A City Gasping: Pollution and the Price We Pay

In our previous blogs we have discussed what constitutes air pollution, its quantified statistics and the governmental regulations and measures to tackle the problem. However, no such effort can be successful unless we know the accurate methods to interpret these pollution statistics and pin point the precise reasons or things that cause such pollution. This blog thus attempts to uncover some of the components that together form a recipe for disaster related with the health and safety of people. Each comes with its set of causes, and each requires are attention and effort to prevent or minimize it. Air pollution is caused by solid and liquid particles called aerosols, suspended gases, and chemical reactions that make them worse pollutants than in their original form. Most air pollution comes from energy use and production. Certain gases in the atmosphere can also cause air pollution. In addition, EPA (United States Environmental Agency) has identified six pollutants as “criteria” air...

Air pollution and climate change are closely interlinked. The main sources of global warming—the extraction and burning of fossil fuels—are not only key drivers of climate change, but are also major sources of air pollutants. Many air pollutants that are harmful to human health and ecosystems also contribute to climate change by affecting the amount of incoming sunlight that is reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere. Climate change mitigation actions can help to reduce air pollution, and clean air measures can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, leading to reductions in global warming. Air pollutants include more than just greenhouse gases, principally carbon dioxide but also methane, nitrous oxide and others. These often interact with each other and are often referred to as climate forcers. Ozone in the atmosphere warms the climate, while different components of particulate matter can have either warming or cooling effects on the climate. Black carbon, a particulate pollutant ...