Outdoor Air Pollution 6 th grade Environmental Health

ThisThis is What Air Pollution Looks Like…

How Much Do You Know About Pollution?? Climate Kids Trivia

EPA Environmental Protection Agency – a government office that works to keep the air, the land, and the water clean. – Clean air, land, and water help keep us healthy

AQI Air Quality Index- The AQI is a health-based scale meant to represent how healthy the air is each day.

Types of Air Pollution Ozone Particulates Smog

Ozone High in the atmosphere, Stratospheric Ozone helps to protect our skin from harmful UV rays. Here is how the ozone layer worksozone layer works

Ozone Tropospheric or ground-level ozone –(what we breathe) can be harmful to our health Ground-level ozone is… – the result of reactions of man-made chemicals – primarily from chemical plants, gasoline pumps, oil-based paints, autobody shops, and print shops. – Other significant sources are power plants, industrial furnaces and boilers, and motor vehicles. Good up high, bad nearby This is how bad ozone forms Good up high, bad nearby

Color & Health Words What to Do GREEN is Good Just enjoy the clean air! YELLOW is Moderate Air quality is fine for most people, including children like you. However, if you know you are extra sensitive to pollution, you might want to limit the time you spend playing outside. ORANGE is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups People with lung disease, such as asthma, and active kids and grown-ups should limit how long or how hard they play or are active outside. Remember, it's important to think about how the air quality is making you feel! If you don't feel so great, take it a little easier. RED is Unhealthy People with lung disease, such as asthma, and active kids and grown-ups should not spend a long time playing or being active outdoors. Everybody else should limit how long they are active outside. PURPLE is Very Unhealthy People with lung disease, such as asthma, and active kids and grown-ups should not spend any time playing or being active outdoors. Everybody else should limit outdoor activities. MAROON is Hazardous (usually not shown) No one should play or be active outside.

Ozone and Your Health It’s good when it absorbs UV light, reducing human exposure to harmful UV radiation that causes skin cancer and cataracts. It’s bad when inhaled. It leads to a number of adverse health effects.

Particulates Particulate matter is mostly dust and soot so small that it floats in the air. It is not good for you to breathe in too much of the tiny particulate matter.

Coarse Particles (PM 10 ) Fine Particles (PM 2.5 ) What they are smoke, dirt and dust from factories, farming, and roads mold, spores, and pollen toxic organic compounds heavy metals How they’re made crushing and grinding rocks and soil then blown by wind driving automobiles burning plants (brush fires and forest fires or yard waste) smelting (purifying) and processing metals Where do Particulates Come From?

Particulates and Your Health – Particles in the air can make you cough. – Particulate matter can also make it hard for you to take a deep breath and you might get more colds. – If you already have asthma or problems with your heart, particulate matter could make you sick enough to go to the hospital

Reduce Your Exposure to Particulates If the AQI is orange or worse, don't play near streets with heavy traffic. – Heavy traffic areas are highways and busy streets where there are a lot of cars, buses, and trucks.

Environmental Jigsaw with Text Dependent Analysis You will read one of the following articles and answer the question provided. – Cars and Power Plants Hurting Park – Clean Air Means Longer Lives – EPA: Let’s Get Rid of the Gasses – World Problems Clearing the Air With Bikes – The Air in Arvin

Air Quality Index Webquest Next class, we will complete a webquest on AQI. Meet in the Library Lab.

Smog Smog is a type of air pollution. Its name comes from a combination of smoke and fog. It is created by burning large amounts of coal. Which many big industries to to generate power.

Health problems associated with Smog Smog can cause the following problems: – Inflamed breathing passages – Eye and nose irritation – Decreased immune function.

When is Smog at its worst? Smog is at its worst during the warmer, sunnier weather. In the US, cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Houston can have dangerous Smog build ups.

When is smog at its worst? Continued Particulate Smog: During cooler months, warm air higher in the atmosphere traps pollutants in the colder air which is closer to the ground. The fine particulates scatter sunlight and reduce visibility. Photochemical Smog: In the warmer months, ozone forms closer to the Earth’s surface and causes a Smog effect. Nitrogen Dioxide + Sunlight + Hydrocarbons = Ozone Its good up high but bad down low!

Smog City 2

Greenhouse Effect