How to Tackle Air Pollution

By Alisha A

Introduction

Hi everyone! Today I want to talk about air pollution. This is one of the main environmental issues that we have in the world today and many people aren’t taking it seriously. If we don’t change the way we maintain our environment, then future generations won’t be able to experience the blessings of life that we can today. Therefore, it is vital that we begin to understand the environmental issues and become aware and alert where necessary.

What is air pollution?

Air pollution is a type of pollution, which affects and damages the Earth. It mainly occurs when harmful gases, like smoke, or oxides (carbon, sulphur and nitrogen) are released or have escaped into the Earth’s atmosphere. More sources of air pollution include chemicals and biological molecules. Air pollution is made of chemicals and gas particles. In other words, it is the presence of a harmful substance in the air, which can have poisonous effects. The air can become polluted naturally, for instance through volcanic eruptions, or as a result of human activity e.g. burning fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases into the air.

What are some causes of air pollution?

• Almost all the air pollutants come from industrial processes in factories. The smoke, which comes from factories, is called nitrous oxide.
• Commonly used vehicles, such as cars, planes, and ships, release fumes and gases into the Earth’s atmosphere. This happens because cars burn gasoline in the engine, which emit pollutants but gasoline can also escape into the air when we pump it into our fuel tanks.  
• Did you know, that humans aren’t the only ones who create air pollution? Livestock (cattle, sheep, buffalo, goats, deer and camels) produce their own type of pollution, which is called methane gas. Due to the fact that humans look after so many cattle for meat and dairy products, there is already an alarming amount of methane in the air.
• Everyone wants a warm, comfortable house, right? But who knew this was hurting the environment? Keeping houses warm is sometimes done by burning fossil fuels. Is it an eco-friendly power plant where our electricity is coming from, or is it from a power plant where they are burning fossil fuels? That’s what you should identify. 
• People use a variety of heat sources to cook food, including gas, wood and electricity. Each of these can generate air pollution during cooking. Natural gas and propane stoves can release carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, which can be toxic for humans and their pets.
• Apart from man-made pollution, volcanic eruptions and wildfires are the natural causes of air pollution. When volcanoes erupt, they emit a mixture of gases and particles into the air. Some of them, such as ash and sulphur dioxide, have a cooling effect, because they reflect the sunlight away from the earth. On the other hand, gases like carbon dioxide cause warming by adding onto the greenhouse effect (see Climactionary for definition).
• Cigarettes also create indoor pollution because smoke is released into the atmosphere. When people smoke regularly, their lungs can turn completely black as they are breathing in all the smoke into their bodies. Tobacco smoking leads directly to the emissions of 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and about 5.2 million tonnes of methane.
• When metal is burnt in factories, some poisonous gases, which include sulphur, carbon oxides and aluminium, can pollute the air.
• Furthermore, there are some harmful gases in aerosols (air-tight containers such as hair sprays), which damage the Ozone layer (see Climactionary for definition).
• Air pollution can cause smogs, which can be deadly for humans and animals.

How does Air pollution affect humans and animals?

Humans as well as animals can catch terrible illnesses from air pollution, especially if they live in urban areas where there are high levels of pollution. These ailments include chronic asthma, lung cancer, skin cancer, heart disease and others.

Unfortunately, pollution can also kill plants, as they struggle to survive in the polluted atmosphere. Moreover, pollution can affect our water supply. If the water isn’t clean and fresh, then people won’t be able to drink it; animals and humans need clean water to remain healthy.

Humans depend on oxygen that comes from the air, and when air is contaminated, the harmful gases and particles are inhaled. Pollution affects animals the same way it affects humans.

Animals who live in cold areas, like polar bears and penguins, are endangered of becoming extinct. This is because the planet is getting hotter and hotter which means they won’t be able to adapt to the extreme temperatures and conditions.

Crucially, air pollution has a direct affect on rising temperatures in the oceans as well as the atmosphere. This is called global warming which sadly results in natural disasters, such as tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, acid rain, famine and droughts. 

What can we do to reduce air pollution?  

And now for the fun part…

• When possible, walk or cycle instead of driving a car to travel. You can also take public transport if it’s too far to walk.
• When you do drive your car, make sure you always turn the engine off when you come out of the car.
• When driving, make sure your tires are properly and firmly inflated. If possible, invest in an electric car as it doesn’t emit harmful gases into the atmosphere.
• At home, always switch the lights off when you leave the room and turn off any devises when you aren’t using them, to conserve energy.
• Avoid burning leaves, rubbish, wood and other materials.
• Grow your own plants to have fruit and vegetables rather than buying meat, which aggravates the methane gas emissions. Please try not to use chemical fertilisers because they can become airborne and harm our environment as well as your plants! Instead, try and buy organic products. 
• Avoid making campfires in the city.
• For smokers: If you stop smoking, it will be beneficial for the environment and for your health. Meaning, it’s a win-win situation!
• Perhaps you can join an environmental organisation and campaign against the polluters of the world!
• Buy fewer products which are manufactured using fossil fuels.
• Use environmentally safe paints and cleaning products whenever possible.
• Try your best to become carbon-neutral by: 1) Calculating your carbon emissions. There are free carbon calculators available online where you can record your trips to see how much carbon you are individually releasing in the air. 2) Start reducing your emissions by following some of the advice I have given above, such as swapping car journeys with walking or cycling.
• Read about renewable energy, such as solar energy, which is generated by the sun. Nowadays, people can power their entire homes and heat their water through solar panels installed in their roofs. Did you know that cars can also be run on solar energy?
• If you have old batteries lying around, be sure to recycle them in the most appropriate manner as recommended by your local council. Please don’t add them to your general waste.

Thank you so much for reading through. I’m sorry that this is a long post but it is a complicated issue which I wanted to explain in detail. Comment below if you have more ideas re how to tackle air pollution!