AIR POLLUTION

The air we breathe is part of the atmosphere, the gas mixture that covers
the globe. This mixture of gases ensure life on earth and protects us from harmful
rays of the sun.

Natural balance of atmospheric gases maintained over millions of years is

now threatened by human activity. These dangers would be the greenhouse
effect, global warming, air pollution, ozone layer thinning and acid rain. Burning
coal and methane gas led to the formation of massive amounts of carbon dioxide
and other gases, especially after the end of last century when the car appeared.

Greenhouse effect

Existing gases in the atmosphere must retain the heat produced by sunlight
reflected from Earth. Without it Earth would be so cold that oceans would freeze
and people, animals and plants would die.

But when the proportion of gases called greenhouse gases increase due to
pollution, too much heat is retained and the whole earth becomes warmer. For
this reason, in our century, global average temperature has risen half a degree.
Scientists believe that this temperature rise will continue until the middle of next
century, reaching a value of 1.5 to 4.5 degrees C.

Holes in the ozone layer

Stratospheric ozone layer protects us, retaining the sun's ultraviolet rays.
Because today the use of polluting gases has greatly increased, these gases reach
higher levels in the air than those that can be incurred by the atmosphere. As they
rise, they decompose, attack and destroy the ozone layer. The effect has been
reported for the first time in 1985 by scientists working in Antarctica when they
observed the formation of a hole in the ozone layer.

Acid Rain

Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, both results of
industrial pollution, mix in the atmosphere with water steam. Acid rain destroys
plants and animals. Whole forests have disappeared due to acid rain. Worse is if
they get in lakes and rivers that lead them away, killing the tiniest organisms.

Pollution of water resources may entail the outbreak of epidemics, the

occurrence of serious illness and death.

One thing is certain: today we can not breathe fresh air anymore.

The atmosphere is a threat, so the whole living environment is in danger.