We all need air to live.

When we breathe,
oxygen from the air goes into our blood. The
blood takes oxygen to our brains and to other
parts of our bodies. If we don’t get oxygen, our
brains stop working and we die.
If we go to the mountains or the countryside,
the air smells clean and fresh, but when we
come back to the city, it smells different. That is
because the air in most cities is polluted. It
contains oxygen, but it also contains many
other gases that are bad for humans, plants,
and animals.
Everybody knows that the main cause of air
pollution in our cities is traffic. Cars, buses, and
trucks produce dangerous gases like carbon
monoxide, as well as fumes that contain tiny
particles that go into our bodies when we
breathe. If we breathe a lot of traffic fumes, we
feel sick. We also get colds and other health
problems more often.
Electricity is another cause of bad air. We use
a lot of electricity to fuel our modern world.
Many people think that electricity is clean
energy, but most electricity comes from power
plants. Many power plants burn oil, gas, or
coal, which produce dangerous gases that are
released into the atmosphere. Factory
chimneys also make smoke, which pollutes our
air.

When we think of pollution, we usually think of

the air outside, but the air inside the places that
we live and work is often polluted too. In most
countries, smoking in public buildings has been
prohibited, but many people still smoke at
home. Thousands of passive smokers (people
who do not smoke, but 
who breathe in smoke from other people’s
cigarettes) die every year from tobacco-related
diseases like cancer and heart attacks.

Sometimes workers in office buildings get sick

because of the air they breathe. This is called
Sick Building Syndrome. At one point, the
World
Health Organization estimated that 30 percent
of
all new buildings were “sick.” There are many
reasons why a building can be “sick.”
Sometimes
bacteria and mold grow inside heating and
air-conditioning pipes and enter the air in the
building. Office equipment also gives off gases
that are bad for workers. When cleaners use
industrial chemicals to wash the windows and
floors, the poisonous fumes stay in the air. If a
building contains plants, people often spray
pesticides and fertilizers on them, and these
also enter the air we breathe. Even some
building
materials, as well as materials used in furniture
and carpets, give off gases and particles that
are
bad for our health.

So what can we do to make our air safer and

fresher? It is very important to keep rooms
ventilated, both at home and at school or in
the office. If we open a window, the air will
circulate and the poisonous gases will go out.
If we live in a house with smokers, we can
explain the problem to them. If they refuse to
stop smoking, we can ask them to smoke
outside.

To improve the air outside, we should try to

save
electricity. If people use less electricity at
home,
they will save money and power plants will 
produce less pollution. We should also walk,
ride bicycles, or use public transportation as
much as possible.

Finally, there are lots of

campaigns and events like sponsored walks
and runs that aim to show people what they
can do to reduce pollution. Join in! If one
person does it, the effect will not be very
important, but if many people do it, perhaps
we will change the world!