 |
| Natural Causes of Air Pollution |
Air pollution is a very real and potent threat that we face in our lives today, but many people are under the misconception that air pollution is only caused by man-made sources. Admittedly, man-made sources are the primary source of pollution in our atmosphere in the form of smoke, smog and other harmful materials, but there are several natural factors that lead to air pollution as well. Air pollution can be defined as the presence of any harmful material in the air and the atmosphere that can cause damage to human beings and other living organisms. These materials can cause their damage either by entering the respiratory system of these organisms or by attacking their outer skin layers externally. Moreover, some forms of air pollution also lead to damage of buildings, other man-made structures, rivers, and several other areas. What are the Natural Causes of Air PollutionForest FiresA fire that occurs in a highly vegetation infested area through natural causes is known as a bush fire, and this is a very potent natural source of air pollution. There are several different causes that lead to forest fires, and the fact is that they are caused naturally without any human intervention. These fires spread very rapidly, and release pollutants like smoke and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Though carbon monoxide is present in living bodies in small amounts, it can be toxic in nature when sniffed in larger amounts. Forest fires also lead to unpredictable weather changes and cyclones, and all this leads to a severe loss of life in the long run. Volcanic EruptionsA volcano is an open fissure on the surface of the earth from which lava and volcanic ash escapes on a regular basis. There are several active volcanoes that are found around the planet today, and along with the air pollution that they cause, they can also be a source of danger to life forms. Carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide are the primary gases that are released during volcanic eruptions, and these lead to dire consequences to the earth's atmosphere and to all the life forms that reside here. Other gases like hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, halocarbons and some metal chlorides are also released into the atmosphere in smaller traces. The materials released also lead to acid rain in many parts, and the volcanic ash that follows disrupts air travel and many other activities. The recent eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull over Iceland in 2010 also led to several restrictions in air travel over Europe. Wind ErosionThough dust particles and dirt do not cause toxic effects in the human body, they are capable of inducing many respiratory diseases in human beings. These dust particles move around in the atmosphere due to strong winds, especially in geographical areas where wind erosion is a common occurrence. This factor is not a very major contributor towards air pollution, but it does play a small role and is one of the most underestimated types of air pollution
.Methane ExpulsionFarm animals like cattle release methane into the atmosphere during the end stages of their digestive cycles. Methane gas affects the ozone layer in the atmosphere since it is a very potent greenhouse gas, and it is also highly inflammable when it combines with other elements in the air. Moreover, it can lead to severe asphyxiation if someone is trapped in a closed room with the presence of methane gas in the air. This is a factor that building construction sites also take into account, since the presence of methane in the airways of the building can lead to dire consequences.Radon ExpulsionNuclear elements like uranium are found inside the earths surface, and when these elements decompose they release a noble gas known as Radon into the atmosphere. This gas is highly radioactive in nature, and it can cause some serious health damage to people who breathe the air that contains it. Interestingly, after smoking, Radon intake is the second largest contributing factor to lung cancer in human beings, so all possible measures to prevent the spread of Radon must be taken. Other factors like the dispersal of large amounts of pollen from flowers and the emission of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) which get oxidized and transformed into aerosols from plants and trees also lead to air pollution which is not caused by man-made sources. As you can see, there are plenty of natural causes of air pollution
that are out of our control as well. Most of these sources can be countered in certain ways, but if you are under the impression that air pollution is caused solely by man, then you are mistaken.
 |
| Reduce Smog |
Basically, smog refers to a mixture of smoke - attributed to burning of fossil fuels in cars, factories, etc., and fog which forms a thick blanket near the surface of the Earth. As the smoke which comes in contact with fog in this case is most often attributed to pollution caused by cars, reducing the use of cars may seem to be the best method to do away with smog pollution. That being said, not using the car as we have been doing all this while is not at all a practical solution to this problem, and hence we need to opt for a combination of different ways to reduce smog levels in the surroundings, and its implications on our health and other aspects of our life.Smog: Causes and EffectsAs we mentioned earlier, smog is basically a type of air pollution - that can be attributed to the reaction of vehicle and industrial emissions in the atmosphere with sunlight. A thick blanket of smog can reduce the visibility on ground as well as in the air by a significant extent. The chemicals which contribute to formation of smog includes harmful chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, etc., which are known to result in adverse health conditions in humans. The ill-effects of smog can range from shortness of breath to much more severe respiratory problems. It is very harmful for small children, old aged people, as well as those individuals who suffer from lung and heart problems. At the same time, the chemicals that we mentioned above make natural fog heavier and darker, thus creating a blanket of smog which reduces visibility to less than 10 feet at times. It can bring the entire transport system to a standstill, and add the burden on the economy.How to Reduce Smog Pollution?As car pollution is the biggest culprit when it comes to smog formation, working on the same can be helpful to stop smog pollution. However we can't just stop using the car altogether, and thus a better option is to use the car efficiently. Planning your trips in advance and completing all your errands in one go instead of doing different things at different times can reduce the use of car and in turn the amount of pollution you cause. Ideally, you should walk or cycle to the superstore in your neighborhood, instead of using the car for such short trips. Experts suggest that proper maintenance of the car, turning the engine off when idling at the traffic light for more than 15 seconds, using good quality fuel, etc., can also help reduce pollution that eventually results in smog.Opting for public transport twice a week can also help you reduce air pollution by a great extent. If that's not possible, you can talk to your colleagues and start a car pool wherein the members of car pool will take turns in ferrying each other to the workplace and back. Resorting to hybrid cars is also a good option, as these cars switch between internal combustion engine and electric motor, thus reducing the amount of pollution by a certain extent. All these measures won't just help you reduce smog formation, but also make sure that you stay healthy and help you save some of your hard-earned money which you would otherwise spend on fuel and medication.There also exist other causes of air pollution
which contribute to formation of smog. Though the amount of harmful emissions is low, even small home equipment which uses gasoline - such as your gas-powered lawn mower, tend to contribute to smog, and hence should be replaced with electrical products. As far as industrial emission contributing to smog formation is concerned, you can indirectly contribute your bit by not using the products that these industries produce, using them in a responsible manner or recycling/reusing them which will help in decreasing the need of producing these products, and - in turn, reduce the pollution caused by industrial emission.As trivial as these methods of reducing smog may seem, they can work wonders when all of us start following them religiously. Going by the rate at which air pollution in increasing, the smog problem in major cities of the world is bound to worsen with time. That being said, there is no doubt about the fact that the implementation of these steps to reduce smog levels in the urban areas is the need of the hour. If we don't tackle the smog problem now, the severity of its implications on our health as well as economy will continue to increase.
 |
| Effects of Air Pollution on Animals |
Air is one of the principle constituents when it comes to the presence of life on Earth, and when the same gets polluted it invariably has to result in a series of adverse effects on all forms of life which are dependent on it. When we say all forms of life, it includes humans as well as plants and animals on the planet. As in case of humans, the effects of air pollution on animals and plants are also quite severe. In plants, the pollutants in air tend to block the stomata - i.e. the tiny pores in the leaves through which plants take in carbon dioxide, and hamper the process of photosynthesis. In case of animals - on the other hand, the effects are somewhat similar to those on human beings.Air Pollution: An OverviewAir pollution refers to the introduction of some harmful gases and particulate matter in the Earth's atmosphere which in turn results in contamination of air that the various lifeforms require for various life processes. There exist natural causes of air pollution
- such as volcanic eruptions, wildfires, etc. as well as human-induced causes such as vehicle emissions, industrial fumes, etc. Over the last few decades, human-induced air pollution has become a lot more severe and common as compared to its natural counterpart. The contaminants that are known to pollute the air include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide etc. all of which are known to be harmful for human beings and animals alike.Air Pollution Effects on AnimalsAlong with humans, animals - ranging from tiny microbes to large mammals, are dependent on oxygen that they derive from the air. When contaminated air is inhaled for breathing oxygen, several harmful gases are also inhaled along with this lifesaving gas. These harmful gases are believed to affect animals in the same manner in which they affect humans. Experts also suggest that the particulate matter that the animals inhale over a prolonged period can get accumulated in their tissues and damage their organs in the long run. Other than inhaling the harmful contaminants directly, animals can also come in contact with these contaminants from the food that they eat and by absorption through their skin. Some studies do reveal that the effects of air pollution on animal species are much more severe than they are on us humans - as they are not well-equipped to protect themselves from this hazard as we are.Acid RainWhile the effects of breathing in harmful gases and particulate matter on animals are similar to that on humans, animals are also vulnerable to these harmful gases indirectly. Acid rain - which is again attributed to air pollution
, is one of the major threats for animals. When contaminants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are released in the atmosphere, they start ascending in the air and come in contact with rain bearing clouds. When these clouds start precipitating, the water droplets react with chemicals that are suspended in the atmosphere and result in acid rain. With a pH value of 5.5, acid rainwater alters the chemical properties of ponds and rivers, and result in habitat destruction for species which inhabit these water bodies. Similarly, acid rain also contaminates the vegetation and water on the planet, and harms animals which drink the contaminated water and feed on contaminated plants. There is no dearth of instances of habitat loss for freshwater biome species as a result of acid rain. In fact, several North American lakes have virtually become lifeless as a result of increasing instances of acid rain and acid fog which has - in turn, resulted in acidification of these freshwater sources.Ozone Depletion and Global WarmingWhen greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are released in the atmosphere, they start depleting the ozone layer which blocks the harmful ultraviolet radiation coming from the Sun. As the ozone layer starts depleting, the harmful radiation which enter the Earth's atmosphere harm the plants and animals on the planet. If experts are to be believed these harmful ultraviolet radiation can cause skin problems - such as cancer, in animals as well. At the same time, tropospheric ozone - which happens to be a greenhouse gas in itself, has the tendency to cause tissue damage and respiratory infections in animals. Not to forget, global warming - which happens to be one of the underlying factors for loss of habitat for numerous species, is also attributed to unabated release of pollutants like carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere of the Earth.As we mentioned earlier, the effects of air pollution
on animals are considered to be much more severe than its effects on us humans, as we can at least protect ourselves from the hazards of the same. The rapid rate at which air pollution is occurring is not even giving the animals a chance to adapt to the changes in the environment. In the long term, these effects are likely to trigger extinction of species - one after another, and that will indirectly add to our woes considering that we along with all these animals - that are at the receiving end today, form the complex ecological network wherein all species are dependent on each other.
 |
| Smog Effects |
Smog is a mix of different kinds of pollutants that are air-borne and consist of chemicals that merge with the sunlight, thus forming secondary pollutants. These chemicals that cause such a reaction are volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The ozone layer as many of us are familiar with, protect the earth from harmful rays of the sun from filtering through. The ozone if present directly on plant, animal and human life, can prove to be quite disastrous. Health takes a back seat here, leading to respiratory problems in children and adults, worsening the problems of those who already have such conditions.Smog occurs in places that usually experience high levels of traffic and toxic gas exposure, like big cities. Children who play outdoors frequently or who are constantly outside, are more prone to falling prey to the effects of smog. Even those who spend a lot of time doing things outside like jogging, construction work and taking walks around the area, pose as targets.Causes of SmogThe different sources that join together to form smog, range from consumer products, exhaust from vehicles and hairspray, to plastics, power plants and chemical solvents. The most contributing factors when it comes to smog, are heavy vehicles and those meant for transportation. Depending on the temperature and weather conditions, smog tends to form more quickly.Therefore, on a hot day at the peak of summer, smog is more abundant and highly evident since the heat makes it form much faster than it would on cold wintry days. If smog is caught within a city without winds to push it away, it can settle over a city and stay put for days, making it worse while the agents that cause smog add to what is already present. Other causes of smog besides vehicles are asphalt from road pavements, lawnmowers, diesel/gasoline running vehicles, generating stations that use coal, barbecues, factories, pesticides and solvents/cleaners/oil based paints.Smog Effects on HealthWhen it comes to children, they can experience problems like coughing and wheezing from repeated exposure to smog. Children tend to breathe faster and take in more oxygen than adults, making it easier for more chemicals to enter their lungs. Kids can experience infections because of the immune system's inability to fend these off. The smog decreases their immunity's strength, making it hard to protect the body from oncoming infectious agents. It decreases one's lungs capacity, making you more tired. It can worsen problems like chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema.Adults experience the same problems of reduced immunity - leading one to experience breathing problems and falling ill repeatedly. Smog contains carcinogenic elements that can also lead to fibrosis and inflammation of the lungs, leading to damage due to morphological changes. Such detriment can lead to premature aging of one's lungs, since it brings down its function and ruins its elasticity. Those who suffer from heart problems, asthma and other respiratory illnesses are left open to the chance of worsening their conditions. Kids who don't have well-developed lungs like adults, can also suffer from long term damage to the lungs, suffering at an early age from ailments.The effects of air pollution
or what is also known as smog, can be quite destructive to us humans and can result in damaging man-made structures like buildings and monuments as well. The soot like appearance that is found on these structures is a sign of how smog has already eaten away at its facade.The sulfur dioxide is corrosive in nature, and can even eat away at metal and stone resulting in damage made to statues and other buildings. Try practicing safe methods like wearing a mask before you step outside, and avoid staying outdoors for too long. Have a safe tomorrow.
 |
| Causes of Indoor Air Pollution |
Right from environmental tobacco smoke to pesticides, the causes of indoor air pollution exist in plenty. Other than these sources of indoor air pollution - which introduce harmful particles in the air within your home, there also exist other factors which contribute to it. One of the most prominent example of the same is inadequate ventilation. We do take precautions against pollutants when we step out of the house, but we fail to notice that there exist some equally harmful pollutants within our homes. In fact, experts suggest that indoor air pollution is 10 times more of a threat as compared to outdoor air pollution. Before we move on to the details of indoor air pollution causes, let's go through some general facts about the same which highlight its severity.Indoor Air Pollution: An OverviewIndoor air pollution is referred to contamination of indoor air as a result of introduction of various harmful chemicals and other such matter in the atmosphere. As we spend more time indoors - at home as well as at the workplace, we are more vulnerable to air pollution indoors as compared to the same outdoors. According to the global health risks - a comprehensive assessment of leading risks to global health by the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.7% of the total diseases in the world are attributed to indoor air pollutants. The health effects of indoor air pollution
range from minor infections and allergies to severe problems such as acute lower respiratory infections and lung cancer. The statistical evidence compiled by the WHO further reveals that as many as 1.6 million people die as a result of ailments which is attributed to indoor air pollution.Causes of Indoor Air PollutionWhen it comes to indoor air pollution causes, combustible substances - such as gas and coal, are considered to be the major culprits. The list of combustible substances which trigger pollution within your home doesn't just restrict to fuel sources though, but also includes activities such as smoking. One of the major pollutants when it comes to indoor air pollution is carbon monoxide which is formed as a result of incomplete combustion of carbon. In fact, carbon monoxide is one of the most common pollutant in rural areas wherein people still use traditional means of cooking. In urban areas, on the other hand, the most prominent pollutants happen to be asbestos, radon, etc. Even the fur of domestic animals is a possible pollutant within your home.In fact, the dust that gets accumulated in your house over the course of time also contributes to this type of air pollution
. When you try to dust your carpet or sofa after a long time, you see dust flying all over in the room. This dust is potent enough to trigger infections and allergic reactions in humans. It may come as a surprise for many, but the germs that come out of your body when you sneeze have the tendency to pollute the environment and trigger infectious ailments. At times, the emissions from outdoor air pollution sources can also travel with air and enter your home, thus polluting the environment indoors. Even pesticides that you use in the house act as pollutants as the fumes coming from the same escape into the environment.How Inadequate Ventilation Contributes to Indoor Air Pollution?As we mentioned earlier, inadequate ventilation adds to the intensity of indoor air pollution because dilution of pollutants becomes difficult as outdoor air cannot come inside and indoor polluted air cannot go outside. If an individual smokes cigarette indoors and outdoors, you will notice that the dilution of environmental tobacco smoke is much fast outdoors as compared to indoors, wherein the smoke continues to fill the room for quite sometime. The same applies to emissions from other air pollutants as well, though it may not be as obvious as the tobacco smoke which is accompanied by strong smell. While the practice of building air-tight structures to minimize energy loss has become quite popular over the last decade or two, the same has also contributed to indoor air pollution
by hampering air ventilation. Other than release of pollutants and inadequate ventilation, climatic factors such as temperature and humidity also play a crucial role in determining the levels of pollution within your home.Taking the severity of this issue into consideration, it becomes all the more important to prevent indoor air pollution, and to do that you will have to make it a point to attend to all these causes of the same. Simple measures like vacuum cleaning the home once in a while, making sure that the home is properly ventilated, not smoking within closed buildings, shifting from traditional means of cooking to modern means, etc., can help you limit the amount of pollutants within the building, if not get rid of them completely.
 |
| Sources of Indoor Air Pollution |
Even though people spend 90 percent of their time indoors on an average, not many of them are aware of the fact that the air which they breathe indoors is 2-5 times polluted as compared to air outdoors. It may come as a surprise for many, but several sources of air pollution exist within your home itself. These sources of indoor air pollution range from construction material used to build your house to harmful emissions from burning of fuels. As we move on with this write-up, we will unravel more of such air pollution sources which you are likely to encounter in your home or office, but before we get into these details let's go through some general facts about the concept of indoor air pollution.Indoor Air Pollution FactsIndoor air pollution refers to degradation of indoor air quality (IAQ) - i.e. the quality of air within and around a building, as a result of introduction of contaminants in the air. With 2.7 percent of the diseases in the world attributed to it, indoor air pollution is not something that is to be taken lightly. More importantly, these health issues range from minor allergies and infections to life-threatening conditions such as lung cancer which are known to cause millions of death across the world every year. Ignorance about the causes of indoor air pollution
has blown the issue out of proportion, and that's something which is not quite a good news for us.Indoor Air Pollution SourcesAs we mentioned earlier, the sources of air pollution which are found indoors range from building material to harmful emissions from burning of fuels. While the inclusion of dust as a pollutant both indoors and outdoors is obvious, the fact that this list of indoor pollutant sources includes household supplies - such as paints and cosmetics, and office supplies - such as printers and permanent markers, is bound to come as a surprise for most of the people out there. Given below are the details of primary sources of indoor air pollution that you need to be aware of.
- Tobacco products - such as cigarettes and cigars, which give out environmental tobacco smoke.
- Plant pollen attributed to flowering plants in the vicinity which is brought inside by wind.
- Animal dander attributed to pet animals in your home as well as animals outside.
- Mold colonies which thrive in humid corners of your house.
- Building material which is rich in radon - a radioactive gas that is considered carcinogenic to humans.
- Lead paint which is rich source of lead - a heavy toxic metallic element known to trigger a toxic health condition referred to as lead poisoning.
- Traditional methods of cooking that rely on fossil fuels which emit carbon monoxide.
- Defective central heating furnaces which are also known to emit carbon monoxide.
- Sulfur containing fuels - such as kerosene, which emit sulfur dioxide.
- Asbestos-containing material which was widely used in construction of homes earlier.
- Household supplies such as paint, pesticides, varnishes, cosmetic, cleaning supplies etc., which are rich in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
- Office supplies such as copiers, printers, correction ink, permanent markers, etc., which are rich in VOCs.
- Air ionizers and other such electronic devices which are known to produce ozone along with ultraviolet rays coming from the Sun.
- Automobile exhaust emissions, which are brought inside the house by wind.
- And lastly, humans which give out carbon dioxide as a by-product of the metabolic activity.
While all these sources are known to cause air pollution indoors, one has to also take into consideration the role that inadequate ventilation has to play in intensifying this pollution. In fact, inadequate ventilation is the major culprit when it comes to indoor air pollution as it doesn't allow the polluted air within the house to go outdoors, or the fresh air outside to come indoors, so that the pollutants inside are diluted.If you are to keep indoor air pollution
- and the numerous health hazards associated with it, at bay, these are the sources that you need to do away with. Some simple measures of preventing indoor air pollution include keeping your home free of dust using vacuum cleaner, reducing the use of aerosol sprays, replacing traditional cooking methods with modern ones, etc. Even though they are simple, these preventive measures can make sure that you are not threatened by various health problems attributed to indoor air pollution, and hence, it's worth taking these efforts.
 |
| Indoor Air Pollution Solutions |
When we talk about air pollution, we focus all our attention on the level of pollutants present in the atmosphere, neglecting the threat indoor air pollution poses to us. Awareness about air pollution has helped in controlling the emissions from various factories and industries. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in its latest report on air pollution statistics has pointed out that the toxic levels have decreased considerably over the past few years. There is still a long way to go before we start rejoicing and it will take a sustained effort from all of us to realize the goal of pollution-free air. Although, there is considerable awareness about air pollution, what is rather surprising is that most of us are unaware about the threat indoor air pollution
poses to us. Indoor air pollution is the contamination of air inside or around our homes and it has been listed as one of the five risk factors for public health. If it doesn't set alarm bells ringing consider these facts -
- Experts suggest that indoor air pollution is a much bigger threat than outdoor air pollution as we spend most of our time inside our homes and offices, and this exposes us to contaminated air for prolonged periods.
- World Health Organization (WHO) in its annual report stated that close to around 3% of all diseases are caused due to indoor air pollution.
- EPA in its survey has found out that 60% of the homes in United States pose a threat to its inhabitants including some life-threatening diseases.
These facts would have given you an idea on the danger that indoor air pollution poses to all of us. The good news is that there are numerous ways in which you can ensure that you and your loved ones are breathing in safe, pollution-free air. We will help you with some indoor air pollution solutions, but before that it is important that we first have a bit of an idea about the causes of indoor air pollution.Solutions to Indoor Air PollutionThe solution to the problem of indoor air pollution lies in its causes. One of the major causes of indoor air pollution
is poor ventilation. It causes polluted air to stay inside for long durations, which when inhaled can expose a person to a risk of developing various respiratory diseases. Other sources of pollution are harmful pollutants like formaldehyde, asbestos and poly-chlorinated biphenyl (PCB). All these chemicals are found in household products that you might have used or may use in near future. Although, asbestos and PCB have been banned from extensive use, these usually found their way inside your home through electrical and telephone cables, air conditioning systems, building material and furniture. Some other causes of indoor air pollution are radon, cigarettes and pesticides.To reduce the level of pollutants inside your homes, you can seal all the sources of chemicals like asbestos and PBC. Another way to control the source of the pollutants is to adjust the place of appliances that cause indoor pollution. As mentioned before, half of the indoor air pollution is caused by poor ventilation. Relying on automatic conditioning systems all the time isn't a good idea and you should open doors and windows to let fresh air enter your home and replace contaminated air. Using exhaust fans can also help a great deal in proper ventilation. Air cleaners can be of good help in the fight against indoor air pollution. There is a wide range of air cleaners available in the market and before choosing one you should do a bit of research. Air cleaners purify the air inside a building by filtering the mold spores, pollen, dander, etc. Some simple things like smoking outside your home, cleaning your home on a regular basis and keeping your pets outside your living rooms can help in reducing the level of indoor air pollution. Awareness about indoor air pollution can go a long way in ensuring that the threat of indoor air pollution is curbed. We hope that the indoor air pollution solutions mentioned above will give you some idea about the steps you can take to make your home a better place to live.
