Article snippet: “The air that Americans breathe isn’t equal,” USA Today says in its report on the study. “Blacks and Hispanics disproportionately breathe air that’s been polluted by non-Hispanic whites, according to a study,” USA Today says. “This new research quantifies for the first time the racial gap between who causes air pollution – and who breathes it.” The study is available online, including a portion entitled “significance.” USA Today reports that 100,000 Americans die from pollution a year, more “than car crashes and murders combined,” although the exact causes of death and how it relates to pollution are not explained. “Even though minorities are contributing less to the overall problem of air pollution, they are affected by it more,” Jason Hill, an engineering professor at the University of Minnesota and co-author of the study says in the USA Today report, which notes that he is white. “Is it fair (that) I create more pollution and somebody else is disproportionately affected by it?” Hill says. “What is especially surprising is just how large pollution inequity is and has been for well over a decade,” Hill says. The type of pollution analyzed in the study is PM 2.5 — grains of particulate matter that are smaller than the width of a human hair, according to USA Today. They are present in car exhaust, from power plants, and burning materials. USA Today reports: “On average, whites tend to consume more than minorities,” Hill says. “It’s because of wealth.” “For examp... Link to the full article to read more