Air Pollution
Dust from the cracked, dry earth mists the sky. The horizon supports the afternoon sun. In the distance, two silhouettes come walking forward. The closer they two figures get, the more clearly distinguishable they become. It is a father and daughter dressed in shorts and tee shirts. They are ready for summer, only one major problem. The two are in gas masks because the air is toxic to humans. Everywhere the turn there are deep cracks in the surface of the earth. These stretch on for miles in every direction. Desolation and abandonment encompass this scene. The daughter questions her father, "What happened?" He replies, "We did not keep our air clean and free of pollutants." This was a commercial when I was a young girl. It was extremely effective in bringing to the foreground a problem that is widely overlooked by society as a whole. Air pollution is a serious matter and one that needs attention. Before we can address air pollution, we must first define pollution. "Pollution has its origins in the Latin word polluere, which means 'contamination of any feature of the environment'" (http://hk.geocities.com/xavier114fch/01/01-content.htm). Photochemical
A new study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles shows that "there is a statistical link between birth defects in the Los Angeles basin and air pollution levels recorded by monitoring stations throughout the area" (The Orange County Register, 2001). Air pollution can affect plant life as well as humans. Just take a drive throughout the countryside locally. They also affect our outside world. From metal corrosion to acid rain, these things are direct results of air pollution. The more of a product that can be marketed, the better, this is the policy for most industries. Think about how much more life would be valued if it were looked at closely through the eyes of that child in the beginning of this paper. We as citizens can do several things to support cleaner, healthier air. They are more concerned with work, home, kids, food, etc. All of these things require clean air and yet we take it for granted. Power plants emit pollution, which sparked laws for cleaner air. all can help to inform and educate the public on ways to work towards cleaner air not just for their sake but the sake of future generations. The problem in today's world is that quantity is valued more than quality. Also referred to as pollution trading, this would necessitate changes to the 1990 Clean Air Act, and Congress would have to approve also.
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Acceptance Essays
