By: Brett Wallin

 Air pollution can affect our health in many ways, with both short term and long term effects. Some individuals are much more sensitive to pollutants than are others. Young children and elderly people often suffer more from the effects of air pollution. People with health problems such as asthma, heart and lung disease may also suffer more. The total harm afflicted to an individual suffering by air pollution is dependant on the total exposure to the damaging chemicals.

Asthma The health condition, asthma, can also be caused by air pollution. A pollutant, such as sulfur dioxide, causes the constriction of smaller airways in the lungs and makes it harder to breath, even for healthy people. With someone prone to asthma attacks, this constriction can set off a serious and life-threatening attack. Heart Disease Air pollution is a big factor in the development of all heart diseases, including heart attack and stroke. Secondhand smoke has been shown to increase the incidence of heart diseases. Air pollution has been shown to cause heart disease as air pollutants enter into the lungs and into the blood vessels, producing an inflammatory response and raising heart rate. Asthma The health condition, asthma, can also be caused by air pollution. A pollutant, such as sulfur dioxide, causes the constriction of smaller airways in the lungs and makes it harder to breath, even for healthy people. With someone prone to asthma attacks, this constriction can set off a serious and life-threatening attack. Heart Disease Air pollution is a big factor in the development of all heart diseases, including heart attack and stroke. Secondhand smoke has been shown to increase the incidence of heart diseases. Air pollution has been shown to cause heart disease as air pollutants enter into the lungs and into the blood vessels, producing an inflammatory response and raising heart rate.

 Pollution can enter into your body by many different ways such as drinking water that has been contaminated, or by smoke or smog. If smog gets into your body it can kill cells, making the lungs less efficient at doing their job of gas exchange.

 There are many ways that you can protect yourself from pollution. You can wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun, wear proper attire on sunny days, and always wear sunscreen. Drink only water that has been determined to be clean and be careful never to eat contaminated foods.

 People that are most at risk are those that live in big cities such as Toronto or Ottawa where is there is a lot of pollution from all the vehicles that are driving around and all of the litter from humans.  People that are also at risk are people in undeveloped countries such as India, or Africa because they have no access to clean water, and food.  People that are most at risk are those that live in big cities such as Toronto or Ottawa where is there is a lot of pollution from all the vehicles that are driving around and all of the litter from humans.  People that are also at risk are people in undeveloped countries such as India, or Africa because they have no access to clean water, and food.

 Some ways that the Ontario Ministry is preventing pollution is by getting people recycling which has a big effect on preventing pollution. Another way is getting people to reduce the amount they drive. And another way is by reducing litter.

 We are doing many different things to help stop pollution such as recycling, reducing litter, and by reducing the amount of time we spend in vehicles. There are many different ways pollution can enter you body and to stop that from happening you can wear sun glasses on a sunny day, avoid inhaling dangerous fumes, drink clean water, and don’t eat contaminated food.