Help Save our  Air from POLLUTION!       Air supplies us with oxygen, which is important for our bodies to live.  Air is 99.9% made up of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and inert gases. There are many types of pollution, which include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and "holes" in the ozone layer.   These problems have  implications for our health and the whole environment.  

    One type of pollution is the release of particles in the air from burning fuel. Smoke is a good example of particulate matter. The particles are very small pieces measuring about 2.5 microns. This is referred to as "black carbon" pollution. From burning fuels in cars, homes and industries is a source of air pollution.  Some people believe that  burning wood and charcoal can release significant amounts of soot into the air.

     We cause air pollution when we use electricity, home fuels and transportation.  We also cause air pollution indirectly, when we buy goods and services that use energy in their product or delivery.  Most of this air pollution results from the burning of fossil fuels likes coal, oil, natural gas and gasoline. 

Carbon dioxide is a good indicator of how much fossil fuel is burned and how much of other pollutants we cause to be emitted.  Like photochemical pollutants, sulfur oxides contribute to the incidence of respiratory diseases.

     Acid rain is a form of pollution that contains high levels of sulfuric or nitric acids which can contaminate drinking water,  vegetation, damage aquatic life and erode buildings.  When a weather condition known as a temperature inversion causes  smog to form, the inhabitants of the area, especially children, the elderly and chronically ill, are warned to stay indoors and avoid physical stress.

The smoke in this picture is a result from burning coal.