The blowing dust in Lubbock is not only unsightly, but it holds many more dangers than you would think. While I was driving back to work from lunch today, I coughed so long and hard that I got lightheaded. Luckily, I was okay, but it got me to thinking: what all blows along with the West Texas dust?
What Is West Texas Blowing Dust Made Of?
The dust is primarily topsoil from surrounding agricultural areas. Since our climate is semi-arid and there are not many natural features to block the wind, the loose soil can easily be picked up and blown around. That alone is enough to give most people a nasty cough.
However, inside that soil are plenty of potentially harmful allergens, viruses, bacteria, and fungi that are easily inhaled into the lungs. Logically, it is also possible that we could be inhaling very small amounts of chemicals used in agriculture, like fertilizers and pesticides, although I was not able to find a scientific study on that…..