Air Pollution

By: Ella Z.

       The air that we breathe, the very thing that keeps us alive, might not be as safe as we think. Air is one of the natural resources we need to survive, yet we constantly pollute it, whether we know it or not. Pollution happens every day, every hour, and every minute. This spikes the question of how dangerous and damaging is air pollution?

       Air pollution takes the lives of many, and one of them was a girl named Ella Kissi-Debrah. She was just nine years old but had died after having an asthma attack. Her asthma was severe, and she had been exposed to high levels of dangerous air pollution prior to her death. She lived in Lewisham, southeast London, which was near one of the capital’s busiest roads. Vehicle emissions and many other factors of air pollutants played a role in her death. After the tragedy, it helped open the eyes for people to be more aware of the invisible killer.

       About 5 million people become victims of air pollution, and that number is constantly increasing. A staggering 90% of people worldwide breathe polluted air. Moreover, only 10% of people worldwide breathe air that meets WHO (World Health Organization) standards. Millions of reported deaths are caused by a toxic environment. You and the earth’s health both rely on clean air, and poor air could cause fatal organ damage, and death. 

       Air pollution is deadly, but what is pollution? Pollution is the introduction of any matter, or form of energy to an environment. It's not able to be dispersed at a faster rate than it is introduced, which causes the air to be in a harmful state. Air pollution specifically is the release of pollutants that invade the air. This is detrimental to the health of humans, and our earth. Air pollution comes from anthropogenic sources as well as natural causes.

       Natural causes for air pollution are volcanic ashes and wildfires. Only 15% of wildfires start naturally; when an environment becomes hot, dry, or lightning strikes upon the ground. We can’t prevent these disasters from happening, but disappointingly almost 85% of wildfires in the US are born from people. They utilize fire along with disregarding the hazards. These mistakes could start anything burning to ashes.

       Fires are an immense problem, but with the fire comes the smoke, and ash. Smoke contains gaseous air pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and if these are inhaled, carry dangerous health problems. Ash could float in the air, and just like smoke, it's dangerous when it enters your system.

       Unfortunately, ways we pollute our air are the use of fossil fuels, transportation, and electricity. Fossil fuels produce energy for us to go from place to place. Additionally, they light up our homes and create an easier path for us. While these are great, our vehicles use about two billion barrels of oil each year. This alone emits up to 1.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide. The US electric power sector uses coal, and coal releases Nitrogen oxide that contributes to respiratory illnesses. These fossil fuels produce up to ⅔ of the sulfur dioxide in the air. This gas poses a threat to our health, and symptoms like irritated eyes, and lungs might mean the air around you is toxic. The burning of fossil fuels also produces carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas, colorless gas, and if interfered with your bloodstream, could result in heart damage.

       We as people could start to approach new ways of reducing the amount of air pollutants being released. Instead of using tons of gasoline from vehicle emissions, you might make different choices for transportation. Taking a walk, riding a bike, and when it comes to driving, make better car decisions. Electric cars are said to be better for the environment, but choosing a car that gets better miles per gallon of gas works too. Solar and wind systems generate energy and use no fossil fuels.

       It’s time we begin to take our first steps towards better air quality, and a  better environment. We need to start paying attention to the things we use. We can all contribute in our own ways. Things might not be as convenient in the long run, but if everyone unites to solve this problem we can make a significant change. We can still protect ourselves, and our planet, from air pollution.