Introduction: Air pollution is the occurrence or addition of foreign particles, gases, and other pollutants into the air which have an adverse effect on human beings, animals, vegetation, buildings, etc. The fossil fuel, firewood, and other things that we burn produce oxides of carbons which got released into the atmosphere. Earlier there happens to be a large number of trees that can easily filter the air we breathe in. But with the increase in demand for land, the people started cutting down of trees which caused deforestation. That ultimately reduced the filtering capacity of the tree.
Moreover, during the last few decades, the number of fossil fuel burning vehicles increased rapidly which increased the number of pollutants in the air.
Causes Of Air Pollution: Its causes include burning of fossil fuel and firewood, smoke released from factories, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, bombardment, asteroids, CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons), carbon oxides and many more. There are different kinds of reasons of air pollution.
The causes of air pollution are described below:
- In agricultural sectors, farmers often use insecticides, pesticides, and fertilizers, etc. These get mixed with air and cause air pollution. Besides, Ammonia is a very common by-product from agriculture-related activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere.
- Burning of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and other factory combustibles is one of the major causes of air pollution. Smoke emitting from vehicles like buses, trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes, etc. causes air pollution.
- In mills and factories, a large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals is emitted that causes air pollution. It is true that mills and factories can be found at every corner of the world that causes a huge amount of harmful gases that are the major causes of air pollution.
- Different kinds of household activities like cleaning products, washing, painting, etc. emit different kinds of toxic chemicals in the air and cause air pollution.
The greenhouse effect is also the cause of air pollution because air pollution produces the gases that greenhouse involves. Besides, it increases the temperature of the earth’s surface so much that the polar caps are melting and most of the UV rays are easily penetrating the surface of the earth.
Effects Of Air Pollution: There are different kinds of negative and harmful effects of air pollution. The effects of air pollution are described below:
- Air pollution causes global warming in a great scale. With increased temperatures worldwide, an increase in sea levels and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement, and loss of habitat have already signaled an impending disaster if actions for preservation and normalization aren’t undertaken soon.
- The effects of Air pollution are very harmful for health. It causes different kinds of respiratory diseases like heart attack, cancer, bronchitis, etc. Every year millions of people of all over the world die due to the direct or indirect effects of air pollution.
- Acid rain is another effect of air pollution. Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets combines with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the form of acid rain. Acid rain can cause great damage to humans, animals, and crops.
- Air pollution depletes the Ozone layer. Ozone exists in the earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As the ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye-related problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.
- Air pollution harms the wilderness. Humans and animals face a lot of devastating effects due to air pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to new places and change their habitat. The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water and can also affect sea animals.
- Air pollution depletes the Ozone layer. Ozone exists in the earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As the ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye-related problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.
Conclusion: However, it is the right time to protect air pollution. Although the level of air pollution has reached a critical point. But, there are still ways by which we can reduce the number of air pollutants from the air. To create a better place to live in for the human being and wilderness we have to stop air pollution.
