AIR POLLUTION
Factories, Fossil Fuels, Cars and more have caused air pollution. Air pollution is the process of different harmful substances going through the air, causing more diseases, changes in climate and damage to the ozone layer. The ozone layer is a layer in the atmosphere that protects us from harmful radiation from the sun. This radiation can cause cancers and endangers the life of all species.
According to the World Health Organization ( WHO), "Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants." So many people have died from this ongoing issue.
SOLUTIONS
There are many ways to help limit the dangers of air pollution. Some possible solutions are to walk or bike to places instead of take a bus, car or train. You can also buy less products that you do not need. Factories produce a majority of air pollution. In order to limit this you can buy less meat products, buy less factory made products and only buy things that you need not want.
FACTS
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The effects of air pollution cause about seven million deaths every year, largely as a result of stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
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"More than 80% of people living in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO guideline limits, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures, both indoors and outdoors." (WHO)
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"These are either deadly or have severe health risks even in small amounts. Almost 200 are regulated by law; some of the most common are mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzene. “These are also most often emitted during gas or coal combustion, incinerating, or in the case of benzene, found in gasoline,” Walke says. Benzene, classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation in the short term and blood disorders in the long term. Dioxins, more typically found in food but also present in small amounts in the air, can affect the liver in the short term and harm the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, as well as reproductive functions. Lead in large amounts can damage children’s brains and kidneys, and even in small amounts it can affect children’s IQ and ability to learn. Mercury affects the central nervous system." (NRDC)
