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How can Air Pollution be prevented? |
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Calculate Your Effect on the Environment |
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Face The Facts |
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People blame everything from nuclear power plants to (everyone else�s) cars for air pollution. While doing this they disregard their own contribution to the escalating problem. In the United Sates every person is responsible for approximately 6.6 tons (about 15,000 pounds carbon equivalent) of the greenhouse gases emitted per year. Burning fossil fuel to generate electricity and to fuel our cars contributes 82% of the harmful emissions. Methane emitted by waste in our landfills, the raising of livestock, natural gas pipelines, coal and industrial chemicals and other sources accounts for the remaining 18%. However, by making environmentally conscious decisions in just a few aspects of our lives we can help reduce the carbon emissions by a notable amount. If we make good decisions about how much electricity we use in our homes, the waste we produce and the transportation we choose we can effect the emissions per person by up to 32% (~4800 pounds of carbon equivalent). |
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Good Habits For a Green Earth |
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1. Use compact florescent lights with energy-efficiency lighting and other energy-efficient appliances.
2. Turn off appliances and lights when you are not in the room.
3. Use the microwave to cook small meals because it uses less power than the oven.
4. Plants help keep the air clean so, plant deciduous trees in locations around your home to provide shade in the summer, but to allow light in the winter.
5. Recycle paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard and aluminum cans. This conserves energy and reduces production emissions.
6. When possible, reuse materials like paper bags and boxes.
7. Properly dispose of household paints, solvents and pesticides. Store these materials in airtight containers.
8. Paint with a brush, not a sprayer.
9. Keep woodstoves and fireplaces well maintained.
10. Purchase "Green Power" for you home's electricity. Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.
11. Repair leaky air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
12. If you can, cut back on air conditioning and heating use.
13. Turn thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer.
14. Insulate your home, water heater and pipes.
15. Have air conditioning systems checked in the spring and heating systems checked in the fall.
16. Follow professional advice on how to check filters monthly. |
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A World Wide Problem |
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Air Pollution is a hazardous problem faced all over the world. In Hong Kong, China the air pollution is so bad that its inhabitants are seen wearing gas masks for protection. Entire US cities are covered in smog so thick that it is sometimes hard to see just feet in front of you. Environmental organizations are working hard to fight this problem-the Sierra Club and Greenpeace are just a few examples. Greenpeace�s campaign Clean Energy Now has made a huge impact in the movement to decrease the number of dirty power plants in operation. The Sierra Club encourages people to �Tell President Bush its Time to get Serious about Global Warming.� |
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