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| Impact of Car Pollution on the Environment |
There are millions of cars on our roads and each one of them is a potential contributor to environmental pollution. Cars emit poisonous gases which impact the environment apart from causing numerous life-threatening diseases in human beings. Let us know more about the impact of car pollution on the environment.
We all know the effects of pollution on the environment. We have watched various documentaries, have read several books and have been to several debates on the issue of environmental degradation. However, most of us are equally responsible for this, and in fact, we contribute daily to environmental pollution. How? Well, studies have shown that automobiles are the biggest source of pollution in cities, and have contributed immensely to air and noise pollution. The pollutants that are emitted from the exhaust of a car contain various toxic substances and cause various life-threatening diseases in humans. These pollutants are harmful for birds and plants, and disturb their natural process. Let us know more about the impact of car pollution on the environment.
Car Pollution Effects
- The exhaust from the cars contains various greenhouse gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide. These gases have an ability to block the sun-rays that are reflected from the earth's surface. This solar energy gets trapped in the earth's atmosphere and causes variances in temperature. This is one of the major contributors to global warming. According to estimates the global temperatures have seen a drastic increase in the last hundred years and if we continue adding up millions of cars every year to our roads, the temperature will increase rapidly, posing a threat to the survival of human race on this planet.
- Most cars are manufactured to achieve perfect combustion of fuel but after some time as the car undergoes wear and tear, the engine is not able to function efficiently which results in the emission of toxic substances. These pollutants are harmful for living beings and cause a host of respiratory diseases and lung cancer in humans. These toxic gases can also destroy plants, which are an important constituent of the ecological cycle.
- One of the greatest threats that car pollution has posed to the environment is the depletion of ozone layer. Ozone layer prevents harmful Ultra-Violet (UV) rays from reaching our atmosphere. The UV rays can cause a host of diseases and can change the genetic make-up of living beings. Although chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) have been banned from use in automobiles, countries where regulations are less stricter are still using it unabatedly.
- Pollution from cars has also impacted the quality of water, as smoke from the exhaust combines with rain, leading to acid rain, which makes its way to oceans and seas. Oil, which is released from cars due to leakage mixes with storm-water and pollutes the natural resources of water.
- Cars have increased the decibel levels in the environment which has contributed immensely to noise pollution. Noise pollution has caused a disturbance in the ecological cycle and many animals have had behavioral issues because of high noise levels. Apart from impacting the environment, noise pollution can cause several diseases in humans, such as high blood-pressure and mental stress.
- Cars have occupied major portions of our cities and this has contributed to land pollution. Vast areas of barren lands have been turned into parking lots and more are being created to accommodate the growing number of cars that are being added each day.