Chapter 12.2 outline Air, noise and light pollution

Air pollution affects young and old the most

Contributes to existing diseases

Emphysema, heart disease, and lung cancer

$ Americans 10s of billions of dollars to treat respiratory diseases related to air pollution

Short Term Effects (reversible)

Headache, nausea, irritation to eyes, nose, throat, tightness of chest, coughing, upper respiratory infections like pneumonia and bronchitis,

Also contribute to asthma and emphysema

Long term effects

Emphysema, heart disease, and lung cancer

Indoor Air Pollution

Plastics and industrial chemicals

In carpets, building materials, paints, furniture

Sick-building syndrome – buildings that have poor air quality, caused by tightly sealed buildings.

Need to identify and remove the source of indoor air pollution

Ventilation in another way of removing indoor air pollution

Radon Gas – colorless, tasteless, odorless, radioactive, natural

Element produced by the radioactive decay of uranium

Comes from the earth through racks in floors

Can destroy genetic material and cause lung cancer

2^nd leading cause of lung cancer

Asbestos – long, thin fibers made of minerals, used for insulation, strength and resistance to heat or as a fire retardant

Inhaled fibers cut and scar the lungs, caused the disease asbestosis

Difficulty breathing can lead to heart failure

Noise pollution – affects human health and quality of life

Air planes, traffic, construction, factories, home appliances, lawn mowers

Can cause loss of hearing, high blood pressure, stress, loss of sleep, decreased productivity

Intensity of sound measured in decibels (dB)

0 is the faintest sound that can be heard by human ear

Each increase in decibel intensity is 10* louder than previous level

Light pollution – is not a direct hazard to human health

Does affect our environment

Diminishes view of night sky

Is wasted light/energy the source of which is polluting

Solutions are shielding of light so that it is directed downward, using time controls, using low pressure sodium light sources that are very efficient