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Just don't exhale

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 4, 2009

Now that the EPA has seen fit to declare carbon dioxide a dangerous pollutant that needs to be regulated, I would like to offer a solution. As a nurse I know that we breathe in oxygen and exhale CARBON DIOXIDE.

The average person breathes 16 times per minute. The population of the United States is roughly 306,282,485. Think of the carbon dioxide we could save if we could get people to hold their breath.

People born in odd years could hold their breath for a minute or two on the hour. Those born in even years could hold their breath on the half hour. My husband, a runner, breathes only 12 times per minute. A cap-and-trade system could be established. whereby he could trade those four exhalations a minute with those whose health requires more oxygen.

When he is running he breathes more often. Marathons, I think, would be outlawed for the common good.

People with asthma and emphysema also would be given extra credits because they have trouble exhaling. This is a modest proposal but one I believe will be well suited to the EPA.

MIDGE KOVAC

Temple Terrace

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