Air pollution: causes, consequences and solutions

We understand atmospheric pollution as the pollution of our atmosphere , that is, the presence in it of elements that are polluting and that can cause negative effects on the health of people and the natural environment.

Air pollution can be more or less extensive. It can occur locally in the vicinity of the focus where it has occurred, or it can occur globally when it affects the balance of the entire planet due to the characteristics of the pollutant, that is, it extends far beyond the focus where it occurs. has originated.

Those mainly responsible for air pollution originate from human activities. However, this does not mean that there are no sources of pollution from natural processes , such as:

• The volcanic eruptions , where gases are emitted as particles both (ash) that alter the natural composition of gases present naturally in the atmosphere.
• Smoke and gases from unprovoked natural fires .
• Dust storms .
• Pollen and plant spores , responsible for many respiratory allergies.

With the Industrial Revolution, during the second half of the 18th century, the production boom in factories began, as well as the development and growing use of means of transport and, therefore, the increase in the use of fuels. fossils .

As a result, there was an increase in the concentration of gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide or sulfur oxide, all of them very harmful in high amounts for health.

Other activities that contribute to air pollution are:

• The mining operations : for the extraction of many of these chemical and mineral contaminants very heavy machinery are used.
• Excessive use of pesticide products in agriculture: these substances affect and alter soils, also facilitating the accumulation of gases in the air.
• The deforestation : plant species are capable of cleaning the air to the atmosphere sequester contaminants and neutralize. With its elimination, this process is reduced, as well as the production of oxygen during photosynthesis.

The consequences of air pollution are varied, many of them being known. Again, the consequences can occur locally or globally.

The first of these are the consequences related to damage to human health . We can distinguish several groups of diseases caused by this type of contamination:

• Respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, or lung cancer. Air pollution raises a person’s risk for these diseases, as well as cardiovascular conditions.
• Dermatological diseases , perhaps less well known, air pollution also negatively affects the skin, promoting premature aging, dehydration or acne formation.

Air pollution can also cause damage to buildings, causing the erosion of their materials.

On the other hand, at an environmental level it also has multiple damages:

• Smog or pollution berets in big cities. This occurs especially in those cities that are not exposed to frequent winds that can clear their atmosphere of pollution.
• Climate change due to greenhouse gases that accumulate in the atmosphere.
• Depletion of the ozone layer , which acts as a protective layer against ultraviolet radiation.
• Acid rain , responsible for the large-scale destruction of forests and soils. Furthermore, it is responsible for the acidification of some lakes and the erosion of buildings, by attacking some metals present in the materials from which they are made

Although the atmosphere will try to return to its natural balance through the elimination of polluting substances, it is urgent to take measures so that its recovery is faster, since, in addition, it is only capable of recovering said balance when pollution is scarce or punctual. , as in the case of natural sources of pollution.

In the first place, it is important to know and identify the elements that are producing this type of contamination in order to reduce and / or eliminate them. Regarding this, more and more measures are being taken, which include regulations, investigations and funds destined to alleviate this type of contamination. Examples of this type of measure are:

• Promote competitive public transport.
• Increase the number of green areas and gardens in large urban centers. Vertical gardens are currently on the rise that contribute to the absorption of atmospheric pollutants, acting as filters.

However, we can all contribute to the reduction of air pollution by changing small habits of our day to day such as:

• Use alternative means of transport that do not pollute the environment, such as cycling.
• Recycle waste to minimize the environmental impact of the daily tons of garbage produced today.
• Responsible consumption of fossil fuels and energy sources. Since its use is practically inevitable, we can try to reduce the impact it produces on the planet.
• Construction of urban gardens that do not alter the environment or its natural cycles.