Air Pollution (grade levels 4-8)

Air Pollution

Next post in series
Samuel Desai

Many environmental activists, unlike me, like to say that pollution is an important issue. I prefer to categorize them into three different topics. Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Noise Pollution, and Light Pollution. The other types of pollution are for another week but don't worry, you will hear about them soon.

You may believe that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) it the only pollutant, but it isn't. There are others. One type is methane gas, emitted by livestock and swamps. Another CFC's or chlorofluorocarbons which were used in refrigerators, hairspray, and many other things. But they were banned internationally in 2010 because of its deteriorating effect on the ozone layer.

Personally, I think that the pollutant which harms us the most is sulfur dioxide. Sulfur Dioxide is a component in smog, but also reflects sunlight out into space, causing a global cooling. This may seem good, but sulfur dioxide is directly linked to acid rain and is the primary cause of 2 billion children globally breathing toxic air. 

There is a major problem with removing this compound, though. Sulfur dioxide helps cool the Earth. As countries removed this pollution, climate change warming rates have accelerated. People think we have to choose one, remove sulfur dioxide and let climate change happen, or kill 600 thousand kids each year, and accelerate acid rainfall rates (this will be a later post). I think otherwise. Why don't we do both?

As you see, air pollution is an important issue which affects many citizens in the world. People have started to combat pollution, but they aren't trying hard enough. Why don't you take part too? Reduce your carbon footprint, and encourage other people to do the same.

Please let me know if you have any questions on this issue, we will highlight some questions in a post and answer them in the future. I will respond to all of them, so write as many as you want.

I used:
Washington Post

National Geographic Magazine