Air pollution is caused when soluble gases or insoluble pollutants get mixed in the atmospheric air. Such polluted air is harmful to human health. I have given below three essays of varying lengths on Air Pollution for my readers.
Sample Essays on Air Pollution for Students
Essay on Facts and Causes of Air Pollution – 1
Introduction
When naturally occurring air is mixed with pollutants, the phenomenon is called air pollution. Industrialization, construction, and deforestation are the main causes of air pollution today.
Important Facts about Air Pollution
Below given are some of the important facts on air pollution –
- Polluted air reduces the life span considerably, depending on the intensity and type of pollution.
- Eye irritation, difficulty breathing, short breath are some of the signs of air pollution.
- Air pollution is more harmful to humans than land and water pollution.
- Air pollution causes more deaths than road accidents every year.
- If you wait for long hours in traffic, you become more susceptible to a heart attack caused due to air pollution.
- Children are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution as their lung size is significantly small.
Major Causes of Air Pollution
Some of the major causes of air pollution are listed below –
- Industries emitting harmful gases as byproducts.
- Burning of fossil fuels like petrol, diesel, coal, etc.
- Agricultural and farm activities producing methane gas.
- Volcano eruption releasing pollutant gases and particles into the atmosphere.
- Metal, lead, and plastic industries.
- Deforestation aids in the increasing level of air pollution.
- Smog due to transportation and construction activities.
- Use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the agriculture industry.
Conclusion
Air pollution must be tackled at war footing if we ever want to give clean and safe air to our future generations. It is the duty of the whole humankind to make the air free from pollutants.
Essay on Air Pollution: Causes and Prevention – 2
Introduction
Air pollution happens when pollutants of various kinds are released into the atmospheric air. Such pollutants may be produced by various sources; however, they all have a degrading effect on human health and the environment.
Industries Causing Air Pollution
Almost all kinds of industries cause air pollution up to a certain level. Small manufacturing units cause less air pollution while big petrochemicals and plastic manufacturing industries cause large scale air pollution.
During the production process all kinds of gaseous mixtures, smoke, water vapor, dust, etc. are produced, which is then inadvertently released into the atmosphere through large chimneys.
There is no proper treatment method for the byproducts and they are freely released into the atmosphere. Most of the gases are soluble and get mixed with air, thereby rendering it harmful to breathe.
Another industry causing air pollution is the transportation industry. Billions of motor vehicles of all shapes and sizes hit the road every day. These vehicles run on fossil fuels (petrol, diesel, etc) and produce harmful gases as combustion process. Every day millions of tons of these gases are produced and released into the atmosphere. It is the main cause of degrading air quality in and around urban settlements.
How to Prevent Air Pollution
Steps to be taken to prevent air pollution are listed below-
1) Use of Nonconventional Energy Sources
It is the right time that we switch to alternative sources of energy and gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels at all levels. Solar energy, windmills are some of the futuristic energy options and have absolutely nil polluting factors. Electric vehicles and vehicles fueled by other green energy sources must be given preference over combustion vehicles.
2) Regular Monitoring of Factories
There is a need to strictly monitor the amount of pollutants a factory releases into the atmosphere and take the necessary steps to prevent it. Filtration of exhaust gases before they are released into the atmosphere will counter the pollution up to some level. Also spraying water will take care of larger impurities by dissolving them and settling on the ground.
3) Tree Plantation
Trees act as natural air filters. It is seen that the air quality index is better at places with green patches than at places without trees. Planting tree and forests help a lot in containing air pollution levels and make the air clean and fresh.
Conclusion
The world is suffering due to the air pollution that human activities cause. We are harming our own life and future by polluting the air. It is the right time to take action and make the air clean and fresh.
Essay on Air Pollution: Causes and Effects – 3
Introduction
Air pollution occurs when pollutants from various sources enter the air. These pollutants include gases, smoke, or minute particles that float in the air. Air pollution is an important environmental issue that concerns the quality of the air we breathe and also compromises our health.
Air Pollution Causes
There are several causes of air pollution and most of them are human-induced. However, there are also some natural causes; though, their effect is not very prominent. Below listed are some of the significant causes of air pollution.
1) Fossil Fuel Burning
Fossil fuels are the fuels produced by fossilized remains of plants and animals. They have high carbon content. Some common examples of fossil fuels are petrol, diesel, and coal. When fossil fuel is burned, harmful gases are produced as byproducts. For instance, the transportation industry which is the largest consumer of fossil fuels is also the greatest polluter of air. Every day, all kinds of vehicles running on petrol and diesel, release millions of tons of harmful gases like Nitrogen Oxide, sulfur dioxide, etc.
2) Industrial Exhaust
There are several manufacturing industries spread around the globe. The manufacturing process produces harmful exhaust gases that are considered harmful to the health and environment. These gases are emitted into the atmosphere, often without treatment. Industries like chemical industries, fertilizer production, fossil fuel production, plastic manufacturing, are some of the worst contributors to air pollution.
3) Mining Activities
Wherever mining activities are carried out, dust is a common occurrence. Often the place remains dusty throughout and the air is unhealthy to breathe. The pollution is due to minutely small particles produced due to mining activity. These particles are often small enough to float in the air for hours.
4) Volcanoes
Volcanoes are the natural causes of air pollution. When a volcano erupts it throws tons of molten lava and gases high up into the atmosphere. Often they are mixed with small mineral particles that float in the air for days. However, volcanoes around the world contribute only minimally to the air pollution.
Air Pollution Effects
1) Respiratory Illness
Air pollution is one of the main causes of respiratory ailments not only in humans but also in animals. The lung is the most affected vital organ and medical conditions like asthma and breathlessness become too common. Children are the most affected as they are highly susceptible to the pollutants in the air.
2) Global Warming
Global warming or warming of the planet is another severe consequence of air pollution. Gases like Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc. form a layer above the atmosphere, causing a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. They prevent the sun’s reflected heat from escaping back into the atmosphere, thereby increasing the average surface temperature of the earth.
3) Wildlife Depletion
Not only humans but also the wildlife is affected by air pollution. As air pollution is harmful to human health, in the same way it is harmful to the health of other living species also. Animals too suffer from respiratory illnesses arising due to air pollution.
4) Acid Rain
When fossil fuels are burned they release harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. When such gases are present in high concentrations, they make rainwater acidic, consequently resulting in acid rain. Acid rain is particularly damaging to plants and monuments.
5) Ozone Layer Depletion
The ozone layer plays a significant role in preventing UV (Ultra Violet) rays from the sun to reach the earth’s surface. Many pollutant gases produced as the result of fossil fuel burning, damage the ozone layer, thereby increasing the risk of Ultra Violet radiations.
Conclusion
Air pollution is a very important issue that not only concerns the health of humans but that of the whole planet as well. We must take all the necessary measures to reduce air pollution at all levels.