- Air pollution is caused by any change in the atmosphere from human activities that has harmful effects. The main sources of air pollution are emissions from vehicles, power plants, and factories that release gases, smoke, and other particles into the air.
- Common types of air pollution include smog, which is a haze formed from vehicle emissions that can cause breathing problems; and acid rain, formed from emissions interacting with water vapor and damaging the environment.
- Humans contribute significantly to air pollution and climate change through activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and improper hazardous waste disposal. Increased greenhouse gases are trapping more heat in the atmosphere and causing global warming.
- Hazardous wastes must be
1. Air Pollution and
Global Change
Pay close attention to each slide.
Click on the speaker on each slide for additional information.
2. What is Air Pollution
Air is a mixture of many gases including: Nitrogen,
Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapor and trace
other gases.
Any change in the atmosphere that has harmful
effects is called air pollution
Any substance that causes pollution is called a
pollutant
3. Composition of the Air
From the pie chart you can see
Nitrogen actually makes up the
greatest percentage of gas in the
air…most would think it would
be oxygen because that is what
we breathe.
Image:
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkas:Air_comp
osition_pie_chart.JPG
4. How does pollution make
it into the Air?
Solid particles and gases
that are released into
the air are called
emissions
Main cause of emissions
is by motor vehicles
releasing carbon
monoxide into the air
Image: Epa.gov
5. Smoke + Fog = Smog
When certain gases in the air react with sunlight it
can create a think brownish haze called
photochemical smog
When the smog level is high it can settle over a city
creating a dirty haze
Potential threats to humans are breathing trouble,
throat irritation and burning eyes
Major sources of smog are the gases emitted by
vehicles
6. Smog continued…
Images of
Beijing, China
on a clear sunny
day and then
covered in Smog
(August 2005
Smog over Los Angeles
Images: http://www.earthlyissues.com
7. Acid Rain
Acid rain is another type of air pollution
It is caused by power plants and factories that burn
coal and oil and release chemicals into the air
These gases react with water vapor in the
atmosphere forming acids which return to Earth’s
surface in the form of precipitation
Acid rain affects many things in the environment
including: fish, plants, buildings, statues, etc…
9. Not all pollution is outside
The air inside buildings can be polluted too= indoor air
pollution
Dust, pet hair, air fresheners, smoke and toxic fumes
from cleaning supplies can all contribute to air pollution
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an indoor air pollutant that is
a colorless and odorless gas that forms when wood, coal,
oil or gas is not completely burned
Radon is another colorless and odorless gas formed
naturally by certain rocks underground that is
radioactive.
10. Common Types of Indoor
Air Pollution
Image:
http://www.epa.gov/eo
gapti1/course422/ap4.ht
ml
11. Human Impact on
Environment
Humans are the leading factor in creating air
pollution and other hazardous wastes on earth
Humans contribute to deforestation (cutting down
trees which produce oxygen)
Humans also effect the natural process on earth
called The Greenhouse effect
Hazardous waste is any material that can be
harmful to human health or the environment if not
properly disposed of
12. Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse gases trap heat in the air which aids in
keep the earth a suitable temperature for us to
survive
Humans add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere
through everyday activities including driving and
burning fossil fuels
The more greenhouse gases that are trapped in the
atmosphere the more likely it is for our overall
temperature of earth to increase (global warming)
13. The Greenhouse Effect
Image: http://www.nps.gov/goga/naturescience/climate-change-causes.htm
14. 5 Categories of Hazardous
Waste
1. Toxic waste= or poisonous wastes are wastes that can
damage health of humans or other organisms
2. Explosive wastes= wastes that react very quickly when
exposed to the air or water or that explode when they
are dropped
3. Flammable wastes= catch fire easily and can begin
burning at fairly low temperatures
4. Corrosive wastes= wastes that dissolve or eat through
many materials
5. Radioactive wastes= contain unstable atoms that give
off radiation that can cause cancer and other diseases
15. Health Effects of
Hazardous Wastes
Short term exposure to hazardous wastes may cause
irritation to certain body parts or more severe health
problems
Long term exposure may cause diseases such as
cancer and may damage body organs including: the
brain, liver, kidneys and lungs
16. Getting Rid of
Hazardous Wastes
Methods of hazardous waste disposal include burial in
landfills, incineration and breakdown by living organisms
Liquid wastes can be stored in deep rock layers
Most often Hazardous wastes are disposed in carefully
designed landfills
These landfills are lined with clay and plastic to keep
chemicals from seeping into the soil and groundwater (which
could cause serious contamination and health problems)
The best way to manage hazardous waste is to produce less of
them and educate consumers on finding substitutes for
common household chemicals