A Proposal to Investigate Solutions for Preventing Air Pollution in Bilkent University

1. INTRODUCTION:

Air pollution means that releasing some chemicals and particulate matter which cause damage the natural environment and all living organisms into the atmosphere. In Bilkent University, there are approximately twelve thousand students and a lot of instructors. Many of them have their own cars. Also, there are lots of busses in order to provide transportation of students and staff who works in Bilkent University. In addition to this, there is a factory named Tepe Factory. The gases which release from exhaust of factory, cars and busses are contain sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in high level. These gases cause air pollution.

The purpose of this proposal is to introduce proposed solutions in order to minimize air pollution in Bilkent University. These solutions are filtration of exhaust of factory and motor vehicles according some criterias.

2. PROBLEM DEFINITION:

The main causes of air pollution in Bilkent University arise from factory and motor vehicles.

a) Effect of the Factory: The most large-scale cause of air pollution is smog. Therefore, if there is an uncontrolled factory releases which is the crucial factor of air pollution. For instance; in Bilkent University, there is a manufacturing plant named Tepe Factory which release their chemical waste to the air unconsciously. That’s why the serious part of the air pollution exists in Bilkent University since the negligence of this factory.

b) Effect of Motor Vehicles: In Bilkent University, there are a lot of busses which are responsible to carry students and staff. Besides this, many students and instructors have cars. These motor vehicles threaten the environment by polluting the air with releasing damaging gases from their exhaust to the atmosphere.

3. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS:

These solutions are proposed for minimizing the causes of released gases from exhaust of factory, busses and cars,

a) Filtration of Industrial Exhaust: Filtration is used for preventing the atmosphere from smog of the factories. Because of the chemical compounds of these gases create air pollution. Therefore, Tepe Factory should be warned by administrators to have these filters. Besides this, there should be some organizations to make staff of the Tepe Factory more informed about this solution. In addition, there should be seminars that include technological improvements about the filter systems for the staffs.

b) Filtration of the Exhaust of Motor Vehicles: Filtration for motor vehicles is the crucial factor that minimizes the negative effects of gases that are released from the motor vehicles, cause air pollution. They convert the damaging gases into harmless gases for the environment. All school buses must have filter for their exhaust, and the administrators must make a decision about this situation. That is to say; carrying a filter must be obligatory and it must be controlled regularly. Besides this, students who use cars should be encouraged with seminars to use filters. In addition; posters should take a part to make students pay more attention to this issue. Moreover, the students who are planning to have a new car should be informed to about the hybrid cars which cause any problem to the atmosphere.

4. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING SOLUTIONS:

In order to decide these solutions are suitable or not, they should evaluate according to some criteria which are cost, sustainability, practicality, acceptability and effectiveness.

a) Cost: The price paid of air filter for the smokestack of factory will be examined, whether they are suitable according to financial problems or not. Also, the cost of the filter system for exhaust of motor vehicles will be investigated because of determination that this solution is applicable for any person without any financial problem or not.

b) Sustainability: The solutions of the air pollution in Bilkent will be examined, whether air filters for the factory and motor vehicles are required frequently control and renewal or not.

c) Practicality: Proposed solutions should be useful for performing, because if they are not applicable, administrators of the factory, people who have cars and owners of buses which carry students and staffs will not accept to obtain new systems for their cars and factory.

d) Acceptability: The opinion of all people in Bilkent University about the solutions will be investigated. All administrators and students are enthusiastic about them or not.

e) Effectiveness: In order to create effective solutions to this problem, the solutions should solve much of the causes of the problem. For example, making seminar about air filters for car is more effective solutions with respect to prepare posters.

5. PROPOSED RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

In order to be certain about that the solutions are suitable for above criteria or not, an exhaustive research should be made. For that purpose, a methodology should be generated.

* There must be an investigation about requirements for solutions on the internet and the new technologies of air filters should be followed. Also, some companies which produce the air filters for motor vehicles and factories should be found in internet.

* There should be some meetings with the employees of companies which fabricate air filters to get information about their cost, sustainability and practicality. Also, it will help to determine how much contributions can be provided with having these air filters to solve air pollution.

* There should be a meeting with the administrations of Bilkent University to get the information about the possibility of providing for all school busses air filters.

* There should be a research about the people who are expert in environment area and live in Ankara to provide seminars about air pollution and their solutions for students, instructors, bus drivers and for the staff of Tepe Factory. Also, the seminars should be informative about air filter systems both for motor vehicles and factories.

* I am going to research the opinion of instructors and students about having air filters for their cars.

* I will make a survey about hybrid cars with interviewing firms that produce hybrid cars about their cost and the possibility to invite them for seminars for students and to make exhibition of their cars in Bilkent University.

* There should a meeting with TDP, which is a group of students who try to solve problems about social awareness, the possibility to generate a group which deals with environmental issues, especially air pollution.

7. REFERENCES:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/causes-of-air-pollution.html

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=39.8730635&lon=32.7479589&z=17&l=36&m=s&v=9

http://www.ehow.com/list_5436713_causes-air-pollution.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution

http://www.powermag.com/coal/Estimating-SCR-installation-costs_506.html

http://www.car-stuff.com/carairfilter.htm

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/General_information/Environment/Aircare/Aircare_motor_vehicle_pollution

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/General_information/Environment/Aircare/Aircare_smoky_vehicles#types