Air Pollution and Climate Change

Question 1

Air pollution

Answer 1

Gases and particulate matter added to the atmosphere that affect climate or humans or other organisms

Question 2

Natural sources of air pollution

Answer 2

• volcanoes
• wildfires
• dust storms

Question 3

Anthropogenic sources of air pollution

Answer 3

• Point sources: a single location emitting a large amount of air pollution, such as a coal fired power plant
• Nonpoint sources: many small locations each emitting a little air pollution, such as millions of cars

Question 4

Criteria pollutants

Answer 4

• Pollutants considered especially great threats to human health, regulated by the Clean Air Act
• CO, SO2, NO2, trophospheric ozone, lead, particulate matter
• Can lead to respiratory issues

Question 5

What piece of legislation enables the EPA to set safety standards for criteria pollutants?

Answer 5

The Clean Air Act

Question 6

What region of the USA has the most different criteria pollutants at levels exceeding EPA safety standards? What factors influence air quality in that region?

Answer 6

• Southern California

- High populations, many cars

Question 7

How/why have emissions of criteria pollutants changed since 1970?

Answer 7

• Total emissions have decreased by 60% despite increased population, energy use, and miles traveled
• Federal policies:
• Phasing out leaded gas
• Cleaner burning engines
• Technology (ex. scrubbers) remove airborne pollutants before emission from smokestacks
• permit trading programs

Question 8

Smog

Answer 8

• most common air quality problem

- unhealthy mix of air pollutants over urban areas

Question 9

Industrial smog

Answer 9

• Gray air smog
• Has decreased in developed nations because of regulations
• Sulfur in burned coal combines with oxygen to create SO2, contributing to gray smog

Question 10

Photochemical smog

Answer 10

• brown air smog
• forms in hot, sunny cities surrounded by mountains (LA, Mexico City, Tehran)
• morning traffic releases NO and volatile organic compounds, which combined with sunlight produce trophospheric ozone

Question 11

Costs of Los Angeles smog

Answer 11

• 3,900 premature deaths per year

- $28 billion in hospital visits and lost work days

Question 12

Indoor air pollution in developing nations

Answer 12

• Cause: burning wood/charcoal/animal dung indoors for cooking with little/no ventilation
• Solution: more efficient stoves (few can afford), cooking outside, drying wood before burning to reduce smoke

Question 13

Indoor air pollution in developed nations

Answer 13

• Causes: tobacco smoke, radon (from underground rocks), volatile organic compounds (ex. pesticides), living organisms (dust mites)
• Solution: limit exposure to plastics, treated wood, pesticides, cleaning fluids, and keep living spaces well-ventilated

Question 14

Signs of climate change

Answer 14

• Changing precipitation patterns
• Stronger storms
• Damaged corals
• Increased sea levels
• Increased temperatures
• Heat waves
• Alterations in animal migrations
• Alterations in plant life cycles

Question 15

Global climate change

Answer 15

• follows trends and variation in Earth’s climate over time, including global warming
• Earth’s climate has warmed and cooled many times before, but never this fast

Question 16

Greenhouse effect

Answer 16

• warming of Earth’s surface and atmosphere by greenhouse gases
• greenhouse gases prevent heat from escaping to space, like glass panels of a greenhouse
• for over 200 years, burning of fossil fuels and deforestation has led to an increase of greenhouse gases in atmosphere