by Sara Sigsbee
Air pollution has the most significant impact on human health of all types of pollution. It includes greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane released into the atmosphere. Most people worldwide experience air pollution, but people who live in large cities like Los Angeles and those who live in less developed countries suffer the most drastic effects from pollution.
Short-term side effects of air pollution include respiratory ailments like bronchitis, dizziness, headaches, and irritation to parts of the body such as the eyes or the throat. The long-term effects of air pollution are much more severe and can even lead to death. It can cause cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases. Exposure to air pollution can cause irreparable damage to organs such as the brain, liver, kidneys. It can affect unborn babies, as air pollution has resulted in congenital disabilities. According to the WHO, 4.2 million people worldwide die due to outdoor air pollution, while 3.8 million people die from indoor air pollution worldwide (WHO 2019). Furthermore, 99 percent of people worldwide live in areas that the WHO deems to have above the recommended limit of pollutants in the air (WHO 2019).
The effects of air pollution disproportionately affect communities of color in America. This is due to the trend of large polluting factories and large roads being in lower-income areas where people of color tended to live historically. Studies have shown that individuals living in predominantly Black communities have a greater risk of mortality due to air pollution than individuals living in primarily white neighborhoods. Another contribution to the disparities in the effect of air pollution on race is the lack of access to safe jobs caused by discrimination. People of color have historically been discriminated against, resulting in a trend of people of color having jobs that put them at immediate risk of exposure to dangerous pollution.
The Clean Air Act is the main piece of legislation that sets the standards for air quality in the United States. There are regulatory bodies that help to ensure that companies adhere to the air quality standards. In order to improve air quality in the future, it is crucial to advocate for stricter regulations to prevent pollution from vehicles and factories. It is essential to vote for representatives who want to protect the people and the environment instead of protecting corporate interests to enact change. Furthermore, it is possible to urge representatives to prioritize the issue of air pollution.
Take Action:
Sign this petition to urge President Biden to improve air quality- https://www.lung.org/policy-advocacy/take-action/action-alerts/sota-petition
Review ways that you can reduce air pollution-
Works Cited
Disparities in the impact of Air Pollution. American Lung Association. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.lung.org/clean-air/outdoors/who-is-at-risk/disparities
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). EPA. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/air-quality-management-process/managing-air-quality-human-health-environmental-and-economic
June 22, 2021 J. M. J. T. (2021, September 21). Air pollution: Everything you need to know. NRDC. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/air-pollution-everything-you-need-know
National Geographic Society. (2012, October 9). Air Pollution. National Geographic Society. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Air Pollution. World Health Organization. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_2
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Health consequences of air pollution on populations. World Health Organization. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news/item/15-11-2019-what-are-health-consequences-of-air-pollution-on-populations
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