Air Pollution Talk

Ozone is a gas that is naturally found in earth’s upper atmosphere, where it forms the ozone layer. The ozone layer blocks some of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

While Ozone layer protects us from getting all the UV rays, ground-level ozone is a pollutant that can harm the environment, crops, and human health. It is ozone in the lower atmosphere, close to the Earth’s surface. This is one of the main components of smog. Ground-level ozone is formed when sunlight and heat cause chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds .

Volatile organic compounds are pollutants released by motor vehicles, factories and power plants, and chemicals such as paints and cleaners. Since we live in a modern world and we are exposed to all these wherever we go.

Source: Department of Health and Human Services.

If you wonder what kind of health effects of outdoor air pollution can have on your health, first of all, it can cause your eyes and nose to burn, your throat to itch, and even breathing problems.

In extreme cases, exposure to air pollutants at high levels over a long period of time may lead to cancer, birth defects, brain and nerve damage. It can cause long-term injury to the lungs and breathing passages.

Air pollution doesn’t just affect women, children, and elderly, it affects everyone. Children are especially susceptible to the effects of air pollution because their lungs are developing. Outdoor air pollution also adds more harms to people who have lung and heart diseases because they are more sensitive.

In the U.S., ground-level ozone and particle pollution are two of the most common pollutants and threat to people’s health.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

If you ever wonder whether the outdoor pollution come from, there are many sources and you can be exposed to them without noticing. It is very difficult to void them living in today’s society. These outdoor air pollutions sources include emissions from cars and trucks, power plants that burn fossil fuels, and factories and forest fires, to name a few. Unless you lock yourself up in the house 24/7, it’s inevitable that you can expose yourself to outdoor pollutions.

The best way to void these pollutants is to limit your outdoor physical activities. If you live in a heavily polluted area, try not to run, jog, or walk with small children outdoors. Because physical activity in polluted areas can cause you and your children to inhale more pollutants into your lungs, particularly if you have asthma. Check the weather station often, don’t go out if it’s windy.

Outdoor air pollution can cause your eyes and nose to burn, your throat to itch, and even breathing problems. Exposure to air pollutants at high levels over a long period of time may lead to cancer, birth defects, brain and nerve damage, and long-term injury to the lungs and breathing passages.

Air pollution affects everyone. Children are especially susceptible to the effects of air pollution because their lungs are developing. They also spend more time active outdoors. People with lung and heart diseases are also more sensitive to outdoor air pollution.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets limits on certain air pollutants throughout the United States. Ground-level ozone and particle pollution are two of the most common pollutants and pose the greatest threat to human health in the United States.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

What is outdoor air pollution and how can I be exposed to it?

There are many sources of pollution outdoors, such as:

• Emissions from cars and trucks
• Power plants that burn fossil fuels
• Factories and forest fires

Source: Department of Health and Human Services.

Pollutants in the environment can contribute to some illnesses that are more common in older adults. Indoor and outdoor air pollution can aggravate the symptoms of cardiovascular and lung diseases, including high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma. These conditions are more common in women over the age of 50 than in men over 50.

Older adults may be more susceptible to the health effects of toxic chemicals. People who are exposed to pollutants over the course of a lifetime may have health problems when they are older. For instance, long-term exposure to pesticides may cause cancer or dementia.

Lead is a toxic metal that may be stored in bones. In postmenopausal women who were exposed to lead early in life, bone loss can release lead into the bloodstream. This may cause kidney damage, increase the risk of high blood pressure, and decrease cognitive functions.

Source: Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Air pollution, whether natural or man-induced, is neither good for man or any other life forms on planet earth. Naturally occuring air pollution can be caused by an erupting volcano spewing ashes in the atmosphere. Man-induced pollution, which was further increased by the industrial revolution, and be from factories, cars, and airplanes.

Although harmful to any living organism, life forms still seem to thrive and survive. The short term affects of air pollution may not be noticeable, but the long term affects of air pollution may be harmful in the long run. Years of inhaling different toxins, chemical etc. can be a cause of lung or other various types of cancer. Not only can this increase the rate of cancer, but increase the rate of other health problems, such as heart disease. We can do nothing about earth’s contribution to air pollution, be we can do something about our own.