How to reduce air pollution. Global environmental problem leading to oxygen starvation of nature

The skies above cities are darkened by smog, and the air we breathe is becoming increasingly polluted with particulate matter and carbon dioxide every day. These negative factors have a detrimental effect on human health and the environment. So what can you do to reduce air pollution? You'll be surprised at how valuable your efforts will be because even your small contribution to protecting the environment can make a huge difference. This article will discuss what you can do to reduce pollution.

Steps

Change of transport

A question of driving culture. Of course, plants and factories are rightfully considered the main air polluters, but motorists also make a huge contribution to this process. The production of cars and fuel, the construction of roads and the processing of waste from fuel combustion also plays a role. Due to the fact that many cities are located in such a way that you cannot travel around them without a car, it is quite difficult to find any unambiguous solution to the problem. No matter where you live, you can take steps to reduce your dependence on your car.

• It may not be rational to completely give up traveling by car, but reducing the number of trips is quite possible. For example, instead of going to the grocery store every day, do it every week and a half, purchasing everything you need at one time.
• Sharing a car with neighbors is also a very reasonable way out of the situation.

1. Switch from personal transport to buses, subways or trains. If you live in Moscow, then, most likely, you are already accustomed to the fact that you can get to any part of the city by public transport. But the transport system is well developed not only in big cities. Study the routes of buses, trams and trolleybuses and start replacing car trips with bus trips at least once a week. Try to use public transport as often as possible, and only take a car when you cannot find an alternative way to get somewhere.

   • Getting to work or school by bus is very beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, you help reduce air pollution, secondly, you don’t have to pay for parking, and thirdly, you have free time to read, knit, do crosswords or look at fellow travelers. In addition, traveling by public transport is safer than driving your own car, and your nerve cells remain intact, since you do not have to sit in traffic jams during rush hour.

2. Try walking or cycling. An even more useful alternative to public transport is using your own energy to get around. You can absolutely easily walk to places that are five minutes away by car, and if you have the time and desire, you can walk longer distances. If your city has well-equipped bike paths, start riding on them. If the area where you live has a lot of traffic and congestion, the best way to get somewhere is to get on a bike and start pedaling.

3. If you do prefer to drive a car, keep it in good condition. Get your car inspected regularly, have it repaired if necessary, and make sure your car passes the smog test with flying colors. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your car pollutes as little as possible:

   • Use energy-saving engine oil.
   • Fill your gas tank early in the morning or late at night when it is cool outside. This way you will prevent fuel evaporation during hot periods.
   • Try not to spill fuel when filling the tank.
   • Instead of standing in front of fast food restaurants that have a service system that allows you to buy food without leaving your car, park your car and go inside.
   • Inflate your car's tires to ensure they have the correct level of pressure inside. This will improve the vehicle's performance and reduce fuel consumption.

   Change your consumption habits

   1. Become a manufacturer. Using raw materials to create as many things as possible instead of buying them from the store is a great way to reduce air pollution. Because mass production, packaging and delivery of goods to consumers is the main cause of industrial air pollution. Look around and determine for yourself what things you could do with your own hands. Here are some suitable ideas:

      • Of course you can cook the food. If you buy pre-packaged meals, start preparing your meals from scratch. Removing processed foods from your diet and replacing them with food made from fresh vegetables, meat and fruits will not only reduce air pollution, but will also have a positive effect on your health. For example, if you like to eat spaghetti, make a sauce with fresh tomatoes and garlic instead of buying ketchup. You can also make homemade pasta, it's delicious!
      • Did you know you can make your own cleaning products? Instead of buying dishwashing liquid, laundry detergents, and bathroom and toilet cleaners, make your own with non-toxic ingredients. Store the created products in glass jars.
      • The same goes for homemade shampoos, soaps, toothpaste, lip balm and deodorants.
      • Sewing clothes by hand can be a bit of a hassle, but if you're interested in trying it out, start with something simple like t-shirts and pants.
      • If you want to become a full-fledged producer, not just a consumer, discover the art of homesteading - and soon you'll be growing your own tomatoes and garlic for your pasta sauce.

   2. Shop local. If you need to buy something that you can't make yourself, try to buy products made in your region. It's best to shop at small, locally owned stores rather than at large supermarket chains, which source products from all over the world and contribute to air pollution. Here are some recommendations on where to shop:

      • Shop at small farmer-owned stores. This way you can be sure that you are buying locally grown products.
      • Check the tags on your clothes. Try to buy items made in your area. It can be a bit costly, but consider purchasing handmade items from someone in your neighborhood. If this is not acceptable, second-hand items can be a good alternative.
      • Don't buy things online. Of course, purchasing books or clothing through online stores is very convenient for consumers, but it is worth considering how many boats, planes and trucks it takes to deliver the goods to your home. Therefore, you should make such purchases only if absolutely necessary.

   3. Buy products without packaging. The plastic, foil and cardboard used to create packaging are produced using technologies that negatively impact air quality. No matter what exactly you buy, try to choose a product with a minimum of packaging. For example, instead of buying a box of kozinaki bars, try making them at home or buying them at a bakery that sells them unpacked in foil. If this is unacceptable to you, choose products in packaging that can be recycled.

      • Instead of plastic or cardboard bags, take with you a fabric bag like a string bag.
      • Buy foods in bulk instead of packaged ones.
      • Buy fresh food instead of canned and frozen goods.
      • Buy large reusable containers instead of lots of small ones.

   4. Reuse, recycle and compress waste. Proper management of household waste is another way to reduce air pollution. Reusing, recycling and compressing waste can reduce the amount of waste. The less waste that ends up in landfill, the better, as it is another big source of air pollution.

      • Buy products in glass containers that can be used over and over again. Plastic utensils, bottles and containers can also be reused several times to store food, but not for too long because chemicals can leach into the food over time.
      • Recycle plastic, paper, aluminum and other waste according to your local regulations.
      • Create a compost bin in your yard into which you can dump your organic waste. In a few months you will have excellent fertilizers for your garden.

   5. Use safe paints and cleaning products if necessary. They produce less harmful fumes and have a positive effect on the health of your lungs.

      • Follow manufacturers' recommendations regarding the use and storage of cleaning products, paints and other chemicals. Follow instructions to prevent toxic chemicals from evaporating.

   Save your energy

   1. Do not turn on lights and household appliances unless necessary. You've probably heard it a million times: when leaving a room, turn off the lights, and don't leave the TV on all day! These simple steps are very important in reducing air pollution since electricity is generated in thermal power plants using coal or natural gas. Here's how you can reduce energy consumption in your home:

      • Take advantage of natural light. Organize your work or study space near a window so that you have light all day and do not need to turn on additional lighting.
      • Turn on lights in one room in the evenings instead of lighting up the entire house. Let the family gather there to read, do homework, or watch a movie before bed.
      • Turn off electrical appliances when you are not using them. This applies to both large equipment and small appliances: televisions, computers, toasters, and so on. Even a phone left on charge all day can consume excess energy.
      • Replace outdated large units with modern energy-saving equipment.
      • Buy electricity from non-polluting sources.

   2. Change your attitude towards air conditioning and heaters. Let your body get used to the changing seasons instead of using a heater or air conditioner to maintain the same indoor temperature year-round. Warming up or cooling down a room uses a lot of energy, so break out mittens and sweaters to adapt to changing weather rather than relying on technology.

      • When you're at work or on vacation, turn off your heating or cooling appliances so they don't waste energy throughout the day.

   3. 1. Learn more about air pollution. Each region has its own problems with air pollution. There may be a factory in your city that is emitting toxic substances into the atmosphere, or the problem may be a huge garbage dump with toxic fumes. To understand what steps you can take to reduce pollution, do some research to identify the biggest sources of pollution in your area.

         • Look up information on the Internet, read newspapers and ask your friends. If you're in school, your teachers can tell you where to look for information you're interested in.
         • Start talking about the problem of air pollution with people around you, instead of keeping silent about it. Discussing a problem can lead to unexpected ways to solve it that you would never have thought of on your own.
      • Ozone is one of the main components of smog. Ground-level ozone is formed when two types of pollutants react chemically when exposed to direct sunlight. These pollutants are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides. They are produced and released into the air:
        • Vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, airplanes and locomotives
        • Construction equipment
        • Gardening tools
        • Large industrial enterprises
        • Small industrial enterprises such as gas stations and printing plants
        • Consumer products, including some paints and cleaning products

It has been going on for more than a millennium, but never before has it been as intense as in the last tens of years. The only influence that man ever had on the atmosphere was to cause air pollution, is the use of fire. Because of this, the walls of the home suffered and it became difficult to breathe in the room, but the warmth that the flame gave people was much more important. Even when ancient people concentrated in large enough groups, this did not pose a threat to the atmosphere. This was the case until the nineteenth century. And in the last hundred years, technological processes that once could not even be imagined have become widespread. And what about the uncontrolled growth of millionaire cities, which is no longer possible to stop. Ambient air pollution- this is, of course, the result of human activity.

There are three categories of sources of air pollution: industrial, domestic, and transport. In different parts of the world, the proportion of each species varies greatly. In general, industry causes the greatest harm.

Thermal power plants, along with smoke, emit carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, enterprises processing ferrous and especially non-ferrous metals emit chlorine, ammonia, fluorine, hydrogen sulfide, phosphorus, and mercury particles. Cement and chemical factories are also sources of pollution. Harmful gases resulting from the combustion of various fuels for the needs of industry, home heating, transport, and waste processing are also causes of air pollution.

Pollution itself can be primary or secondary. The former immediately enter the atmosphere, while the latter are formed as a result of the transformation and breakdown of primary pollutants. For example, it turns into sulfuric anhydride, which interacts with water vapor and forms drops. If sulfuric anhydride enters into a chemical reaction with ammonia, it is released in the form of crystals.

The danger to the atmosphere is represented by pyrogenic sources that cause air pollution- enterprises of the chemical and metallurgical industries, thermal power plants, boiler plants. As a result of their activities, the following stand out:

Carbon monoxide. It is formed when its compounds do not burn completely. It goes into the air after the combustion of solid waste, with exhaust and emissions from enterprises. Carbon monoxide actively reacts with many elements of the atmosphere and gradually contributes to an increase in temperature throughout the planet.

Sulfur dioxide. This substance is the result of burning fuel, which contains sulfur, as well as its processing in the form of ore.

Sulfuric anhydride is the result of the oxidation of the above substance. It is absorbed into the soil with rainwater, acidifying it.

Air pollution Causes cosmic dust, which is released after the combustion of meteorites passing through the atmosphere. Every year, a huge amount of “garbage” from space settles on earth - up to five million tons. Dust from the Earth is part of the atmosphere; its main sources are steppes and deserts, volcanoes, products of decay and decomposition of plants and animals.

The air above the surface of the oceans contains small particles of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium salts, which appear after the water splashes dry.

It should be noted that natural air pollution does not threaten negative consequences for any biocenosis and living organisms, however, a short-term negative impact cannot be excluded.

Dust in the atmosphere provokes rapid accumulation of condensation and, as a result, precipitation forms faster. It also significantly reduces the penetration of solar radiation, protecting living organisms.

For me, as a resident of an industrial region, this is obvious - smoking chimneys are visible from my window. In addition, you constantly have to wipe the window sills, on which a layer of black dust forms every day... In general, the picture is completely unpleasant, but where to go?

Why is the air polluted?

We can say that humanity, since the conquest of fire, has already begun to pollute the air. But millennia of using fire had virtually no effect on the state of the atmosphere. Of course, smoke made breathing difficult, and soot covered the walls of homes, but people then lived in small groups over large areas. This was the state of affairs until the beginning of the 19th century, until the moment when industry began to actively develop. At that time, few people imagined what complex industrial processes would “gift” to humanity. Among pollutants, it is customary to distinguish between primary ones - the result of emissions and secondary ones, which are formed in the atmosphere as a result of the transformation of primary ones.

Major air pollutants

Science identifies several main sources. So:

• transport;
• industry;
• boiler rooms

Moreover, each of the sources can either predominate or be completely absent depending on the area, but there is no doubt that industry is the main source. Non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises alone “endow” the atmosphere with a mass of harmful substances. In addition, a number of aerosol substances - suspended particles in the air - enter the atmosphere. These substances pose the greatest danger to humans. Such emissions appear to be ordinary fog or a light haze, but are formed as a result of the interaction of liquid or solid particles with water or with each other. A constant source of this type of pollution are artificial embankments of industrial waste - dumps.

Smog - aerosol particles containing gases - is often observed in large cities. As a rule, it contains: nitrogen oxide, ozone and sulfur oxides. This phenomenon is usually observed in the summer, when the weather is calm and the sun is shining brightly. Its radiation triggers a series of chemical processes that result in the formation of harmful substances.

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If we consider environmental problems, one of the most pressing is air pollution. Environmentalists are sounding the alarm and calling on humanity to reconsider its attitude to life and consumption of natural resources, because only protection from air pollution will improve the situation and prevent serious consequences. Find out how to solve such a pressing issue, influence the environmental situation and preserve the atmosphere.

Natural sources of clogging

What is air pollution? This concept includes the introduction and entry into the atmosphere and all its layers of uncharacteristic elements of a physical, biological or chemical nature, as well as changes in their concentrations.

What pollutes our air? Air pollution is caused by many reasons, and all sources can be divided into natural or natural, as well as artificial, that is, anthropogenic.

It’s worth starting with the first group, which includes pollutants generated by nature itself:

1. The first source is volcanoes. When they erupt, they emit huge quantities of tiny particles of various rocks, ash, poisonous gases, sulfur oxides and other equally harmful substances. And although eruptions occur quite rarely, according to statistics, as a result of volcanic activity, the level of air pollution increases significantly, because up to 40 million tons of hazardous compounds are released into the atmosphere every year.
2. If we consider natural causes of air pollution, then it is worth noting such as peat or forest fires. Most often, fires occur due to unintentional arson by a person who is negligent about the rules of safety and behavior in the forest. Even a small spark from a fire that is not completely extinguished can cause the fire to spread. Less often, fires are caused by very high solar activity, which is why the peak of danger occurs in the hot summer.
3. Considering the main types of natural pollutants, one cannot fail to mention dust storms, which arise due to strong gusts of wind and mixing of air currents. During a hurricane or other natural event, tons of dust rises, causing air pollution.

Artificial sources

Air pollution in Russia and other developed countries is often caused by the influence of anthropogenic factors caused by the activities carried out by people.

Let us list the main artificial sources causing air pollution:

• Rapid development of industry. It’s worth starting with chemical air pollution caused by the activities of chemical plants. Toxic substances released into the air poison it. Metallurgical plants also cause atmospheric air pollution with harmful substances: metal processing is a complex process that involves huge emissions as a result of heating and combustion. In addition, small solid particles formed during the manufacture of building or finishing materials also pollute the air.
• The problem of air pollution from motor vehicles is especially pressing. Although other types also provoke, it is machines that have the most significant negative impact on it, since there are many more of them than any other Vehicle. The exhaust emitted by motor vehicles and generated during engine operation contains a lot of substances, including hazardous ones. It's sad that emissions are increasing every year. An increasing number of people are acquiring an “iron horse”, which, of course, has a detrimental effect on the environment.
• Operation of thermal and nuclear power plants, boiler plants. The life of humanity at this stage is impossible without the use of such installations. They supply us with vital resources: heat, electricity, hot water. But when any type of fuel is burned, the atmosphere changes.
• Household waste. Every year the purchasing power of people increases, and as a result, the volumes of waste generated also increase. Their disposal is not given due attention, but some types of waste are extremely dangerous, have a long decomposition period and emit fumes that have an extremely adverse effect on the atmosphere. Every person pollutes the air every day, but waste from industrial enterprises, which is taken to landfills and is not disposed of in any way, is much more dangerous.

What substances most often pollute the air?

There are an incredibly large number of air pollutants, and environmentalists are constantly discovering new ones, which is associated with the rapid pace of industrial development and the introduction of new production and processing technologies. But the most common compounds found in the atmosphere are:

• Carbon monoxide, also called carbon monoxide. It is colorless and odorless and is formed during incomplete combustion of fuel at low volumes of oxygen and low temperatures. This compound is dangerous and causes death due to lack of oxygen.
• Carbon dioxide is found in the atmosphere and has a slightly sour odor.
• Sulfur dioxide is released during the combustion of some sulfur-containing fuels. This compound provokes acid rain and depresses human breathing.
• Nitrogen dioxides and oxides characterize air pollution from industrial enterprises, since they are most often formed during their activities, especially during the production of certain fertilizers, dyes and acids. These substances can also be released as a result of fuel combustion or during operation of the machine, especially when it is malfunctioning.
• Hydrocarbons are one of the most common substances and can be contained in solvents, detergents, and petroleum products.
• Lead is also harmful and is used to make batteries, cartridges and ammunition.
• Ozone is extremely toxic and is formed during photochemical processes or during the operation of transport and factories.

Now you know which substances pollute the air most often. But this is only a small part of them; the atmosphere contains a lot of different compounds, and some of them are even unknown to scientists.

Sad consequences

The scale of the impact of air pollution on human health and the entire ecosystem as a whole is simply enormous, and many people underestimate it. Let's start with the environment.

1. Firstly, due to polluted air, a greenhouse effect has developed, which gradually but globally changes the climate, leads to warming and provokes natural disasters. It can be said that it leads to irreversible consequences in the state of the environment.
2. Secondly, acid rain is becoming more and more frequent, which has a negative impact on all life on Earth. Through their fault, entire populations of fish die, unable to live in such an acidic environment. A negative impact is observed when examining historical monuments and architectural monuments.
3. Thirdly, fauna and flora suffer, since dangerous fumes are inhaled by animals, they also enter plants and gradually destroy them.

A polluted atmosphere has an extremely negative impact on human health. The emissions enter the lungs and cause disruptions in the respiratory system and severe allergic reactions. Together with the blood, dangerous compounds are carried throughout the body and greatly wear it out. And some elements can provoke mutation and degeneration of cells.

How to solve the problem and save the environment

The problem of air pollution is very relevant, especially considering that the environment has deteriorated greatly over the past few decades. And it needs to be solved comprehensively and in several ways.

Let's consider several effective measures to prevent air pollution:

1. To combat air pollution, it is mandatory to install treatment and filtering facilities and systems at individual enterprises. And at particularly large industrial plants it is necessary to begin introducing stationary monitoring posts for monitoring air pollution.
2. To avoid air pollution from cars, you should switch to alternative and less harmful energy sources, such as solar panels or electricity.
3. Replacing combustible fuels with more accessible and less dangerous ones, such as water, wind, sunlight and others that do not require combustion, will help protect atmospheric air from pollution.
4. The protection of atmospheric air from pollution must be supported at the state level, and there are already laws aimed at protecting it. But it is also necessary to act and exercise control in individual constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
5. One of the effective ways that air protection from pollution should include is to establish a system for disposing of all waste or recycling it.
6. To solve the problem of air pollution, plants should be used. Widespread landscaping will improve the atmosphere and increase the amount of oxygen in it.

How to protect atmospheric air from pollution? If all of humanity fights it, then there is a chance of improving the environment. Knowing the essence of the problem of air pollution, its relevance and the main solutions, we need to jointly and comprehensively combat pollution.

It is known that a person can live without food for more than one month, without water - only a few days, but without air - only a couple of minutes. Our body needs it! Therefore, the question of how to protect air from pollution should occupy a high priority among the problems of scientists, politicians, statesmen and officials of all countries. To avoid killing ourselves, humanity must take urgent measures to prevent this pollution. Citizens of any country are also obliged to take care of the cleanliness of the environment. It just seems that practically nothing depends on us. There is hope that through joint efforts we can all protect the air from pollution, animals from extinction, and forests from deforestation.

Earth's atmosphere

Earth is the only planet known to modern science on which life exists, which was made possible thanks to the atmosphere. It ensures our existence. The atmosphere is, first of all, air, which must be suitable for breathing by people and animals, and not contain harmful impurities and substances. How to protect air from pollution? This is a very important issue that will have to be resolved in the near future.

Human activity

In recent centuries, we have often behaved extremely unreasonably. Mineral resources are wasted in vain. Forests are being cut down. The rivers are drying up. As a result, the natural balance is disrupted and the planet gradually becomes uninhabitable. The same thing happens with air. It is constantly polluted by all sorts of things entering the atmosphere. Chemical compounds contained in aerosols and antifreezes are destroying the Earth, threatening global warming and related disasters. How to protect air from pollution so that life on the planet continues?

The main reasons for the current problem

• Gaseous waste from factories and factories, released into the atmosphere in countless quantities. Previously, this happened completely uncontrollably. And on the basis of waste from enterprises that polluted the environment, it was possible to organize entire plants for their processing (as they do now, for example, in Japan).
• Cars. Burnt gasoline and diesel fuel form which escape into the atmosphere, seriously polluting it. And if you take into account that in some countries there are two or three cars for every average family, you can imagine the global nature of the problem under consideration.
• Combustion of coal and oil in thermal power plants. Electricity, of course, is extremely necessary for human life, but extracting it in this way is real barbarity. When burning fuel, a lot of harmful emissions are generated, which heavily pollute the air. All impurities rise into the air with smoke, concentrate in clouds, and spill onto the soil in the form. Trees, which are intended to purify oxygen, suffer greatly from this.

How to protect air from pollution?

Measures to prevent the current catastrophic situation have long been developed by scientists. All that remains is to follow the prescribed rules. Humanity has already received serious warnings from nature itself. Especially in recent years, the world around us is literally shouting to people that the consumer attitude towards the planet must be changed, otherwise - the death of all living things. What do we have to do? How to protect the air from pollution (pictures of our amazing nature are presented below)?

According to environmental experts, such measures will contribute to a significant improvement in the current situation.

The materials presented in the article can be used in a lesson on the topic “How to protect air from pollution” (grade 3).