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Seven Causes of Air Pollution

Air pollution is one of the biggest threats facing our planet today. Dangerous chemicals--some man-made, some natural--are threatening to destroy our atmosphere and ozone layer. Some believe air pollution is leading to global warming, and with it, rising sea waters and mass species extinctions. Air pollution comes in many forms, and while there are mixed feelings on just how dangerous it is, there's no question about what causes it.

  1. Deforestation

    • Forests are nature's way of balancing out the dangerous pollutants humans create. Trees naturally absorb dangerous carbon dioxide and store it in their leaves and needles, eventually transforming it into clean, natural oxygen. With the continued destruction of valuable rain forests and jungles for industrial need, we exponentially add to the growing problem of air pollution.

    Industry

    • As the world's population continues to grow, so does the need for industry. Large manufacturing plants, agriculture and livestock contribute to air pollution by releasing dangerous gases and chemicals into the atmosphere. Among them: nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons and methane.

    Natural Disasters

    • The earth itself can naturally contribute to her own pollution. Volcanoes, tornadoes, landslides and erosion all release a certain amount of chemicals and debris into the atmosphere. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, volcanoes alone release 130 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year.

    Power Plants

    • Power plants supply the world with energy. Without them, we'd be left in the dark. However, they contribute to a disproportionately large amount of the total air pollution on our planet. In recent years, efforts are being made to convert to natural energies, such as wind and water. But until the day that fossil-fuel-burning power plants are a thing of the past, they will continue to release nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and methane.

    Cigarettes

    • The risks of smoking and secondhand smoke have been well-documented. What's less well known is that cigarette smoke releases approximately 40 carcinogens into the atmosphere. And with an estimated 1.3 billion worldwide smokers, that is a significant amount of air pollution that effects everyone.

    Transportation

    • Coal-burning trains, personal automobiles, buses, airplanes and cargo ships all contribute to global air pollution. By burning fossil fuels and emitting dangerous greenhouse gases, the transportation industry is one of the biggest contributors to air pollution.

    Fires

    • Naturally burning forest fires along with controlled agricultural burning also contribute to air pollution. Smoke and ash contain dangerous particles that become permanently lodged in the atmosphere.

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