Air Pollution - The Causes and Effect

Reduced air quality: Fine particulate matter, exhausts, burning of fossil fuels, and pesticides are a few things that exert greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere affecting the climate change. Reduced air quality poses a great risk to public health and has been linked to asthma, heart and lung damage, respiratory diseases, and premature deaths.

Did you know many upper respiratory diseases such as asthma and others diseases like cataracts and skin cancer are aggravated by air pollution. The NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) states that “the following air pollutants are common triggers of asthma, ground level ozone, sulfur dioxide, fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxide.” Air pollution is the presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.

According to scientific studies, climate change could be a responsible factor behind the formation of more ozone smog, and increased production of allergenic pollen (Drought Increases Air Pollution… (n.d.) The health of many people is susceptible to irritation of respiratory system from coming in contact with this polluted air from smog, pollen pollution, and wildfire smoke (NRDC: Climate Change Threatens ....... (n.d.). Anybody can be affected by breathing ozone, but certain age group and disease condition make them more vulnerable. Outdoor workers and even people exercising outside, vulnerable age groups such as children, teens, and older individuals, people with existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, are more prone to outdoor ozone ”(Ozone Pollution - American Lung…n.d.). Health risk could range from mild "shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing; asthma attacks;"certain individuals might be prone to lung infections; their lungs could be inflamed (Ozone Pollution - American Lung…n.d.). People diagnosed with asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease might face more infections and in need of more care (Ozone Pollution - American Lung…n.d.). According to Natural Resources Defense Council, an approximated "881,500 kids and 2,294,800 adults" are asthma victim per year (Climate Change Threatens Health....n.d.).

Air pollution can harm plants, lakes, and animals. In addition to damaging the natural environment, air pollution also can damage buildings, monuments, and statues. Not only does it reduce your visibility but it also interferes with aviation. In 1970, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and passed the Clean Air Act, giving the federal government authority to clean up air pollution in this country.3 Ever since then, the EPA, states, tribes,

When the air becomes polluted, it is because air pollutants have contaminated it. Burlington, New Jersey where I live is not exception to air pollution. These pollutants are emitted into the air from the car we drive, the factories that manufactured food we eat, clothes we wear, etc. The air also gets polluted from the activities we are involved with in our homes, including the various kinds of products we used at home, like air conditioners, heaters, etc (“NJDEP”, n.d.).

Air pollution is a big problem in our world today because it affects our lives on earth as well as animals and plants. Breathing polluted air can make you very sick it can cause your eyes and nose to burn. It can irritate your throat and even make your breathing difficult. Air pollution is a big environmental problem because it is affecting our crops, trees, wildlife, and lakes/oceans. Pollution is harming fish and other aquatic life in those bodies of water.

Emissions from coal fired power plants contribute to global warming, ozone smog, acid rain, regional haze, and perhaps most consequential of all from a public health standpoint, fine particle pollution.

The causes of air pollution are burning fossils fuels releases gases and chemicals into the air. Climate changes also increases the production of allergenic air pollutants including mold. ‘There are examples of air pollution such as coal, oil, natural gas, and gasoline to produce electricity and power our vehicles.’ “Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a good indicator of how much fossil fuel is burned and how much of other pollutants are emitted as a result.”(How Do We Cause Air Pollution)

Automobile pollution increases global warming and causes severe damage to environmental and public health. Carbon dioxide emissions from automobile engines are the leading cause of global warming (Ridlington & Madsen, 2014). Temperatures across the country are experiencing a significant increase causing ice to melt and a rise in sea level. This results in frequent coastal flooding that consequently comes with devastating outcomes such as high

Air pollution can affect our health in many ways with both short-term and long-term effects. Different groups of individuals are affected by air pollution in different ways. Some individuals are much more sensitive to pollutants than are others. Young children and elderly people often suffer more from the effects of air pollution. Air pollution has many effects on human health, affecting a number of different systems and organs. Effects range from minor upper respiratory irritation to chronic respiratory and heart disease, lung

Different processes like fossil fuel burning in industries, motor vehicles, and buildings all emit hazardous waste into the air that lead to air pollution. Some of the pollutants released into the air are particulate matter and ground level ozone which are the main ingredients in smog, along with nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide, volatile organic compounds, and carbon monoxide. Ground level ozone and soot are direct contributors to air pollution and a higher temperature increase. Recent studies have shown that in the upcoming years with temperatures rising ozone will be released into the atmosphere at much higher levels than previously seen. This increase in ozone will be very harmful as it can cause health problems for children, the elderly, and anyone with lung diseases such as asthma. Along with affecting us humans ground level ozone is harmful on vegetation and ecosystems that support all kinds of plant and animal life. Some factors that affect ozone formation are heat, concentrations of precursor chemicals, and methane emissions. An increase in global temperature can lead to more premature deaths caused by worsened ozone and particle pollution. Studies have shown that if no change is made in air pollution premature deaths due to these factors will rise anywhere from 1,000-4,300 additional deaths per year by 2050. Us humans in everyday life contribute

Waste Generation: coal-fired power use causes several pollutant emissions in the atmosphere causing global climate change (Weaver, 2008). Also, it has large waste generation, which results in land and water resource depletion because it contaminates the very air and water we use every day. This causes public health and safety as well as animal health and safety (Worldcoal.org, 2016)

Increasing temperature will increase the dirty air and therefore aggrevates the air pollution from cars and fatories. If people breath in the dirty air, there will be higher rate of death of asthmatics. Those who have cardiac, pulmonary, hay fever, and other allergies will suffer more.

Air pollution causes global warming through the greenhouse effect, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The greenhouse effect occurs when greenhouse gases trap and heat energy from the sun and prevent it from escaping Earth's atmosphere and entering space.” (EPA, 2012)

Air pollution should be addressed more seriously, because it is the deadliest of pollutions killing millions of per year around the world. The pollutants in our environment are mainly caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Air pollution has a massive impact on the environment. It also has an negative impact on the human body. Air pollution can be prevented by performing many simple tasks. Air pollution is extremely dangerous to the human body and the environment and should be dealt with more seriously. The burning of fossil fuels is the main cause of air pollution.