Air Pollution in the USA - Essay Example

Air Pollution What causes "Air Pollution"? How does it harm the environment? How can it be prevented? Abstract This paper uses several scientific and analytical sources to examine the main causes, effects and prevention of air pollution. Human activity is seen as the main cause of pollution in all its forms and the particular cause of air pollution is the use of fossil fuels in automobiles and industrial enterprise which releases large amount of CFCs into the atmosphere. While the simplest method of reducing air pollution is to reduce the activities which cause pollution, a discussion is made on why such reduction is difficult and what individuals can do to help the environment. Introduction Air pollution is a very important topic for discussion and research since air itself is required for every creature and living thing on the surface of the planet. Not only on land but also in water since air pollution has an effect on the level of contaminants in the sea as well. Undoubtedly, air pollution levels have been rising in the recent past and the overall blame for that is given to human activity and the industrial and commercial ventures of civilization as a whole. While the effects of air pollution on the environment are often disastrous and not easily reversible, the central issue with air pollution concerns itself more with the quality of life on the planet. Since human beings are the predominant creators of air pollution and they are also the life form which objects violently to air pollution, the solution for the problem also has to come from them. There are several ways and means which are currently being utilized to prevent air pollution from becoming a mammoth problem and some of those are discussed in this paper. Method The research for this paper was conducted in the library and various electronic and manual sources were utilized to locate the information which is connected with air pollution, its effect on the environment and the means by which it can be prevented. After a quick reading of collected materials, five sources were selected for detailed examination with which the ideas and constructs presented in the paper were eventually formed. Results The results from the research clearly show that the largest and most significant causes of air pollution are the industrial and commercial activities of humans. Whenever fossil fuels are used to drive cars, operate industries or light our offices and homes, a significant amount of harmful gasses are created which are released into the atmosphere as pollutants (Green, 2005). While a certain amount of pollution in the atmosphere can be controlled and nature has the magnificent ability to manage excess carbon dioxide (CO2) and other harmful chemicals, the present rate of creation of these compounds is simply too much for nature. Americans produced more Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and atmospherically damaging gasses than any other nation in the world. In 2003, nearly 6 billion tones of CO2 were produced and there is no sign of this amount being significantly reduced (Schulte, 2006). The majority of this output comes from the coal burning furnaces which produce electricity and heat for housing as well as the cars and trucks which provide transport for people and goods across the country. The gases which are released can create acidic rain, are destroying the Ozone layer and are having negative effects on the health of people in certain regions (Green, 2005). The method for preventing air from getting polluted is simple i.e. the activities which are polluting the air have to be stopped, limited or controlled. Of course it is impossible to ask people to give up automobiles or stop heating their homes, therefore alternative fuels need to be developed, controls have to be placed on industrial pollution and people have to be made aware of the developing situation (VonAncken, 2006). If the situation is left unchecked, the end result of pollution and the acceleration of global warming could be catastrophic. Discussion There are important decisions which must be made by governments and the people of the world regarding what level of controls need to be placed on air pollution. There appears to be no easy solution to the problem since the economic and social development of nations can be slowed if they place check and controls on certain industries or power production facilities. Governments appear to give more precedence to the economy than to the future environment of the planet. It seems that a battle is being raged by economists, politicians, scientists and thinkers on how to handle air pollution and debate continues from several viewpoints (Professional Safety, 2006). Depending on the position of the thinker, they may support certain measures and disapprove of others. The Bush administration for example, did not agree to the Kyoto Protocol since the demands of the agreement could have placed restrictions on economic output which America can not afford due to the current situation of the economy. At the same time, the present government is taking steps which should help in reducing air pollution but if the measures are not put into place quickly, there may not be an environment left to save (Goode, 2006). I believe that instead of waiting for the government and businesses to come up with solutions to the air pollution problem, we should do our own part and try to prevent as much as we can. For instance, taking a short walk may be better than driving to the store and reducing the level of heating could also save energy. It must be realized that every action we take on the earth has a certain result which can be either good or bad; therefore, an evaluation of our personal actions could certainly help in the reduction of air pollution levels. Word Count: 1,044 Works Cited Goode, D. “Bushs Air Pollution Plans Probably On Hold This Year.” Congress Daily 3.22 (2006): 2-3. Green, J. Reducing Air Pollution. New York: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2005. Professional Safety. “Solid Waste Incinerator Standards to Reduce 1,900 Tons of Air Pollution Annually” Professional Safety 51.4 (2006): 15-16. Schulte, B. “Turning up the Heat” U.S. News & World Report 140.13 (2006): 34-37. VonAncken, E. “Air Pollution: Our Impact on the Planet” School Library Journal 52.4 (2006): 67. Read More