Lesson Twenty-Four: Air Pollution
How it can take our breath away
According to the World Health Organization, every 9 in 10 people on our planet breath air containing high levels of pollutants. Let that sink in for a second.
WHAT IS IT?
Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. There are two main causes: natural sources and human activities.
While air pollution is a broad category, there are two types which help define it and understand it:
Smog: A type of air pollution that reduces visibility and has serious health side effects.
Smog comes from:
burning sulphur fossil fuels (eg coal)
reactions between sunlight and nitrogen oxides (from factory emissions and car exhausts)
Toxic Pollutants: A type of air pollution which includes the emission of chemicals such as mercury, lead, and dioxins, that are released when:
burning trash
burning gasoline
combusting gas or coal
(Our industrial sectors love to do all three)
HOW IT IMPACTS US
A little question for you that relates to the impact of air pollution on our human population:
There are different individual impacts and side-effects that come from the two different air pollution categories:
Toxic Pollutants:
These have been linked to cause cancer, respiratory issues, birth defects, and reproductive complications.
Smog:
Smog not only creates a brown haze that reduces visibility but it also impacts plants, irritates eyes, and causes/worsens respiratory problems like chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma.
CURRENT AIR QUALITY
Even with COVID reducing air pollutants, many parts of the world are still orange/red/purple. 👎
SOLUTIONS
As much as we can switch to clean energy, drive less, and consume less, the solution is one our government must action on as we need better regulations for the industrial sector.
Here is what Ontario has done in the last decade:
✅Eliminate coal-fired power plants (complete)
✅Implement Drive Clean car emissions testing (complete)
This is what Ontario still needs to do. I know, I know, it’s a long boring list - but you want to know what to say incase you run into a politician, right? 🤷
🚧Place emissions caps on sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
🚧Develop new air standards
🚧Develop new rules to regulate industrial sources of air pollution for petroleum and petrochemical industries
🚧Develop new rules for regulating air contaminants for the metal finishers and foundries sectors
🚧Create stringent sulphur dioxide air standards, a by-product of fossil fuel combustion & smelting processes
There are also websites out there that can provide more information to keep you informed and also give you more day-to-day actions on what you can do to prevent/reduce air pollution.
World Health Organization - 10 Ways You Can Fight Air Pollution
United States Environmental Protection Agency - Actions You Can Take to Reduce Air Pollution
Don’t give up though! We in Canada still have it really good! We do however need to help other countries that are stuck with producing dirty energy and burning fossil fuels for the products we demand and consume. Don’t be afraid to talk about this with your friends and family, and if you have time, reach out to our politicians! Never underestimate the power of your voice!
Did you know all of this about air pollution? If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know!
