Air Pollution Free Essays

Ladies and Gentlemen, today I am here to talk to you about something which is becoming a huge issue in our world. Air Pollution is a major problem facing our government today. It is harmful to every living creature on the planet. We will write a custom essay sample on Air Pollution or any similar topic only for you Order Now Just imagine one day having to walk outside wearing a mask; or not being able to open the windows of your house on a hot summer’s day. Or even worse, imagine looking out of your window and not seeing any form of life. All vegetation has died due to acid rain and other chemicals such as sulphur poisoning. Some of these ideas can become a reality if something is not done about this problem, which, in my opinion, is far greater, a problem than the wars that are going on the world at this moment. There are two main air pollutants; one is natural causes for example windblown dust, pollen, fog etc. and the other is that which we call people pollution. This is the most serious form of air pollution. One of the worst air pollutants which are affecting our environment today is carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless gas caused by the incomplete burning of gasoline, oil, and wood. Low concentrations can cause dizziness, fatigue and headaches, while high concentrations can be fatal. Other pollutants such as Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen and Lead have contributed to the deteriorating environment. We are all guilty of the overuse of same and, consequently, we all contribute to the pollution levels from which we suffer. In the days before the proliferation of large cities and industry, nature’s own systems kept the air fairly clean. Wind mixed and dispersed the gases, rain washed the dust and other easily dissolved substances to the ground and plants absorbed carbon dioxide and replaced it with oxygen. With increasing urbanisation and industrialisation, humans started to release more wastes into the atmosphere than nature could cope with. More pollution has been added to the air by industrial, commercial and domestic sources. A study conducted by the World Bank in 1995 revealed that 40,000 people in India die prematurely due to polluted air in cities. India has witnessed alarming environmental degradation in the last two decades. It is the sixth largest and the second fastest producer of greenhouse gases. When people say â€Å"I’m going out for a breath of fresh air† this is no longer possible in most cities. The air they inhale is a lungful of chemicals and toxins which are harmful to the human body and which may cause people to be more susceptible to respiratory problems, lung infections, cancer and even death in the long term. Air pollution is also the cause of global warming which is rapidly changing the world’s climate due to a thinning in the ozone layer which protects the earth from dangerous ultra violet rays. But what can we do about this increasing problem? Well, first and foremost, we have to step up to the plate and agree that this is a major issue in the world and that something needs to be done about it†¦. now! Not in twenty or thirty years’ time when it will be too late to change. Secondly, we have to let the entire population of the earth know about the effects of air pollution on the planet, and what they can do to help both themselves and their planet. Besides that, we need to put restrictions in place on the use of certain chemicals and toxins which are causing untold harm to our environment. We need to make sacrifices to make this work but we will experience the benefits both in long and in the short term. As Winston Churchill once said â€Å"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction†. As individuals we also need to make changes in our domestic environment in order to reduce air pollution. We need to reduce, reuse and recycle, we need to judicious in the use of fossil fuels, and, we need to make drastic changes in our transport policies. For all of the above to succeed, we need education, co-operation, research and the proper funding in order to initiate policies which will lead to real change in our habits. Nowadays, many people in Malaysia are not willing to sacrifice time and money to go â€Å"green. † We need to be doing something! Just like David Orr said, â€Å"When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves. † And we will be successful. For we will have a world saved. Thank You. How to cite Air Pollution, Papers Air Pollution Free Essays Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulates, biological materials, or other harmful materials into the Earth’s atmosphere, possibly causing disease, death to humans, damage to other living organisms such as food crops, or the natural or built environment. The atmosphere is a complex natural gaseous system that is essential to support life on planet Earth. Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth’s ecosystems. We will write a custom essay sample on Air Pollution or any similar topic only for you Order Now Indoor air pollution (see Airlog) and urban air quality are listed as two of the world’s worst toxic pollution problems in the 2008 Blacksmith Institute World’s Worst Polluted Places report. [1] Pollutants[edit] Main articles: Pollutant and Greenhouse gas Before flue-gas desulfurization was installed, the emissions from this power plant in New Mexico contained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide. Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect, (2) particulate contamination, (3) increased UV radiation, (4) acid rain, (5) increased ground level ozone concentration, (6) increased levels of nitrogen oxides. An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can have adverse effects on humans and the ecosystem. The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of natural origin or man-made. Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are usually produced from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption. Other examples include carbon monoxide gas from motor vehicle exhaust, or the sulfur dioxide released from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. Ground level ozone is a prominent example of a secondary pollutant. Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: they are both emitted directly and formed from other primary pollutants. Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include: Sulfur oxides (SOx) – particularly sulfur dioxide, a chemical compound with the formula SO2. SO2 is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, and their combustion generates sulfur dioxide. Further oxidation of SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and thus acid rain. [2] This is one of the causes for concern over the environmental impact of the use of these fuels as power sources. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) – Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitrogen dioxide, are expelled from high temperature combustion, and are also produced during thunderstorms by electric discharge. They can be seen as a brown haze dome above or a plume downwind of cities. Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula NO2. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. One of the most prominent air pollutants, this reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp, biting odor. Carbon monoxide (CO)- CO is a colourless, odourless, toxic yet non-irritating gas. It is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular exhaust is a major source of carbon monoxide. Volatile organic compounds – VOCs are a well known outdoor air pollutant. They are categorized as either methane (CH4) or non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to enhanced global warming. Other hydrocarbon VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases because of their role in creating ozone and prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere. This effect varies depending on local air quality. The aromatic NMVOCs benzene, toluene and xylene are suspected carcinogens and may lead to leukemia with prolonged exposure. 1,3-butadiene is another dangerous compound often associated with industrial use. Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), atmospheric particulate matter, or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. In contrast, aerosol refers to combined particles and gas. Some particulates occur naturally, originating from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and various industrial processes also generate significant amounts of aerosols. Averaged worldwide, anthropogenic aerosols—those made by human activities—currently account for approximately 10 percent of our atmosphere. Increased levels of fine particles in the air are linked to health hazards such as heart disease,[2] altered lung function and lung cancer. Persistent free radicals connected to airborne fine particles are linked to cardiopulmonary disease. [3][4] Toxic metals, such as lead and mercury, especially their compounds. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) – harmful to the ozone layer; emitted from products currently banned from use How to cite Air Pollution, Papers