In 2015, the United Nations created the Paris Agreement. Almost 200 countries signed the Agreement to minimize atmospheric degradation and preserve the global environment. Environmentalists understand the importance of eliminating emissions to protect biodiversity and human health.
Ecological engineers and scientists are developing pollution reduction technologies to improve indoor and outdoor air quality. There are additional measures individuals may take to shrink their personal footprints and protect themselves from environmental degradation. Before individuals explore pollution reduction techniques, they must assess the leading causes of air pollution.
The Causes and Consequences of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Air pollution refers to airborne contaminants that adversely affect the environment and human health. While the toxins that cause indoor and outdoor pollution may contain similar elements, they have different effects on local ecosystems. Indoor air pollution derives from human-made products.
One of the leading causes of residential indoor pollution is gas-powered appliances like stoves. As gas combusts to create an open flame, it releases greenhouse gases into the local environment. The emissions may escape an individual’s property and create heat island effects.
Concentrated, surface-level emissions create a small-scale greenhouse effect by trapping solar radiation in local environments. Over time, the pollutants overproduce heat, creating adverse ecological effects, especially on the environment. High temperatures may compromise local habitats and minimize biodiversity.
Another common cause of indoor air pollution is building materials. Some insulation components contain asbestos and fire retardants, which slowly release toxins into the environment. Other materials have a coating containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Contaminants deriving from building materials often negatively impact individuals’ lung health. Long-term exposure may cause a decline in pulmonary functions, which increases one’s risk of asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Individuals experience similar effects when they expose themselves to outdoor pollution.
The Causes and Consequences of Poor Outdoor Air Quality
Before assessing the effects of outdoor air pollution on human health, individuals must explore the causes. One of the most significant causes of poor outdoor air quality is transportation, which contributes to 29% of greenhouse gas emissions. Most individuals own gas-powered vehicles.
During combustion, cars and trucks release tailpipe emissions. The emissions contain carbon dioxide and other toxins that pollute the atmosphere. They also create smog, which interferes with biodiversity.
As smog accumulates in local environments, it interferes with animals’ visibility. Creatures struggle to see food sources, habitats, and predators, which increases their risk of endangerment. Another cause of outdoor air pollution comes from buildings.
Traditional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems run on gas-derived electricity. High electricity consumption rates increase the emissions coming from power plants. The agricultural sector also contributes to significant amounts of methane emissions.
Cattle release methane into the environment through belching. The contaminant is more potent than carbon dioxide, making farming the second leading cause of emissions. Manufacturing practices also release pollution into the atmosphere, creating poor air quality.
Most outdoor pollutants contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect, which interferes with global environmental sustainability. Some individuals have a higher risk of exposure to poor air quality than others. The differences in exposure often correlate with race and class.
Air Pollution and Environmental Justice
Access to clean air and healthy environments is a human right. If individuals experience higher emissions in their areas, they may feel the effects of environmental injustice. Researchers notice the largest impacts of air pollution on children.
In regions with poor air quality, more kids have asthma. Environmental professionals also notice higher rates of premature births, low birth weights, and early death in high-pollution regions. Many of the areas experiencing adverse effects from air quality are African American communities.
Outdoor air pollution often causes environmental inequity. Companies often place manufacturing facilities in communities of color because few government leaders advocate for their protection. The oil and gas industry conducts more fracking in regions with residents of color.
In Greely, CO, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission drilled 24 new wells to access more fossil fuels. The fracking process released contaminants into the local environment, compromising residents’ health and safety. Many community members reported respiratory distress, reproductive challenges, and migraines relating to fracking.
Environmentalists and ecological sociologists explore the racial challenges associated with air pollution. They create conservation technologies to minimize and remove contaminants from the air. The systems target both indoor and outdoor pollution to improve the environment and human health.
Technology Targeting Air Pollution
Engineers developed air cleaners to capture and process indoor air pollutants. The technology has two major components that improve local air quality.
First, air cleaners contain filters, which derive from paper, fiberglass, or mesh. The filters absorb and hold pollutants.
The systems also contain a fan that moves indoor air into the cleaner. After the filter removes toxic particles, the fan pushes the air back into the room.
Environmental engineers are also advancing electric vehicle (EV) technology to decrease transportation emissions. EVs produce zero tail-pipe pollution, which minimizes smog and atmospheric degradation. Other scientists are directly removing pollutants from local environments using carbon-capturing devices.
One system uses a large-scale battery to absorb air pollution and coat it with polyanthraquinone. The compound removes carbon dioxide, and a reverse reaction pushes the pollutant through a stream to a container. Energy professionals can place the technology by power plants to capture and store greenhouse gas emissions.
How Society Can Minimize Air Pollution
Consumers can also take the initiative and minimize indoor and outdoor pollution. They may directly reduce agricultural pollution by adopting a flexitarian diet. The diet is predominantly vegan, so individuals purchase less red meat.
Residents can additionally install smart appliances to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Autonomous thermostats connect to individuals’ heating and cooling systems and minimize their electricity demands. They rely on sensors and internet-derived information to maintain efficient indoor temperatures, which decreases energy emissions.
Individuals may also engage in alternate forms of transportation to reduce transportation pollution. Biking, walking, skating, and public transit have significantly lower carbon footprints than driving gas-powered vehicles. Residents may also take measures to protect themselves from the health effects of air pollution.
Protecting One’s Health From Poor Air Quality
In some regions, residents have little control over air pollution. There are small measures one may take to protect themselves from poor air quality. They can keep their windows closed and allow indoor ventilation systems to filter internal contaminants.
Additionally, individuals can wear N95 masks in high-pollution areas when traveling outdoors. Individuals may also change their air filters regularly to improve the efficiency of purification systems. Reaching out to local government officials about pollution challenges can additionally instill positive change in one’s community.
Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized, an online magazine discussing the latest technologies changing our world.