Various Causes of Air Pollution

Air pollution is an important issue to consider because it has a negative impact not only on the environment but also on your health. While air pollution is immediately visible as smog in places such as Los Angeles, it also affects our country's most remote areas, such as our national parks. Air pollution can come from various sources, ranging from large power plants to your small daily activities, like driving your car to work.

Vehicles

• Cars, trucks and other vehicles are a major cause of air pollution, as seen in cities such as Los Angeles. Cars emit carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides into the air. Carpooling, driving hybrid vehicles, taking public transportation or using alternative ways to commute (such as biking) can help reduce vehicular air.

Buildings

• Residential homes and commercial buildings pollute the air by emitting sulfur dioxide into our atmosphere. Some buildings are even built with materials that are hazardous to the air. Dry cleaning facilities often emit perchlorethlyene into the air. Another toxic chemical, methylene chloride, is frequently used as a paint stripper or solvent in buildings.

Industrial Smog

• Power plants, such as coal-burning power stations, are one of the major sources of air pollution. Power plants and large industrial plants often release smoke that can turn into smog. One effect of air pollution from power stations and factories is acid rain.

Individual Habits

• Your daily habits can contribute to air pollution. Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products can not only degrade your health but also our air quality. Burning kerosene, wood or oil in your home can pollute the air. Even certain household cleaning products emit harmful elements into the air directly in your home as well as outside. Pesticides that you use on your garden or farm also negatively affect the air quality in your community and can hurt the local environment.