Human Health Consequences from Pollution

Lois Gibbs, an American environmental activists, states, “"Everyone has some amount of dioxin in his or her body, and the average level is already high enough to endanger health." Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the human race has accelerated climate change in a way that was thought impossible, but that it’s affecting the earth and its biosphere at a global scale. Not only is there a current trend towards loss of biodiversity, but green house gases emitted into the air are damaging the ozone layer, as well as creating negative consequences on human health world wide, amongst many other reasons why we are damaging our environment as well as ourselves. Cars running around the streets are emitting a slew of carbon monoxide into the air, factories emitting toxic smoke, sewage being dumped into the sea, and oil being spilled into the ocean, are very common in our society, so common in fact that people have become used to them to the degree that they accept it as a daily event.
Some main pollutants in the air are ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter suspended in the air, sulfur dioxide, lead, toxic air pollutants, and CFCs.
Ozone is a result of motor vehicles, industrial emissions, and consumer products, and it forms in the lower layer of the atmosphere as a product of violent chemical reactions between oxygen and nitrogen oxide and sunlight. When in contact with humans, it is an irritant of the respiratory tract, produce impaired lung function and cause throat irritation, chest pain, cough, and lung inflammation, as well as difficulty taking a deep breath and worsened asthma symptoms.
Carbon monoxide, emitted from the usage of automobiles, buses, trucks, small engines, and some industrial processes, which have multiplied in use in the recent years, is one of the major pollutants. It has the ability to reduce the ability of blood to deliver oxygen to vital tissues, affecting primarily the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Even in a lower concentration it has been shown to adversely affect individuals with heart disease; higher concentrations can cause dizziness, headaches, and fatigue.
Nitrogen dioxide, also shares the same sources carbon monoxide and it increases response to allergens, and is a major component of photochemical smog, which is very harmful to the health of humans.
Particulate matter, such as toxic particulates in the air from industrial processes, smelters, automobiles, burning industrial fuels, wood smoke, dust from paved and unpaved roads, construction, and agricultural ground breaking is also harmful. It has a negative impact on respiration, causing increased respiratory disease and lung damage, and possibly premature death if it passes a certain level.
Sulfur dioxide, another component of photochemical smog, is emitted largely from industrial, institutional, utility and apartment-house furnaces and boilers, as well as petroleum refineries, smelters, paper mills, and chemical plants. Because it is a component of smog, it is partly responsible for the health effects of smog, which harm respiratory system and can lead to lake and stream acidification.
Lead, lead compounds can adversely affect human health through either ingestion of lead-contaminated soil, dust, paint, or direct inhalation. Once used in construction, it poses a high risk today, especially in little children, because at elevated lead levels can adversely affect mental development, kidney function, and blood chemistry.
Toxic air pollutants, as a result of nuclear power plants, as well as chemical plants, industrial processes, motor vehicle emissions and fuels, and building materials, are known carcinogenics and cause respiratory effects, birth defects, and reproductive and other serious health effects.
CFCs, produced as result from the use of industrial household refrigeration, cooling and cleaning processes, car and home air conditioners, some fire extinguishers, and plastic foam products, is deteriorating the protective ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful radiation. This deterioration can lead up to increase in skin cancer, cataracts, suppression of the human immune response system, and environmental damage.
Many of these pollutants can be traced to human activities and we have in a sense, created our own kryptonite, deteriorating our health. People need to start becoming more aware and politically, as well as environmentally active of protecting the environment and going ‘green’. Lowering these emissions from the atmosphere can slow down this crazy accelerated rate of ‘global warming’, and can ensure not only that we live a good and healthy live, but that the generations after us have a home. Let’s not be enemies of the earth that gives so much, nor to ourselves, but take a stand, take a stand to protect and preserve our earth.