Summary of Air Pollution 101 | National Geographic

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Air pollution has many detrimental effects on both the environment and human health. There are various types of human-made air pollution, which can come from car exhaust, coal power plants, and factory emissions. Air pollution can cause respiratory distress, health problems, and birth defects. While air pollution has many consequences for our planet, there are solutions. We can limit toxic pollutes, smog and greenhouse gases, by decreasing the use of fossil fuels.

• 00:00:00 Air pollution is a problem that causes health and environmental threats, most of which comes from human activities. There are different types of human-made air pollution, which can be divided into sulfurous and photochemical smog. Photochemical smog, also called ground level ozone, is a result of the reaction between sunlight, and nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds. Nitrogen oxides come from car exhaust, coal power plants, and factory emissions. Smog not only creates a brown haze that reduces visibility, but also harms plants, irritates the eyes, and causes respiratory distress. Toxic pollutants, such as mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzine, are released during gas or coal combustion, waste incineration, or burning of gasoline. Toxic air pollution can also cause serious health problems, such as cancer, reproductive complications, and birth defects. While air pollution has many consequences for our planet, there are solutions. We can limit toxic pollutes, smog and greenhouse gases, by decreasing the use of fossil fuels.