ECOWATCH - In Southern California, automobile emissions are the biggest source of carbon dioxide in the air. But during the pandemic, when there were fewer cars on the road, those levels decreased.
Now, scientists from the University of California have found a unique way to show which neighborhoods’ air pollution returned to pre-pandemic levels after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. By analyzing wild grass samples, the researchers were able to figure out the levels of carbon dioxide emissions in the areas where the samples were taken.
During their study, the researchers found that the reduction in carbon dioxide levels on regional highways in 2020 was about 60 percent.