Schoolchildren ordered indoors as air pollution cloaks Shanghai

Eastern China has very high levels of air pollution from traffic, factories and weather changes. In Shanghai, the children cannot go out of their houses so schools were closed and all construction activities were stopped. The visibility was reducing in few meters when the yellow mist downed to the Shanghai’s territory. 30% of government’s vehicles were taken off from the roads. The sales of masks and air purifiers have increased in these days.

The measure of PM2.5 in Shanghai’s air increased to 602.5 micrograms per cubic meter on Friday that week. In October some monitors located on Harbin city reported measures of 1000 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5. Some China’s provinces are contributing to the environment deterioration in the country because they never shut down their factories. These provinces should take actions immediately to decrease the levels of air pollutants announced Greenpeace’s leaders.

Opinion

Children are being affected by this problem again and again. They can’t even go to school because of the high level of air pollution in China. The authorities are doing their best and people are contributing to reduce emissions and protect their children but this is not enough.

If we compare, the allow limit of 25 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 pollutant in a day in human body with levels registered by monitors in some regions of China which reach the 1000 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 we realize the hazard for Chinese people in these days.

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Associated Press. December 6 2013. 10.19 GMT. Schoolchildren ordered indoors as air pollution cloaks Shanghai. The Guardian, UK. Taken from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/06/schoolchildren-air-pollution-shanghai-eastern-china

Air Pollution: Comes from many sources

There are air pollutants we can see and others invisibles for human’s sight. The pollutants proceed for many sources and the smog that we can see over the cities is not the only one. The main pollutant is carbon dioxide which causes more damage to the ozone layer and contributes to global warming. The carbon dioxide is a gas emitted by living things through the breathe process, this gas is associated to cars, planes, power plants and other human activities that involve the burning of gasoline and gas natural.

Other pollutant is methane which comes from swamps and gas emitted by cattle. The chlorofluorocarbon is an air pollutant which comes from aerosol and refrigerants, this one affects directly the ozone layer. The sulfur dioxide is a pollutant related with smog and is the cause of acid rain but this pollutant reflects the sunlight when it’s present in atmosphere that means the sulfur dioxide contribute to decrease the global warming. To reduce the warming heat and the air pollutants emissions we need to contribute in a personal way. The advice is driving and flying less, recycling and avoiding the use of aerosols.

Opinion

Maybe we don’t know that every gas emitted by human activities contribute to air pollution increase and high global warming levels. The sulfur dioxide is the only pollutant that can contribute to reduce the global warming, avoiding sunlight remains in atmosphere but this pollutant is too dangerous for human health.

Therefore, the human health is always under hazard because every action in world is producing pollutants on the air. We can contribute following the advices but the industrial process may reduce their emissions if we want to improve our health in future.

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Air Pollution: Comes from many sources. NatGeo News. Taken from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview/

High air pollution levels hit south-east England

England has high levels of air pollution. The experts said that some rains could reduce the intense smog present in South-east of England but that is not secure. The pollution is a result of low pressure which means low temperatures in the territory, this affects directly people with respiratory disease and the advice is not go out while the pollutants disappear. 

The air pollution in England increased because of pollutants from the continent, in addition to dust and salt from the sea.

An important decision by London’s Mayor is the restriction of diesel vehicles in order to reduce the pollution impact but this proposal would be working in some years. 

Opinion

In this article the air pollution problem in England takes importance for environmental organizations and part of the government. The London’s Major decisions are important to the future of the country’s environment and contribute to reduce the pollutants around the world. The declaration of Environmental Audit Committee is an important point of reference to other world organizations in pro of health, because makes the government concern about the health problem caused by air pollution.

The air pollution remains but today the research has allowed looking for future solutions in that topic.

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Harvey, Fiona. September 18 2014. 11.40 BST. High air pollution levels hit south-east England. The Guardian, UK. Taken from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/high-air-pollution-levels-hit-south-east-england