaserchers and these tile installers. I think it could be an inverstment if it saves your medical or health bills down the road.
2) My biggest concern is how well they hold up in weather or over long peiods of time. I wonder if that has been tested yet. AND the cost of course.
Opinion/Reflection
ReplyDeleteI love this idea because it seems like a great way to reduce the amount of air polltion.I never knew that they could create such things as roofs that will oxidize harmful air pollutants.My only 2 questions though, are how rare is this kind of roofing and how expensive it it? Because just like solar panels are extremely expensive to purchase, I can only imagine how expensive a roof like this could be. If I could I would wanna get that kind of roof for my house because I would know I'm helping the environment. Not only would it be helping to reduce the amount of air pollution in the air, but it would help the plants too because the runoff when it rains can serve as a fertilizer! This is such a smart idea!
Expand:
question # 2
I think these tiles could be overly expensive, considering solar panels are very expensive. But also fertilizer isn't that great for the environment, unless it was organic. So I think the tiles are very controversial.
Opinion/Reflection
ReplyDeleteI think that it is cool that the roofing can help us fight against air pollution. I should purchase one of these amazing roofing tiles. It seem kind of strange that a roof will help us turn our emmitions into calcium nitrate which is completly unharmful. Having air pollution affects me in the winter for I have seasonal asthema. I can't do the normal things I would do normally and if what is true about the tiles I could probably be living better if everyone did it. Well I can't force people into buying theings but it would be nice. Also wow just 2,000 sq/ft can fix 10000 miles of car emmitions that is alot for 5280 feet are in one mile so a tiny space of tiles can fix a large amount of air pollution.
Question 1
I think that if we could somehow obtain and control this titanium dioxide than we could get rid of the harmful air pollution in our ozone. Then our planet would be more clean and we would know how to fix our air pollution problems. I think that if we could all work together to fix our air pollution problems than anything is quite possible.