Oregon 2035: A Day in the State That Chose the Future

 

By Alexander Ziwahatan
Founder, Omnithion | Candidate for Governor of Oregon

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The Silent Threat in Our Skies

When wildfire season hits Oregon, the devastation isn’t limited to flames.
Long after the last embers are out, another disaster lingers — in the air we breathe.

Wildfire smoke can travel hundreds of miles, blanketing cities like Portland, Eugene, and Bend in thick, toxic haze. In 2020, air quality in parts of Oregon ranked worst in the world, with PM2.5 levels exceeding safe limits by more than 10×. Even in years with fewer megafires, seasonal smoke pushes asthma ER visits up by 20–40% and increases cardiovascular events in vulnerable populations.

But wildfire smoke isn’t the only culprit. Vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and stagnant air during heat waves combine to create year-round pollution hazards — a hidden killer that the World Health Organization estimates causes 7 million premature deaths globally each year.

We’ve accepted dirty air as an inevitable byproduct of modern life. I refuse to.

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The Vision Behind AtmosClean

When I founded Omnithion, I wanted to tackle not just the disasters we see — like wildfires — but also the ones we don’t. AtmosClean is our answer to air pollution: an autonomous aerial purification fleet capable of cleaning the air in cities, towns, and high-risk zones in real time.

Imagine drones that patrol neighborhoods the way street sweepers clean roads — but instead of removing dirt from the pavement, they remove toxins from the air you breathe.

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How AtmosClean Works

1. Aerial Mobility
Each AtmosClean unit is a drone equipped with a high-capacity air intake system and ultra-fine filtration technology. They can reach any part of a city, including dense urban cores and areas too dangerous for ground crews.

2. High-Efficiency Filtration
Using HEPA-grade and activated carbon filters, AtmosClean captures PM2.5, pollen, allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and even certain airborne pathogens.

3. Targeted Deployment
AtmosClean units can be dispatched to “hot zones” detected via atmospheric sensors, satellite data, or citizen reports — tackling pollution before it spreads.

4. Emergency Response Mode
In the event of wildfire smoke surges, industrial accidents, or chemical spills, AtmosClean drones swarm affected areas, dramatically improving air quality within hours.

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Why This Changes the Game for Oregon

Air quality is a public health issue, an economic issue, and an equity issue. Low-income neighborhoods are disproportionately impacted by pollution due to their proximity to industrial zones and highways. Children and seniors suffer the most.

With AtmosClean:

• Schools and hospitals could maintain safe air even during wildfire season.

• Outdoor workers could breathe clean air without costly personal equipment.

• Cities could avoid productivity losses from smoke-related illness.

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The Economics of Clean Air

Poor air quality costs Oregon billions in lost productivity, healthcare costs, and reduced tourism during smoky summers. Studies show every $1 invested in air pollution reduction returns $30–40 in public health and economic benefits.

AtmosClean’s operating costs are a fraction of traditional large-scale air purifiers and can be scaled city by city.

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Integrating AtmosClean into Oregon’s Climate Resilience Strategy

Here’s my deployment vision:

• Urban Air Patrols — AtmosClean units continuously monitor and clean air in major metro areas.

• Rapid-Response Wildfire Support — Units stationed near wildfire-prone corridors, ready to deploy the moment smoke drifts toward populated areas.

• Community-Owned Fleets — Local governments, tribal nations, and even neighborhood coalitions could operate their own drones with state support.

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Global Potential

While Oregon is the proving ground, AtmosClean is built for global impact:

• Asia’s smog-choked megacities

• Europe’s urban pollution corridors

• Africa’s industrial zones

Just as clean water became a universal standard, clean air should be a basic human right.

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Conclusion: Breathing Room for the Future

We can’t stop every wildfire. We can’t eliminate every tailpipe overnight. But we can choose not to let pollution dictate the health of our people.

AtmosClean gives us a tool to fight back — not in decades, but now. It’s scalable, adaptable, and ready to deploy.

For Oregon, it means turning smoky summers into breathable ones. For the world, it means a future where every child, in every neighborhood, can take a deep breath and know it’s safe.