Air Pollution

Air Pollution, addition of harmful substances to the atmosphere resulting in damage to the environment, human health, and quality of life. One of many forms of pollution, air pollution occurs inside homes, schools, and offices; in cities; across continents; and even globally. Air pollution makes people sick—it causes breathing problems and promotes cancer—and it harms plants, animals, and the ecosystems in which they live. Some air pollutants return to Earth in the form of acid rain and snow, which corrode statues and buildings, damage crops and forests, and make lakes and streams unsuitable for fish and other plant and animal life.
Pollution is changing Earth’s atmosphere so that it lets in more harmful radiation from the Sun. At the same time, our polluted atmosphere is becoming a better insulator, preventing heat from escaping back into space and leading to a rise in global average temperatures. Scientists predict that the temperature increase, referred to as global warming, will affect world food supply, alter sea level, make weather more extreme, and increase the spread of tropical diseases.
a. Causes of Air Pollution
There are different factors that pollute air. Some of the main factors are given below:
· Pollutants like smoke, dusts and solid wastes pollute air. The polluted air contains sulpher dioxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. If these pollutants are mixed with air it gets polluted.
· The pollutants are smokes, dust and solid wastes that pollute air. Due to the heavy traffic in city area it is getting polluted.
b. Effects of Air Pollution
Polluted air affects living and non-living beings. Some of the main effects are given below:
· Polluted air contains sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide that affect physical and cultural aspects of the environment. It deteriorates temples made of metals, buildings and monuments.
· Different types of industries and factories like stone quarry, cement factory, marble factory emit smoke, dust and other harmful particles that pollute air. Some of the effects are lack of blood I body, damage of kidney and abortion.
· A thick layer of sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide is formed at the atmosphere due to air pollution. This layer does not protect sunlight to come to the earth but it stopped to refract light from the earth. It increases the temperature of the earth surface. The increment of the temperature of the earth is harmful to all living-beings.

c. Methods of Air Pollution Control
Some methods are given below:
· Old vehicles emit more smoke compare to new ones. It is necessary to inspect them from time to time. New ones should replace old vehicles.
· It is necessary to control dust and smoke that emitted from stone quarry, industries and brick factory.
· Tree plantation and increase of forest area help to control air pollution.
· Sources of alternative energy should be developed to replace wood fuel, cow dung and buffalo dung. Solar energy, electricity and biogas contribute in controlling air pollution.