I was the vice president of the Maricopa County Air Pollution Advisory Board for some thirteen years. During that time we discussed matters from industrial air pollution to the clearly visible black aerosol-type air pollution emitted from aircraft taking off from Sky Harbor airport and similarly, the black aerosol-type smoke from diesel trucks. We believed that in addition to the deleterious effects of pollution on our population, the black smoke was having an effect an effect on our weather.

But as strongly as we suggested that the aircraft stop using thrust booster techniques that made their exhaust black and that diesel trucks should not drive on our highways running fuel rich engines, we never got traction with our comments. What we did do, because we were mainly industrial members, was to reduce industrial pollution. We did that well.

It now may appear that our gut instincts were correct about the negative effects of aerosol type pollution, correct concerning the deleterious health effects on our citizens which is something that is now agreed to, but also that the aerosol "black" smoke may be having a strong effect on the weather of the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Recent, new information from NASA addresses the aerosol issue and the color of the aerosols.

Here is a summary of their findings: Aerosols affect the formation of clouds, clouds that produce rain. "When the overall mixture of aerosol particles in pollution absorbs more sunlight (black particles), it (the aerosol) is more effective in preventing cloud formation. When pollutant aerosols are lighter in color (white) and absorb less energy, they have the opposite effect and actually help clouds to form."

NASA estimates now that aerosol emissions are having a world wide affect on global warming. Even a further influence of our valley’s aerosol pollution is suggested by Timothy Garrett and Chuanfeng Zhao of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City who reported that aerosol pollution helps heat up the Arctic where the blackness absorbs the sun’s heat and thus helps heat the Arctic and thus even further aggravates global warming. These researchers say that such dark aerosols can raise the surface temperature of the earth by 2 to 3 degrees F.

We might say, but Arizona is a log way from the Arctic. However, satellite data shows that aerosol pollution can travel from North America to Europe in three days. (Source not available). So in a week or so, Phoenix’s brown cloud can be in the Arctic.

Another research team, Chul Eddy Chung and Veerabhadran Ramanathan of Scripps Institute of Oceanography La Jolla, California have shown that the "brown haze", dark aerosols can modify the greenhouse warming effect. They conclude that air pollution affects sunlight and is potentially causing a major disruption of rain patterns.

Two conclusion seem reasonable. One, I sense that the rainfall in Phoenix is lessening. (Could not Web-find rainfall data over the past 20 years.) Two, what we do in Phoenix effects the world.

I have a suggestion. At a minimum, let the state of Arizona prohibit thrust boosting techniques used by commercial aircraft taking off from Sky Harbor airport. Also, let us impound all black bellowing diesel trucks until their smoke emissions are made invisible.

It is a start. The saying is what goes around comes around. Clearly, any city’s pollution is not their own, it travels. Let us in the Phoenix metropolitan area take steps to clean the air in our valley and thus clean the air of the world, and just maybe slow Global Warming in the process.