Environmental Problems Caused By Air Pollution

Smog is a visible sign of air pollution.

Technology has produced many benefits. We can travel distances in hours instead of days. We possess comforts our ancestors could never have imagined, and we can heat and cool our homes. Unfortunately, all our technological advances help pollute the air we breathe.

Sources

The major sources of air pollution are internal combustion engines, power plants, factories and waste incinerators. They introduce many different types of dangerous chemicals and gases into our air supply.

Types

Types of air pollution include greenhouse gases, chlorofluorocarbons, lead, ash, soot, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. Some of these cause immediately visible consequences, such as smog and haze. Others have less obvious long term effects.

Effects

Air pollution can destroy the ozone layer, contaminate water supplies, damage buildings and harm plants, trees and crops. Smog and haze caused by soot, ash and other atmospheric contaminants can reduce visibility. Greenhouse gas and carbon emissions contribute climate change, which is the biggest challenge facing our environment. It causes seasons to shift, temperatures to climb and sea levels to rise. This endanger our planet's wildlife and agriculture.

References

• The Columbia Encylopedia; Air Pollution, 2008
• US EPA: Air
• The Columbia Encyclopedia; Global Warming; 2008
• The Columbia Encylopedia; Chlorofluorocarbons; 2008