Air Pollution

   By: Emily Zhong

You open the window and take a fresh, clean breath of air. But really how clean is that air? Pollution happens every day, every hour, every minute. From plastic to gas, we pollute the Earth whether we know it or not. One of the major types of pollution is air pollution. And this spikes the question, what is pollution?

Pollution is the introduction of any matter or any form of energy to an environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed or stored in some harmless state. Air pollution is the release of pollutants into the air that is detrimental to human health and the planet. While there are natural causes of air pollution like volcanic ashes, forest fires, and hot springs, there are also ways we pollute the very air we breathe. Some ways we pollute the air are the use of fossil fuels, electricity, and transportation. And our actions could have momentous consequences if we continue on with this.

There are approximately 4.2 million deaths every year as a result of exposure to ambient air pollution. Approximately just eight percent of people worldwide breathe air that meets WHO (World Health Organization) standards. That means a staggering 92 percent of people breathe polluted air. A toxic environment could be perilous. At least one out of four deaths reported worldwide is caused by a toxic environment. Your body relies on the air you breathe, and poor air can cause damage to the lungs and other organs.

Hazardous air pollutants are deadly and could have severe health risks, even in small amounts. Some of the most common air pollutants are mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzene. Most of them are emitted during gas or coal combustion, incinerating and in the case of benzene, found in gasoline. Benzene can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, lungs, and if exposed to long enough, cause blood disorders. Dioxins are more typically found in food but can also be present in small amounts in the air. They can affect the liver, and if exposed to long enough, cause harm to the immune, nervous, endocrine systems, and reproductive functions. Lead can be very noxious to children. In large amounts, it could damage their brain and kidneys; and even in small amounts, it can affect children’s IQ and ability to learn. Mercury can affect the central nervous system.

The burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil produces 2/3 of the SO2 (sulfur dioxide) in the air. And this gas can irritate the eyes and lungs and makes the rain acidic. Acid rain kills aquatic life and also damages buildings. The burning of fossil fuels also produces CO (carbon monoxide), which is an odorless, colorless gas that interferes with our bloodstream and could cause heart damage or even death. Deforestation is also a contributor to air pollution. The loss of trees affects the air by reducing the amount of oxygen and increasing the amount of carbon dioxide, as well as contributing to global warming.

Some other causes of air pollution are greenhouse gases, smog and soot. Greenhouse gases trap the earth’s heat in the atmosphere, leading to warmer temperatures. Possible consequences include the melting of polar ice caps, and this could lead to an increase in sea level, precipitation and severe weather events like hurricanes. Smog can aggravate the eyes, throat and harm the lungs. This is substantially worse for children, people who spend time outside, and senior citizens. It’s even worse for people who have asthma or allergies. These additional pollutants only intensify their symptoms and can trigger asthma attacks.

Some ways we can reduce air pollution is using less gasoline and making smart choices about transportation. You can walk, ride a bike, or take public transportation. And for driving, you could choose cars that get better miles per gallon of gas or choose an electric car. You can also investigate your power provider options, like using solar or wind energy.

It is time we paid attention to better the air quality since air pollution has resulted predominantly from the things that benefit people. We can all help in our own way. It may cause small inconveniences, but in the long run, if everyone unites to solve the problem, we can make a significant change to protect the environment as well as human health.