Since I live only 5 miles, (as the crow flies), from an active volcano known as Kilauea, I will start there.

It’s been erupting since 1983 and certainly must be contributing to global warming and pollution.

My first question is: “Is a naturally occurring event considered pollution?” Better check the dictionary.  Here’s the definition I will choose: The undesirable presence of matter or energy that can cause harmful environmental effects. (The majority of the definitions referenced humans as being the primary cause of pollution.)  You may ask what this has to do with how we, as individuals, can help lessen the impacts of global warming? Nothing really, however, as a resident of the island of Hawaii I simply wanted to know.

Here is what I found: Kilauea Volcano is Hawaii’s single biggest polluter. The volcano emits an average of 1,000 metric tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere each day, according to the Hawaii chapter of the American Lung Association.

Having lived on the island since 1991 I can attest to the amount of vog aka volcanic haze that hangs in the air some days causing my eyes to redden and a lingering sulfur smell in my nose. The following link will give you further information on this subject: Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano a Big Polluter.

Before anyway decides that an article like the one above means that nature is harming and polluting the environment more than humans, another article was suggested to me by a member of a local forum. Apparently the folks at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are often asked “Which produces more CO2, volcanic or human activity?” According to scientists at Hawaii Volcano Observatory, volcanic emissions contribute only 1% of the CO2 that contributes to Global Warming. Guess that shoots down the idea that we are only minor players in global climate change. The following link will give you further information on this subject: “Which produces more CO2, volcanic or human activity?”

Mahalo

Tony