What is Air Pollution?

Air pollution is when different dangerous chemicals, especially matter, toxic

substances and biological organisms are released into the Earth’s atmosphere.
There are many things causing air pollution like automobile emissions; tobacco
smoke; burning of coal; acid rain; power plants; manufacturing buildings; large
ships; pain fumes; aerosol spray cans; wildfires; nuclear weapons; but factories and
industries are said to be the biggest cause in air pollution.

Air pollution causes things such as:

• Global Warming

• Acid Rain

• Respiratory Disorders

• Ozone Layer Weakening

Global Warming

Global warming is probably the biggest and most harmful complications involved air
with air pollution. This is when certain gases like methane, or carbon dioxide
together with greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, making it thicker
and making the world warmer than it should be. It often makes glaciers and
snowcapped mountains melt, making the water levels of seas increase, eventually
making the risk of floods higher. Global warming also has health risks on humans
such as the increase in diseases like malaria, cholera and Lyme.

Acid Rain

Industries and factories often give off amounts of nitrogen and sulphur gases into
Earth’s atmosphere. When these gases act in response with water vapors in the
atmosphere, most of the time they change into more aggressive gases, namely
nitric acid and sulphuric acids in that order. The rain holding large amounts of these
acids is known as acid rain. Its outcome is the wearing away of monuments and
buildings, it makes soil acidic which means the soil is killed and can’t be used to
grow plants to therefore feed life and living creatures. This goes for rivers and lakes
as well. Acid rain can also cause health problems such as cancer and even death.

Respiratory Disorders

Respiratory disorders are health problems. Many gases made by air pollution can
cause bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in humans.
One of these gases is carbon monoxide.

Ozone Layer Weakening

The ozone layer is like the Earth’s blanket that helps support life on Earth by
keeping us safe from various unsafe radiations such as UV (ultra violet) rays from
the sun. Unfortunately things like greenhouse gases etc. destroy the ozone layer.

Almost 232 million different kinds of vehicles are driven by U.S. citizens every day, adding
greenhouse gases into the air

U.S. vehicles giving off pollutants make up 45% of global warming

The average adult takes in 3,000 gallons of polluted air every day

Every year 335,000 Americans die of lung cancer, which is a direct outcome of air pollution

How do factories cause air pollution?

Making Pollution: Factories generally are connected with manufacturing goods, and
most of the time, that needs using many different materials in the process. As
chemicals warm up and waste from the new goods go are put together, they all
have to be removed from the factory. Open air vents, chimneys and smokestacks
give out the pollution from the factory into the air.

Removal: Even though it look like there’s infinity air around the Earth, there are lots
of factories around the world giving off pollution. So, the black cloud you see over
that factory is being released over and over all over the world. As long as the
factories are doing this, the Earth keeps getting polluted. Some large cities are so
polluted that they have a layer of polluted air over the whole city called ‘smog’
which takes a very long time to crumble and go away.

How do you prevent Air Pollution?

- The most important way to prevent air pollution is to walk or bike more and drive
less.

- Only buy ozone-friendly aerosol spray cans and paint.

- Always replace your car’s air filter.

- Don’t smoke or try to convince family/friends who are to quit

- Inspect your heaters and gas appliances regularly.

Referencing
- eHOW. (2007). Air pollution caused by industries. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/about_5407184_air-pollution-caused-industries.html (Accessed
12/02/2011)
- Green Student U (2005). Unknown title. Retrieved from
http://www.greenstudentu.com/encyclopedia/pollution (Accessed 12/02/2011)
- eHOW. (2007). How do factories cause air pollution? Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4966698_factories-cause-air-pollution.html
(Accessed 12/02/2011)
- Tree Hugger USA. (2006). http://www.treehuggerusa.com/pollution/air-pollution/How-
Do-Factories-Cause-Air-Pollution.html (Accessed 14/02/2011)
- Pictures: 1. http://airqualitynow.eu
2. http://nirantaradrusti.wordpress.com
3. http://waterencyclopedia.com