Isabella is a 10th grader from Virginia.
We all know air pollution is ‘bad’, but how harmful is it really?
Air pollution is air contaminated by any chemical or physical agent that changes the natural atmosphere c
omposition. Clean air primarily consists of nitrogen and oxygen; when polluted, gasses such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide (to name a few) are introduced into the atmosphere. Many falsely believe that large industrial plants and factories are the sole impacters of air quality; however, our health is also impacted by the unnaturally high amounts of mold and pollen in our homes.
A World Bank report estimated that air pollution is responsible for 6.4 million deaths a year, and the cost of health damages caused by pollution amounts to $8.1 trillion a year, or 6.1% of global GDP.
Why and how should we mitigate air pollution?
Most of us have experienced short term air pollution, perhaps by inhaling automobile exhaust, or taking a stroll on a particularly dusty day. However, many people around the world live in constant air pollution that can lead to detrimental long term health effects. These health effects range from cardiovascular diseases to lung cancer.
Air pollution also significantly impacts work productivity and everyday life. One study found that a 20% decrease in air pollutant concentration is associated with a 16% increase in employment growth rate and a 33% increase in labor productivity growth rate.
Now that we know what causes air pollution and why it is harmful, here are a few ways schools can mitigate air pollution:
Change from diesel to electric vehicles.
Use less nitrogen-based fertilizers. Nitrogen-based fertilizers release ammonia, a precursor of air pollution. These fertilizers can also be oxidized and emitted into the air as nitrous oxide, a long-lived greenhouse gas.
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