What are the effects of pollution?

Acidification: Chemical reactions involving air pollutants can create acidic compounds which can cause harm to vegetation and buildings. Sometimes, when an air pollutants, such as sulfuric acid combines with the water droplets that make up clouds, the water droplets become acidic, forming acid rain. When acid rain falls over an area, it can kill trees and harm animals, fish, and other wildlife.

Acid rain destroys the leaves of plants. When acid rain infiltrates into soils, it changes the chemistry of the soil making it unfit for many living things that rely on soil as a habitat or for nutrition. Acid rain also changes the chemistry of the lakes and streams that the rainwater flows into, harming fish and other aquatic life. Eutrophication: Rain can carry and deposit the Nitrogen in some pollutants on rivers and soils. This will adversely affect the nutrients in the soil and water bodies. This can result in algae growth in lakes and water bodies, and make conditions for other living organism harmful. Ground-level ozone: Chemical reactions involving air pollutants create a poisonous gas ozone (O3). Gas Ozone can affect peoples health and can damage vegetation types and some animal life too. Particulate matter: Air pollutants can be in the form of particulate matter which can be very harmful to our health. The level of effect usually depends on the length of time of exposure, as well the kind and concentration of chemicals and particles exposed to. Short-term effects include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Others include headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. Short-term air pollution can aggravate the medical conditions of individuals with asthma and emphysema. Long-term health effects can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves,

liver, or kidneys. Continual exposure to air pollution affects the lungs of growing children and may aggravate or complicate medical conditions in the elderly.

Air pollution prevention, solution & monitoring

Dealing with polluted air is always a big problem. This is why prevention systems are always a better way of controlling air pollution. These prevention methods can either come from government (laws) or by individual actions. Let's see more below: Government (or community) level prevention Governments throughout the world have already taken action against air pollution by introducing green energy. Some governments are investing in wind energy and solar energy, as well as other renewable energy, to minimize burning of fossil fuels, which cause heavy air pollution. Governments are also forcing companies to be more responsible with their manufacturing activities, so that even though they still cause pollution, they are a lot controlled. Companies are also building more energy efficient cars, which pollute less than before. Individual Level Prevention Encourage your family to use the bus, train or bike when commuting. If we all do this, there will be less cars on road and less fumes.

Use energy (light, water, boiler, kettle and fire woods) wisely. This is because lots of fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity, and so if we can cut down the use, we will also cut down the amount of pollution we create. Recycle and re-use things. This will minimize the dependence of producing new things. Remember manufacturing industries create a lot of pollution, so if we can re-use things like shopping plastic bags, clothing, paper and bottles, it can help.

Basic Air Pollution Facts

Air pollutants (dangerous things that make the air unclean)come in the form of gases or particles. It is estimated that you breathe 20,000 liters of air each day. This means the more polluted the air is, the more we breathe into our lungs dangerous chemicals. Air can be polluted both indoors and outdoors. Tobacco and other kinds of smoking are examples of indoor air pollution. Sick Building Syndrome is a health condition related to pesticides, insecticides and chemicals we use at home and offices. In the great "Smog Disaster" in London in 1952, four thousand people died in a few days due to the high concentrations of pollution.
Click to read more:

Air pollution affects kids more than adults because, for their body size, kids breathe more air and spend more time playing outside. More hazardous pollutants are discharged into the air each year than are released to surface water, ground water, and land, combined. Motor vehicles produce more air pollution than any other single human activity. One full commuter bus can mean 40 less cars going through your neighborhood. In America, vehicle exhaust contributes roughly 60% of all carbon monoxide emissions nationwide, and up to 95% in cities. Indoor air pollution and health Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and leaky stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. Nearly 2 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use. Nearly 50% of pneumonia deaths among children under five are due to particulate matter inhaled from indoor air pollution.

More than 1 million people a year die from chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) that develop due to exposure to such indoor air pollution. Both women and men exposed to heavy indoor smoke are 2-3 times more likely to develop COPD

Pollution
Every year in the U.S. factories release over 3 million tons of toxic chemicals into the land, air and water. This hazardous waste causes us to lose over 15 million acres of land every year, it leads to respiratory complications and other health problems and it makes our rivers and lakes too polluted for us to swim in and drink. But factories are only part of the problem of pollution. Pollution is caused by industrial and commercial waste, agriculture practices, everyday human activities and most notably, modes of transportation. No matter where you go and what you do, there are remnants of pollution. What is pollution? Pollution is the introduction of a contaminant into the environment. It is created mostly by human actions, but can also be a result of natural disasters. Pollution has a detrimental effect on any living organism in an environment, making it virtually impossible to sustain life. Why are the different types of pollution? Pollution harms the Earths environment and its inhabitants in many ways. The three main types of pollution are: Land Pollution Land pollution is pollution of the Earths natural land surface by industrial, commercial, domestic and agricultural activities. What are the sources of land pollution? Some of the main contributors to land pollution are: Chemical and nuclear plants Industrial factories Oil refineries Human sewage Oil and antifreeze leaking from cars Mining Littering Overcrowded landfills Deforestation Construction debris Facts about Land Pollution Here are a few facts about land pollution: Every year one American produces over 3285 pounds of hazardous waste Land pollution causes us to lose 24 billion tons of top soil every year Americans generate 30 billion foam cups, 220 million tires and 1.8 billion disposable diapers every year We throw away enough trash every day to fill 63,000 garbage trucks Every day Americans throw away 1 million bushels of litter out their car window Over 80% of items in landfills can be recycled, but theyre not How to Prevent Land Pollution

The best way to prevent land pollution is to recycle. Here are a few other ways you can reduce land pollution: Reuse any items that you can Buy biodegradable products Store all liquid chemicals and waste in spill-proof containers Eat organic foods that are grown without pesticides Dont use pesticides Use a drip tray to collect engine oil Buy products that have little packaging Dont dump motor oil on the ground Air Pollution Air pollution is the accumulation of hazardous substances into the atmosphere that danger human life and other living matter. What are the sources of air pollution? Some of the main contributors to air pollution are: Automobile emissions Tobacco smoke Combustion of coal Acid rain Noise pollution from cars and construction Power plants Manufacturing buildings Large ships Paint fumes Aerosol sprays Wildfires Nuclear weapons Facts about Air Pollution Here are a few facts about air pollution: Almost 232 million different types of vehicles are driven by U.S. citizens every day, adding greenhouse gases into the air U.S. vehicle emissions contribute 45% to global warming The average adult consumes 3,000 gallons of polluted air every day Vehicle exhaust contributes to 60% of carbon monoxide emissions in the U.S. and up to 95% in large cities Every year 335,000 Americans die of lung cancer, which is a direct result of air pollution How to Prevent Air Pollution The number one way to prevent air pollution is to walk or bike more and drive less. This will prevent fossil fuels from polluting the air. Here are some other ways to prevent air pollution: Carpool or join a ride share with friends and coworkers Dont smoke Keep your car maintenance up-to-date If you have to drive, do your errands at one time Dont buy products that come in aerosol spray cans Avoid using lighter fluid when barbecuing outside When you drive accelerate slowly and use cruise control Always replace your cars air filter Use a push or electric lawnmower rather than a gas-powered one

Dont use harsh chemical cleaners that can emit fumes Inspect your gas appliances and heaters regularly Water Pollution Water pollution is the introduction of chemical, biological and physical matter into large bodies of water that degrade the quality of life that lives in it and consumes it. What are the sources of water pollution? Some of the main contributors to water pollution are: Factories Refineries Waste treatment facilities Mining Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers Human sewage Oil spills Failing septic systems Soap from washing your car Oil and antifreeze leaking from cars Household chemicals Animal waste Facts about Water Pollution Here are a few facts about water pollution: Over two-thirds of U.S. estuaries and bays are severely degraded because of nitrogen and phosphorous pollution Every year almost 25% of U.S. beaches are closed at least once because of water pollution Over 73 different kinds of pesticides have been found in the groundwater that we eventually use to drink 1.2 trillion gallons of sewage, stormwater and industrial waste are discharged into U.S. waters every year 40% of U.S. rivers are too polluted for aquatic life to survive Americans use over 2.2 billion pounds of pesticides every year, which eventually washes into our rivers and lakes How to Prevent Water Pollution The best way to prevent water pollution is to not throw trash and other harmful chemicals into our water supplies. Here are a few more ways you can prevent water pollution: Wash your car far away from any stormwater drains Dont throw trash, chemicals or solvents into sewer drains Inspect your septic system every 3-5 years Avoid using pesticides and fertilizers that can run off into water systems Sweep your driveway instead of hosing it down Always pump your waste-holding tanks on your boat Use non-toxic cleaning materials Clean up oil and other liquid spills with kitty litter and sweet them up Dont wash paint brushes in the sink How can you get involved in pollution prevention? The best way for you to get involved with pollution prevention is to practice efforts on your own or join a project or program. You can see a complete list of U.S. Pollution Prevention Projects & Programs by checking out the Environmental Protection Agency website.