Pollution & Population

I constructed this question because climate change and pollution are two things I am very interested in. With my previous knowledge I knew L.A was a heavily polluted city with a high population. Therefore, it made me think. Is there a connection between the amount of people living in a specific region and the amount of carbon emissions that that region produces?

Initially to collect my data I used ArcGIS online to search through preexisting map filters. Luckily, I was able to find filters that corresponded with my question such as: population density and carbon emissions percentages. However, I continued to do more research and created an online survey using Survey123, which some of my peers and family members filled out. But, because I had already found the data I needed through ArcGIS I didn't use a lot of my survey information.

Looking at the pollution map with the "Ozone Pollution" layer we can see that as a whole the Bay Area actually has a good pollution level. Looking at the map you can compare it to places like Modesto which has a higher pollution level but smaller population. This map can help me reach the answer to my question because it displays the pollution levels in specific areas which I can later use to compare to my population data map.

This is the same map (at a larger scale because it wouldn't let me add it when I zoomed into the Bay Area) however, this map has a population filter on it. Looking at it you can see that the Bay Area has a greater population density compared to the majority of California and San Francisco itself has an even higher density. I can use this map with relation to the population map to answer my question and see if there is a connection between pollution and population.

This map shows polluted waters. (In order to see the filter you have to expand the map and zoom in.) This doesn't play a huge role in answering my inquiry however, I do believe there is a highly important connection between our pollution and polluted waters. Being able to represent this on the map is highly important to show how carbon emissions go way beyond just affecting our air quality. However, I can use the orange markings on this map to expand my connection between pollution and population.

Using my maps as data I can answer my inquiry: Is there a connection between population and pollution? If I were to use my maps and just look at the Bay Area with out any additional research my answer would be no, there isn't a connection. However, it's important to take into account the culture and jobs of a specific area. For example, the Bay Area has a lot of tertiary jobs and it isn't uncommon for families to own electric cars or have solar panels. All things that limit pollution production. However, in places like Modesto, which has a higher pollution level than the Bay Area but a lower population, there is a greater amount of factories. These factories can heavily contribute to carbon emissions and would explain for their higher levels of pollution despite having less people. So with that being said, I don't think the Bay Area is a good representation when it comes to answering my inquiry. Analyzing a place like L.A or New York or even analyzing at state or national scale would most likely had me answering my question with a yes. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot we can do regarding pollution because there is always going to be a need for someone to supply the demand. However, there are steps we can take like carpooling and using sun as our power source rather than coal that will help pollution despite the number of people living in a specific area.