There is a major air pollution problem in California, especially in major cities such as Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Bakersfield. Los Angeles has the worst smog by far, affecting millions with over 600,000 of them being children. The smog is so awful that it is destroying the ozone layer, which is the only thing that saves us from the sun's rays and the radiation. The planet will start to die off, if we do not solve this issue.
Los Angeles has been named the smoggiest city in the United States 19 times for the past 20 years. The smog is not clearing up as fast as it used to, and it is visible. The worst part is that it is only getting worse. In 2016, there was around 111 unhealthy days of smog, and in 2017 there was 119 days. Most of the smog is coming from diesel engines, cars, and major industrial factories. These are the main sources of the polluted air, which contains tiny particles of the ozone layer and dust. With this toxic air all over Los Angeles, everybody is forced to breathe this air, which can cause health problems for many people. Symptoms can be a cough, irritated throat, asthma and the ozone layer can cause serious damage to your lungs if you inhale a large amount. This makes the air pollution issue worse now that it is starting to affect the lives of people. There are about 1,300 people who die every year from smog in Los Angeles alone. With this amount of people dying, it makes it a very important issue that needs to be solved before it is too late.
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Los Angeles is one of the most populated cities in the world. With this many people on the road, the smog from all the cars builds up daily. Cars are not the only thing causing all the air pollution, but also major factories, and mining operations. The biggest cause, is through the major factories burning fossil fuels. When the major factories burn fossil fuels, they release air pollutants that can contain harmful products. Fossil fuel is a dangerous gas that can contain tiny toxic particles. This can damage plant life in the area and be harmful for anybody or any animal to breathe. If this trend continues to happen, we will kill off the whole ozone layer, and make the Earth impossible to live on.
Another issue that can arise due to major factories and their air pollution is acid rain. When the toxins in the air mix with water, it can create rain that is acidic and create even more health problems and possibly even kill someone. It has no benefit at all and does serious damage to plant life. It can get into the ground and kill off all the nutrients the plants need to survive. Not only does it affect trees and forests, but it can also cause pH levels in rivers and lakes to be much lower. With acidic water in streams, it makes it hard for any type of sea life to live, and it becomes a harmful substance for us to drink from. Acid rain is a big problem, especially during times of heavy rain. When there is a large amount of acidic rain, it creates rivers and streams with extremely high pH levels which can make the water toxic and create even more issues if someone consumed the water.
There are ways we can fix this issue. One step, is going towards electric cars. Electric cars are the best way to start to clean up the air. If everybody were to use electric cars, there would be way less smog because there would be no engine cars to release toxins into the air. Carpooling is another good way to help clean up the sky. Having less cars on the street means that cars will not be stuck in traffic as much, and just stay still burning off the gas and creating smog. Other ways we can help is by burning less trash or any type of waste and creating a better way to get rid of waste other than burning it. Burning trash is the most harmful way to get rid of it, because of the toxic air it can create.
In conclusion, air pollution and smog is a problem that needs to be fixed soon. If we do not solve this issue, then the planet will be destroyed. It kills plant life, infects bodies of water, and can affect humans in a negative way. We need to start cleaning up the air, and figure out ways to get rid of waste in a more environmentally friendly way. If we manage to do this, then the Earth will be a much cleaner and people will be able to enjoy the crisp, clean air.
References
- American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 162, Issue 2, 15 July 2005, Pages 140–148, https://doi-org.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/10.1093/aje/kwi173
- EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/glossary.htm
- “Fossil Fuel”. ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/fossil_fuel.htm.
- https://doi-org.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/10.1093/aje/kwi173
- https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/glossary.htm