Air Pollution as a Danger to Humanity

Air is the ocean we breathe, air supplies us with oxygen which is essential for our bodies to live. However, human activities can release particles into the air, of which can cause problems such as smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and holes in the ozone layer. Each of these problems has serious problems for our health and well being as well as for the whole environment. Therefore, preventing air pollution is not only the duty of an individual but also the responsibilities of all people who are living in this earth. Of great concern is “emissions” caused by traffic and industries. The negative effects resulting from these emissions are undeniable and there is need to get a lasting solution to the problem. Uses of eco-friendly modes of transport such as bicycles or public electric trains are some of the solutions in solving emissions caused by transport systems.

There are other gases such as greenhouse gases that have also been of great concern in the recent past. When released to the air, they are both harmful to human beings and plant life. These gases have been proven to be a cause of global warming which has resulted in increased droughts. In turn, these droughts have been a major cause of fires that increase air pollution.

Carbon dioxide is a good indicator of how much fossil fuel is burned. Including how much of other pollutants are emitted as a result. Carbon dioxide is a perfect example of air pollution, the average family in the United States causes air pollution in the following examples transportation, electricity, other home fuel uses and goods and services we buy. The average amount of pollution a average family uses each year is (CO2) eighty five pounds, Nitrogen Oxides three hundred and twenty five pounds, Sulfur dioxide or acid rain four hundred and eleven pounds. The health effects on the air pollution on humans is critical as well. Exposure to emissions of lead, mercury, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and ozone-forming nitrogen oxides are hazardous to public health. Toxins like mercury and lead can poison organ systems and can lead to brain damage and death. Other pollutants in the ozone can cause respiratory and other health problems, particularly in children and the elderly. Air pollution can even lead to either a wide range or a short range of health effects. Over the past thirty years researchers have studied a vast of health effects which are believed to be associated with air pollution exposure. In the respiratory system diseases including asthma and changes in lung function cardiovascular diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes and even death. Nearly two point five million people die from air pollution each year from outdoor and indoor air pollution.

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The cause of long term air pollution can last for years or for an entire life time. They can even lead to a person’s death. The health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people’s nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Young children and older adults whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors. In parts of the country where lakes and waterways have been contaminated with mercury from electric power plants, fish are no longer safe to eat because they, too, are contaminated with heavy metal pollutants. Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze which is similar to smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds. Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere.

These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition. Degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams, damages crops and can cause buildings and monuments to decay. Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects as well as diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been to air pollution.

The reduction of air pollution is a major situation that people need to know about, on how to reduce the pollution and make the environment much safer and healthier. Anybody can take easy steps to compact and make air pollution reduce. Millions of people every day make simple changes in their lives to do this. Taking public transportationinstead of driving a car, or riding a bike instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of ways to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling yard trimmings instead of burning them, and not smoking cigarettes are others. Many people have adapted to using eletronic cars or eletricty to live thier lives besides burning fossil fuels and emitting air pollution into the air.