QUESTION:

What would happen if burning of fossil fuels disappear from a USA?

HYPOTHESIS:

-ALTERNATIVE: That ecosystem would lose the major pollutant of the air, hitherto the rate of
pollution in that place would decrease a lot.

-NULL: The burning of fossil fuels did not affect the rate of air pollution in United States or in any
ecosystem.

VARIABLES:

DEPENDENT: Rate of pollution

INDEPENDENT: Burning of fossil fuels

CONTROLLED: The country evaluated (U.S.A)

OBJECTIVES:

-To analyze the impact of fossil fuels in USA

-To demonstrate what would happen if fossil fuels disappear

METHODS:

We search for information about the topic in web sites and in forums that give me a lot of
information and about fossil fuel contamination, also we search about graphics of the country of
USA that show the principal fuel of contamination is caused by the cars and the quantity of
population this country produce, base in that we develop our environmental lab.

BACKGROUND RESEARCH:

Air pollution kills. In the United States, 1 of every 25 deaths occurs prematurely because of
exposure to outdoor air pollution.

It kills more Americans than all transportation accidents and gun shootings combined. More than
diabetes or than breast cancer plus prostate cancer. More than Parkinson’s disease plus leukemia
plus HIV/AIDS. And unlike diabetes or Parkinson’s, deaths from air pollution are entirely
preventable.

We study air pollution and its interactions with climate change and human health. In our view, this
problem does not receive the attention it deserves as a public health threat. No death certificate
lists air pollution as the cause of death – rather, it is considered a risk factor, like smoking or
obesity. But it influences several of the most important causes of death: heart attacks, strokes,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.

According to the American Lung Association’s latest «State of the Air» report, about 43% of
Americans – 140 million people – live in counties with unhealthy air. The report also shows that
although air quality has improved since 1990, this trend may be starting to erode. In 2015-2017,
more U.S. cities had days with high ozone or fine particle pollution than in 2014-2016. Whether
conditions worsen or improve in the next few years depends strongly on decisions by President
Trump and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler. (West, 2019)

Fossil fuels are a major contributor to health-harming air pollution. The emission of carbon
monoxide gases from cars and trucks is the most cited example, but not the only one. The
combustion process also creates nitrogen oxides that lead to the creation of smog, the Union of
Concerned Scientists advises. These materials can cause bronchitis and pneumonia, decrease
resistance to respiratory infections and irritate the lungs. Power plant and transportation-related
activities are about equally responsible for nitrogen oxide emissions. Fossil fuels also produce
byproducts that hang in the air and irritate the lungs, such as dust, soot and smoke. Ralph
Heibutzki. (2017, January 26). Pollution caused by fossil fuels. 2020, May 6

The burning of fossil fuels to produce energy also releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gases into the environment. These gases act like a blanket to trap energy
that warms the Earth's surface. During the last 150 years, fossil fuel combustion has raised the
amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide by more than 25 percent, according to the Union of
Concerned Scientists. The result is an increase in global temperatures, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency states. This phenomenon of climate change is associated with floods and heavy
rainfalls in many regions, as well as more frequent droughts and severe heat waves. Ralph
Heibutzki. (2017, January 26). Pollution caused by fossil fuels. 2020, May 6.

RESULTS:
(bp statistical review of world energy (2019) Los países que más contaminan el aire)

In this first graph we can see that United States (at 2018) was the 2 nd country with more air
pollution in the world, behind china and above all the Europe Union.)

(US Energy information (2016) Los autos son la principal fuente de contaminación en Estados
Unidos)

In this second graph, we can see that the emissions by the transport (release fine particles to the
air that are produced by the fossil fuels) become the major pollutant in the air since 2016 in USA.

DISCUSSION:

Seeing both graphs we can conclude that the air pollution is a big environmental problem that
United States is suffering, and it can cause some problems to future to all the population, since
respiratory problems until drastic changes in the temperature of the country, the last example
because the deterioration of the ozone layer, at cause of the pollution that in a majority is because
the burning of fossil fuels. According to the source that gives us the second graph, the burning of
fossil fuels occupies the 42% of the whole air pollution in that country, therefore it’s something
that affects the ecosystem and its individuals largely.

CONCLUSION:

In brief, the burning of fossil fuels generates a big negative impact to the ecosystem and taking in
account it affects directly to the ozone layer, generates health issues and it occupies the mayor
part of air pollution in USA we can conclude that without fossil fuels the pollution in the air can be
reduced approximately an 42% of the pollution
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

-(bp statistical review of world energy (2019) Los países que más contaminan el aire,
https://es.statista.com/grafico/9662/emisiones-de-dioxido-de-carbono-por-paises-en-2018/)

-(US Energy information (2016) Los autos son la principal fuente de contaminación en Estados
Unidos, https://futuroverde.org/2017/12/18/los-autos-son-la-principal-fuente-de-contaminacion-
en-estados-unidos/)

- Jhon west. (2019, May 6). As air pollution increases in some US cities, the Trump administration is
weakening clean air regulations. 2020, May 6, The conversation, https://theconversation.com/as-
air-pollution-increases-in-some-us-cities-the-trump-administration-is-weakening-clean-air-
regulations-115975)

Santiago Cantor, Daniel Vargas 10-A

Sebastian Moreno 10.C