The Negative Impacts of Air Pollution
More than 95 percent of the people living on this Earth breathe polluted air. This is very dangerous, considering how many people live on this Earth (almost 8 Billion). Air pollution is a mixture of harmful substances such as poisonous gases in our atmosphere. They can be caused by cars, trucks, factories, volcanoes, and wildfires. Air pollution can affect human health and can cause countless severe issues. Industrial air pollution can also hurt our environment severely. This is a serious issue and people must work hard to figure out how to solve it.
One of the biggest reasons air pollution is bad is because it affects human health. The polluted air is not clean and it can have short term and long term impacts on our health. Polluted air has been linked to heart attacks. Polluted air can stop and clog the human bloodstream which can even cause people to die! Air pollution can also affect our eyes. Polluted air can damage the eyes because particles like dust can hurt the human eye. In addition, air pollution can affect people’s throat and lungs. When the particles from the polluted air get into people’s mouths, it can sting the throat and clog up the lungs. Some common lung issues are asthma, coughing, wheezing, etc. There are many health problems associated with air pollution and this is a serious issue.
In addition, air pollution is associated with numerous environmental issues. Air pollution can cause damage to crops, animals, forests, etc. This is because when crops or animals take in the bad air, their health can be deteriorated- just like how humans are negatively impacted by air pollution. Air pollution has also been linked to contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is the “shield” that protects the Earth from the sun’s harmful UV Rays. However, because air pollution is deteriorating the ozone layer, the Earth is exposed to more UV Rays. Additionally, air pollution can also lead to acid rain. Acid rain is air that is polluted by sulfur or nitrogen in the air. The result is polluted acidic rain. These acidic rainfalls can be detrimental to the health of our environment. It can kill crops, animals, and even contaminate human water sources. As you can see the environmental impacts of air pollution are countless.
Air pollution is really bad and at first glance, it may seem impossible to solve. However, there are ways you can help lessen the air pollution.
- Buy appliances and tech gadgets that have the ENERGY STAR label- this means that the product is energy efficient.
- Turn off the lights when you’re leaving a room- this can help decrease the energy bill!
- Try to carpool, bike, or walk whenever you can- this can help reduce the amount of pollution you emit through transportation.
- Use environmentally safe or responsible cleaning products to make sure the products you use are more natural.
Sources:
- https://www.newair.com/blogs/learn/air-pollution-understanding-the-problem-and-ways-to-help-solve-it#:~:text=Air%20pollution%20causes%20damage%20to,soils%2C%20rivers%2C%20and%20wildlife.
- https://www.nrdc.org/stories/air-pollution-everything-you-need-know
- https://resphealth.org/clean-air/understanding-air-pollution/
- https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/whatcauses.html
- https://climatekids.nasa.gov/air-pollution/#:~:text=The%20Short%20Answer%3A,our%20air%20are%20called%20aerosols.
- https://www3.epa.gov/region1/airquality/reducepollution.html
Daniel Cho (xxdanielcho@gmail.com) is a 7th-grade student at William H. Farquhar Middle School. He is one of the co-founders and the current Vice President of Earth Minions. He is passionate about animal cruelty, climate change, and habitat loss. Outside of being a student and working with the Earth Minions, Daniel enjoys dancing, soccer, and singing. (Silver Spring, MD)
