AIR POLLUTION

Group members: Syahid, Kamil, Adam, Azam

Overview

We've all seen smogs hanging over cities as one of those recognised form of air pollution.  Air pollution is defined as substances that people introduce into the atmosphere that has damaging effects on living things and its environments. There are all kinds of different air pollution, be it visible or not, that contribute to global warming. Adding to that is Climate change is changing our economy, health and communities in diverse ways. Scientists warn that if we do take this matter seriously, the results will likely be seriously disastrous. Global warming pollutants are collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up.

A few of them are Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Sulfur Dioxide.

Carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas

• The main pollutant that is warming Earth.

All living things emit carbon dioxide as they respire. Although there are plants in the day to help us maintain the level of carbon dioxide, they also respire all the time. Not only at night, but without any form of light, plants give out as much carbon dioxide as we do. To make matters worse, carbon dioxide is widely considered to be a pollutant also with the aids of:

- Vehicles (for example: cars and planes),

- Factories and Power Plants (that gives off unhealthy gas into the atmosphere),

- and other human activities that involve the Burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas.

In the past 150 years, these activities have increased the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere drastically, raising its levels higher than they have been for hundreds of thousands of years. That is why Singapore is one of those countries that realized that there must be something to be done. Singapore government proposed the contracts of purchasing cars up to 10 years. In the future, there would be lesser cars present, and this will help give the environment a start to refresh and 

Methane, the second most prevalent greenhouse gas 

• comes from wetlands like swamps and gas emitted by livestock

We all know how impure water are from swamps. However, that is not the only fluid present. Methane is produced in a way where it has become one of those known air pollutants with damaging effects. Swamps with marine life that have gotten used to living in a habitat is good enough(or should I say bad in this case), but the introduction of methane has caused a sudden tragic increase in the number of marine creatures found dead near reservoirs as they floated in the directions of the river flow of the swamps.

People held campaigns to clean up the lakes polluted by these poisoned fishes, but they have yet cleared up the fact that methane is the cause behind all this. A solution was given by EPA as they broadcast worldwide a series of voluntary programs for reducing methane. This should help reduce the damage it has caused in our environment.

Sulfur Dioxide, a component of smog.

• is known primarily as a cause of acid rain.
• able to reflect light when released in the atmosphere, which keeps sunlight out and causes Earth to cool.

Volcanic eruptions can spew massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, sometimes causing cooling that lasts for years. In fact, volcanoes used to be the main source of atmospheric sulfur dioxide, but now, it is people of today. It is seemed that sulfur dioxide is actually cooling Earth and not contributing to global warming, but it turned out to be completely wrong. Sulfur dioxide also worsen people's conditions and that is why industrialized countries have worked to reduce levels of sulfur dioxide, smog, and smoke in order to improve people's health.

But as a result, not predicted until recently, is that the lower sulfur dioxide levels may actually make global warming worse. Just as sulfur dioxide from volcanoes can cool the planet by blocking sunlight, it also lets more sunlight through, warming the Earth. This effect is exaggerated when elevated levels of other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap the additional heat.

It may look as all hopes are lost, but there are still solutions to this:

1. Farmers are able to help with maintaining the level of sulfur dioxide by growing crops nearby volcanoes
2. Industrialized countries should work together with farmers and collect these sulfur dioxide when the maintainance is out of the control of the farmers

These steps would help sulfur dioxide to keep the Earth cool as it used to. And with this, sulfur dioxide also has a possibility in reduction to save the Earth from global warming.

Extra

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) , one other air pollutant

• Used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants

An interesting fact: They were banned because of their deteriorating effect on Earth's ozone layer

As you can see, it is not only global warming that is endangering Earth and its inhabitants, but ozone depletion is one of them too.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

On a larger scale, governments are taking measures to limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. One way is through the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement between countries that they will cut back on carbon dioxide emissions. Another method is to put taxes on carbon emissions or higher taxes on gasoline, so that people and companies will have greater incentives to conserve energy and pollute less.

However, if this is not treated any time soon,

• Significant increases in the risk of illness and death related to extreme heat and heat waves are very likely.
• Some diseases transmitted by food, water, and insects are likely to increase.
• Certain groups, including children, the elderly, and the poor, are most vulnerable to a range of climate-related health effects.

Overall, these impacts will result in significant costs to our families and the economy., so we have to take the initiative and fight against all odds. Even if when the task took forever to complete, we must try!

The world rests on our hands.

Sources

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview

http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/climatebasics.asp

http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/urbanair/

https://www.google.com.sg/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&ei=ZLuSVdqGEZCdugTIuYHYCA&ved=0CBEQqi4oAQ