As a land specialist here in the Greater Asheville, N.C. area, I think about 
things like the quality of air and water and how that can impact our clients.
(Carolina Blue sky and mountains)
I think about the troposphere and stratosphere, and how each affects the quality of life on Earth differently.
As a former schoolteacher, I remember emphasizing to my students the importance of learning about such things. Maybe you remember learning that the troposphere begins at the Earth's surface and extends for 6-10 miles.
It absolutely and directly affects the health of the people, animals, and plants living on the Earth.The stratosphere, which extends to 30-34 miles above the Earth's surface, preserves the Earth's climate and protects the Earth from the sun's radiation. But we have a challenge. And it's mostly related to human beings.
Carolina blue skies or not, ozone formed in the troposphereby chemical reactions between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) on sunny days, and that industrial facility down the road, and that coal-fired power plant over the hill.... emit VOCs and NOX. It's a challenge. Even, gas-powered yard tools, boats, cars we appreciate so much can be a problem. If you look at it as an opportunity to turn on the valve to your creative juices, you could get inspired by the challenge to remedy the problem.
As real estate professionals,we are invested in quality of life issues for our clients. When I think that various pollutants impact the quality of daily life by making it difficult to work or play out-of-doors, I want to do something ....SO look for a list of tipsin upcoming posts....tips specific to real estate here in the Asheville Area....
AND I am inviting you to add your suggestions.
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when Buying, Selling or Relocating to Asheville, North Carolina. 
This professional REALTOR'S® has an eye for extraordinary value
"My Team and I specialize in homes on the GreenSide- golf course, second and vacation homes,
in Mountain Homes and Land Legacies, golf course communities, and properties of enduring excellence.
stylish equestrian estates and land legacy acreages in the Greater Asheville Area." "
janeAnne "Asheville's Greenolina" Narrin, M.A., CSW, is a golf enthusiast and real estate consultant specializing in eco-sensitive golf communities, mountain homes and land legacies. She is the author of numerous articles on Asheville's Homes on the GreenSide and has served on the Green Experts Board for the New Life Journal.She currently co-chairs the ECO Committee at the Asheville Board of REALTORS®. She is an avid putter!
Media:: HGTV filmed her Eco-All-Star Team for a show on sustainable innovation for HGTV's Green Week. "Asheville's Greenolina" real estate media interviews and articles appear in various print and online publications. Her nonfiction titles: Authentic Communication on the Worldwide Web and A Curriculum for Practical Real Estate. Narrin ("Asheville's Greenolina") holds the highly-regarded designations of NAR GREEN®, ECO Certified ® Real Estate Consultant, EcoBroker® and e-PRO®.
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Hi janeAnne, It's because of everything you just mentioned that I would REALLY like to see an increased attention on the algae based BioFuels.
They can attach to all coal fired power plants to capture the waste emissions to grow the algae and transform it in to Biofuel. This form of fuel is actually the chosen fuel of NASA AND the US Air Force.
Now, if that would just trickle down. Just think about how many coal power plants we have and how much biofuel that would produce without affecting crops and a shortage of food in Nations that are still less fortunate and our own Nation's cost of goods at the grocery store! It would be great.
janeAnne, A long time ago now, I lived in southern California. Some days you couldn't see clearly even one mile away, let alone into the trophosphere. There were times when I was a kid that my lungs hurt from breathing the air.
Now, it is better here in Idaho but, as you know, every place has its issues. No one is immune. By the earth beneath our feet we are all connected. The air we breath, the water, our food, everything is part of a greater whole. You know the saying, "There is nothing new under the sun." The atoms of our individual forms date back into antiquity.
How fragile is a life. My apologies for getting too philosophical here… It’s just that there is so much work to do and so many obstacles to overcome. I’m with you when it comes to a sincere desire that we make the leaps necessary for the betterment of our enviroment and subsequently, for the qualities of life.
Hope you don't mind, I'm going to reblog this post too. All the best. Steve