Air Pollution

There are various types of air pollution contributors in California such as fire generated pollutants and vehicle traffic, which add particulate matter and carbon monoxide into the air we breathe. According to an article by Union of Concerned Scientists (Cars, trucks, and air pollution, 2014) particulate matter is made up of fine particles soot and metal that can pose serious threats to human health when deep in the lungs. Other pollutants emitted from vehicles are: nitrogen oxide which lowers the body’s defense system against respiratory infections such as pneumonia, carbon monoxide which blocks oxygen from reaching vital organs, sulfur dioxide which is emitted by both power plants and vehicles affect children and asthmatics, and hazardous air pollutants (toxics) which are chemicals that are linked to cancer, birth defects and other illnesses (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2014).

One environmental problems that greatly impacts the United States, and more severely threatens low-income countries is pollution; specifically air pollution. Air pollution is caused when the ozone (smog) is a pollutant close to the ground, unfortunately so much pollution causes irritation to the eyes and lungs that leads to serious medical attention. This causes million of deaths worldwide annually, ranking it to be the worlds fourth highest risk factor for death. A fairly recent new article dated, February 12, 2016, titled Poor air quality kills 5.5 million worldwide annually, by University of British Columbia closely annualizes the serious threat air pollution has and states some eye opening facts about the issue needed to raise awareness.

One of the main cause of air pollution is human activities like mining, construction, transportation, industrial work, agriculture, smelting, and some others. There are also natural causes that result to air pollution also such as wild fires, volcano eruptions. These are even rare and for the most part only affect the area that it surrounds. The bigger problem is going back to us humans and knowing that we can stop certain activities to help better the world and our air we breathe every day. One of the “invisible killers” in today’s air pollution includes nitrogen oxides, ozone, and very small particulate matter. (Frank) Today, PM has been researched to be held most responsible for most of the health effects caused by the air. Fossil fuel combustion is most common in more of the urban areas, which would come from the road construction that occurs quite frequently. (Frank) There has also been a rise in deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory disease with older people. (Seaton)

What is air pollution? Air pollution is a serious health and environment problem. It refers to the contamination of air, irrespective of indoors and outdoors. A physical biological or chemical alteration to the air in the atmosphere can be termed as pollution. Air pollution can further be classified into two sections. Visible air pollution and invisible air pollution. Another way of looking at air pollution could be any substance that holds the potential to hinder the atmosphere or the well being of living beings surviving in it. The sustainment of all things living us due to a combination of gases that collectively form the atmosphere, the imbalance caused by the increase or decrease of the percentage of these gases can be harmful.

The Earth is home to 950,000 species of insects, 150,000,000 species of animals and the most intelligent, efficient and deadly of them all: 7 billion humans. The Earth being the only planet inhabitable that can sustain life, its preservation is evidently vital - yet our efforts to do so are far behind the necessity to halt the exponentially increasing effects of our industrialization. Since the early 19th century, the research begun of our planet’s natural climate, with the French mathematician Joseph Fourier’s calculation that the Earth would be colder if it lacked an atmosphere. The escalation of greenhouse gas emissions into the Earth’s atmosphere escalated at the birth of the Industrial Revolution, and the effects have been illustrated clearly by scientists, which are getting increasingly more urgent on its maintenance. However, due to the recent decisions of the leader of our nation, who has chosen to prioritize economic relations over the dangerous state of our changes in climate and natural disasters, the need for its awareness is crucial. I am particularly passionate about the importance of spreading this aforementioned awareness and advocating for stricter regulations on carbon gas emissions, especially due to the fact that politicians have the ability to override these guidelines set by scientists. The three main points that are crucial to understanding climate change are: firstly, what it is and evidence that supports its existence, how it is affecting the Earth

Our planet relies on vegetation as a source of oxygen and cutting it down takes away that source. This creates an unstable balance where civilization needs to rely on something else for that missing part of oxygen. To what extent should humans prevent deforestation in major forests worldwide? Forests cover about 30% of our entire planet and scientists are predicting that within the next 50-100 years, deforestation will cause all non-protected forests to be cut down (National Geographic). As stated by the NASA Earth Observatory author and editor Rachel Lindsey, “In the Amazon alone, scientists estimate that the trees contain more carbon than ten years of human produced greenhouse gases” (Lindsey). As people cut down trees on a daily basis, the carbon that is held in the tree is released into the atmosphere, adding to the already present global warming problem. As the trees are cleared, people tend to replace this previously forested area with pastures and fields to grow crops on. This is not only bad for the environment, it additionally creates a hotter climate. Meanwhile, Science News author and previous writer/editor for the Chicago Adler Planetarium Janet Raloff shows readers that nitrous oxide has a large impact on the ozone of our planet, contributing to global warming and climate change. The ozone absorbs most of the radiation coming from the sun to the earth. As trees are cut down, it increases the rate of nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere

At present, countries and governments have been facing and trying to figure out the best solutions that are relate with economy, politic, and social issues. However, the most essential is air pollution, which the U.S. government and other countries have been figuring out the best policy and solution to protect and reduce air pollution for living. As we know, the U.S. is the most responsible with air pollution in which economy develops rapidly. Furthermore, this is serious problem not only the U.S. federal government but also Texas state government.

Individuals have a moral responsibility to reduce their greenhouse gas emission. First, the pollution from various parts of the universe can negatively impact people living in areas far from the point of contamination. In this case, it is unethical to make other individuals suffer because of engaging in reckless behavior that can be avoided. Humans are social beings, and therefore, they have the obligation of protecting each other from harm of any kind. In extreme cases, climate changes, such as prolonged drought and floods caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases result in death. Life is precious, and individuals have a moral obligation to protect it by all possible means. Second, the effects of releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere are felt after several years. In this case, when people produce toxic emission into the environment today, they put the survival of future generations at risk. Individuals fail to realize that if the ancestors engaged in irresponsible behaviors that the current generation seems to take part in fearlessly, today the world would not be fit for human survival. In this light, people have the accountability of reducing their greenhouse gas emission.

A major public health challenge facing the people of Honduras is the issue of household air pollution (HAP). HAP is a dangerous form of environmental health hazard, so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) has called it “the most important global environmental health risk today”. HAP is air pollution that is produced inside the home due to cooking, lightening, and heating needs and is typically the result of burning biomass fuels such as wood or coal, which produces “products of incomplete combustion such as carbon monoxide and particulate matter (PM).” Behaviors such as smoking indoors also contribute to poor indoor air quality. The worldwide impact of HAP is massive, with the WHO estimating that a total of 4.3 million deaths were linked to HAP in 2012. Honduras is part of this global burden of disease, as over half of Honduras’s population cooks with biomass, placing thousands at risk.

Not only has climate changed the natural habits of weather in the world, it has also started to melt the fresh water ice caps which is causing the sea levels to rise. Globally sea levels rose by eight inches in the past century. Within two decades sea levels have increased more than twice of the increases recorded in the last century. This has caused many cities and countries to slowly sink into the ocean for an example Virginia’s Tangier Island. The ocean has reclaimed about 70% of the island in the past century. To make things better the President of the United States “Donald Trump” told the mayor ‘Your Island has been there for hundreds of years, and I believe your island will be there for hundreds more.’ The denial of climate change has been around for a century now but that should not be a cause to not continue to improve the way things are done to reduce the pollutants released into the atmosphere. If people in many of these advanced countries started to use public transportation most of the emissions created by vehicals can be drastically decreased. If gas guzlers were swapped for something more eco the release of these harmful fumes can be decreased. If these guzzling cars are changed for cars with electricity and hydro fuel can also help the earth. Venice, Italy is another city that is in the state of panic. The City of Venice will flood time to time like it is a natural occurrence. This flooding issue hasn’t just been a recent issue it started since the beginning

Chemical pollution consider one of the most pressing environmental challenges that we face. It is imperative that we address the environmental hazards associated with chemical pollutants. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and halogenated compounds because of their considerable toxicity and recalcitrant nature, are particularly concerning pollutants. The hydrophobicity among PAHs also increases human health risks by promoting bioaccumulation in the fatty tissue. Thus, the determination of effective and cost efficient methods for removal or degradation of PAHs is essential. , Bacterial bioremediation, under in situ conditions, is a promising strategy for reducing polyaromatic hydrocarbons pollution.

The detrimental pollution issue regarding the Lake of the Ozarks is one that has been floating among the Ozarks for about a decade or two. The water quality has gone down the drain in recent years due to numerous factors such as leaking sewage and trash pollution. This issue is an environmental concern because it makes the Escherichia coli (E. coli) levels in the water go up, which can lead to illnesses and deaths of people and animals across the area. There was said to have been as much as 15,000 gallons of sewage that led directly into the Lake of the Ozarks (DNR). This is a problem because it is affecting the health of landowners near the area, fishermen, and local businesses, native wildlife, and aquatic organisms; however, people are asking why it may matter.

As a Florida resident, the concern regarding current legislation prohibiting contamination of Florida’s natural resources is alarming. It is quite simple to comprehend that pollution is ‘bad’ and that it has long term ill effects on the human population and the natural eco system alike. Many people have heard of lead contamination in drinking water or have observed pictures of sea creatures entangled in plastic, so a broad level of awareness is a non-issue. However, occurrences such as contaminated drinking water are believed to only exist in ‘other states’ or ‘in other countries’ because people conveniently believe that our government has our best interest in mind and feel that it is government obligation to injunction a healthy environment. The issue lies within the confines of government and the exacting measures of how legislation is defined and carried forth. Acknowledgement of substandard practices shall promote the needed sense of urgency to reverse damaging environmental practices and such urgency will only develop through action of government, pursued by the people. In the great state of Florida, environmental regulation should be held in the highest regard, as the ocean and waterways are the main providers of Florida’s flora and fauna. Exploration of federal and state government, as well as the dire necessity for a cleaner environment, will bring forth clarity and will generate momentum toward a flourishing and sustainable environment.

Let have a critical look at our environment as a complex system with many different interaction between its different components making life possible on earth. Unfortunately, human activities over the years have adversely affected the chemical, biological, physical and social component of the natural environment leading to environmental pollution and climatic change. In the United Kingdom for example, the ‘Great Smog of 1952’ cannot be forgotten in history when we talk about environmental pollution and it effect on human. The great smog of 1952 which was formed from steady smog missed with soot and sulphur dioxide from coal burning occurred killed 12,000 people in the United Kingdom killed (Fullerton 2016). This in addition to other serious environmental pollution and their effect on the environment and human has greatly affected policies and control of emissions into the environment. (Dunnings, ND)

a result, large numbers of cities are suffering from air pollution. Almost two-thirds of cities in china have