Pollution
Since the Industrial Revolution, and especially since the proliferation of automobiles worldwide, air pollution has been a serious problem. Any industrial activity that involves the use of energy can cause pollution. This is because creating energy requires the consumption, or burning, of one source to create the desired product such as heat, light, or motion. The use of synthetic chemicals in modern industry has led to the emission of potentially deadly chemical compounds into the environment. Many of these compounds enter the surface air, and people may be exposed to them at their workplace or in their homes. Other chemicals enter the earth's atmosphere, where it lingers in the form of smog. Some chemical compounds enter different layers of the earth's atmosphere like the ozone layer.
Air pollution tends to be concentrated in large cities with dense populations for several reasons. For...
Coupled with the increased presence of industrial developments, urban regions, particularly those with extensive suburban sprawl, can be polluted. Emissions from factories, cars, and other infrastructures contain pollutants. Many of the pollutants are toxic, and can be deadly when inhaled on a regular basis.
Most people who live in big cities are exposed to environmental toxins at rates that could be dangerous. Moreover, cities are filled with other anthropogenic sources of pollution ranging from the pollutants in building materials to smoke from cigarettes. Gases and molds can be toxic. Some cities may have some natural air pollutants, such as those that are emitted from volcanoes. While air pollutants may exist in rural areas too, due to the presence of natural sources like volcanoes or human sources like factories, the greatest concentration of air pollutants remains reliably in cities. The largest cities in the world also tend to be the most polluted, and most dangerous in terms of measurable air quality.
Some of the effects of inhaling pollutants regularly are mild, and could include headaches or nausea. However, long-term exposure to air pollutants may be deadly. Some people are more susceptible than others for getting a disease related to exposure to air pollution ("Air Pollution," n.d.). Therefore, living in a big city might not be healthy for some people. Children may especially be at
risk for developing problems related to air pollution. Getting a regular check-up at the doctor might help prevent…
