Cause-and-Effects of Air Pollution and Ways to Reduce

In this era of globalization, environmental pollution is one of the problems that often occur
in the world, especially air pollution. Air pollution is one of the most dangerous forms of pollution
and has a substantial negative impact on the global community. Air pollution refers to the
contamination of air due to the presence of pollutants, organic molecules, or other harmful
materials in Earth’s atmosphere. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air
pollution is responsible for nearly seven million deaths around the globe each year. Nine out of
ten human beings currently breathe air that exceeds WHO’s guideline limits for pollutants, with
those living in low-and middle-income countries suffering the most. It is known that many
reasons cause air pollution and this greatly impacts our lives today. Therefore, causes, effects,
and ways to reduce air pollution should be analyzed immediately to live in a peaceful and clean
environment.

Nowadays, vehicles are a daily necessity and the use and production of motor vehicles
are increasing every year on roads and highways. Smoke from motor vehicles primarily causes
air pollution because motor vehicles emit carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides from the
exhaust as byproducts of combustion. These two gases are potent greenhouse gases that
affect the quality of air. Besides that, the industrial exhaust is another significant source of air
pollution. Gases like carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbons are released from industrial
activities along with other chemicals into the air directly through chimneys. These gases are
spread into the air and get mixed with it, thereby degrading the quality of air. Moreover, open
burning is also one of the causes of air pollution. Open burning often occurs in the area of
landfills, waste disposal, industrial solid waste, construction sites, plantation waste, and garden
waste. Irresponsible communities do open burning to dispose of the waste without thinking
about the consequences. Open burning releases harmful gases into the air and pollutes the air.
Volcanic eruptions also cause air pollution because they emit thick and abundant smoke.
Malaysia is a lucky country because it does not have many mountains but it is different from
neighboring countries and other countries that have volcanoes. For example, the eruption of
mount Tambora in April 1815 was the most powerful volcanic eruption of the 19th century.
Briefly, we must be alert to these causes which affect the quality of air and give a negative
impact on the environment.

Subsequently, there are several effects caused by air pollution. Potent greenhouse gases
from motor vehicles, factories, and open burning activity increase the earth’s temperature
gradually and cause global warming. With the increase in temperatures worldwide, an increase
in sea levels, and melting of ice from cold areas and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat
have already beckoned imminent disaster if actions for protection and regulation aren’t
undertaken soon. Next, the risk of acid rain also is increasing because of pollutants in the air.
Acid rain is formed as a result of the combination of rainwater with air pollutants like carbon
monoxide and nitrogen oxides. It falls on the ground and affects plants, animals as well as
humans, and our environment. Acid rain also affects historic landmarks such as the Taj Mahal
and many buildings. Additionally, acid rain also degrades the soil quality, decreases farm
output, and damages forests. Over time it will cause problems of lack of food supply.
Meanwhile, haze is also one of the effects of air pollution. For instance, Malaysia, Brunei,
Kemboja, Indonesia, Filipina, Singapura, Thailand, and Vietnam experienced the worst haze
phenomenon in 2015 resulting from fires caused by firms and farmers using slash-and-
burn practices as an inexpensive means to clear their land of unwanted vegetation.
Furthermore, ozone is present in the Earth’s atmosphere and is responsible for shielding
humans from injurious ultraviolet (UV) rays. Air pollution causes a diminution of the ozone layer
and the ozone layer becomes thinner. Apart from this, air pollution increases the possibility of
many types of health diseases in humans such as pneumonia, asthma, eye irritation, skin
disease, and breathing trouble. Kids in areas open to air contaminants are said to suffer
frequently from pneumonia and asthma.

Therefore, we need to take some appropriate action to reduce air pollution because
prevention is better than cure. Taking public transportation or carpooling instead of driving a car,
or riding a bike is one of the effective ways to reduce air pollution. When people start
carpooling, fewer cars are on the road every day, which means fewer carbons are being
released into the air. A reduced amount of carbon emissions will help reduce air pollution as
well. An alternative way to reduce air pollution is to start using e-vehicles such as Hybrid Electric
Vehicles (HEV), Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). When we
use e-vehicles, fuel consumption also will be reduced and it will help to reduce air pollution. This
is because fossil fuels such as petroleum, when burned, release massive quantities of polluting
gases into the environment. Next, the government has to enforce the law to reduce air pollution.
For example, the government should make sure industrial areas are set up away from
residential areas. Apart from that, the government also should encourage factories to use long
chimneys with filters and electrostatic precipitators. Moreover, we should avoid open burning
and the use of firecrackers because these human activities release harmful gases into the
environment and pollute the air. Last but not least, we should plant more trees to reduce air
pollution. Trees absorb greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen
(O2) into the air. Thus, we can breathe fresh and clean air.

In conclusion, continuous air pollution is capable of destroying the environment and it can
cause major disasters. The global community needs to pay serious attention to air pollution.
Taking care of the environment is our responsibility. So, we should act now to end air pollution
and thus make the world a happier and healthier place. Remember actions speak louder than
words. Appreciate the environment that provides resources for us, we should not destroy it. Our
future generation should have to be able to live in a clean and peaceful world.

(1030 words)