1. Air, Noise, and Light Pollution
Unit 2: The Atmosphere
Air, Noise, and Light Pollution

2. Health Effects of Air Pollution
Worst for people who are young, old, or have heart and/or lung problems
Can people die of air pollution?
Short-term effects
Headache, nausea, irritation
to the eyes/nose/throat,
tightness in the chest, and
coughing (can lead to or
worsen upper respiratory
infections)
Long-term effects
Emphysema, lung cancer, and
heart disease
NO air pollution just makes their sickness worse! Tens of billions of dollars per year in health costs to treat air pollution induced respiratory diseases.
What else causes emphysema?

3. Indoor Air Pollution
The quality of air inside is sometimes worse than the quality of air outside
Sick-building syndrome – most common in hot places that are tightly sealed to keep out the heat
Ventilation is key
Radon Gas – colorless, tasteless, and odorless (why is that bad?)
Adheres to dust particles
Once in the lungs, it can destroy genetic material in your lung cells!
Can lead to cancer (second leading cause of lung cancer)
Actually happened in a courthouse in Florida! Half of the people developed allergic reactions to fungi growing in the air ducts, ceiling tiles, carpets, and furniture.

5. Asbestos
Several minerals that form in long, thin fibers valued for their strength and resistance to heat
Popular building material pre-1970
HUGE movement in older schools to remove them!
Can cut and scar the lungs leading to a condition called asbestosis
HO House

6. Noise Pollution aka Unwanted Sound
Damages our hearing by destroying cells in our ears
Hearing loss has doubled in the last 30 years
What might cause this in teens?
Study in a quiet environment in Africa found that 80 year olds there can hear better than 30 year olds here
Measured in decibels (dB)
According to EPA, 85 dB for 8 hours (120 dB is the threshold of pain)
So when I can HEAR your music through your headphones, have fun with hearing aids.

7. Light Pollution Does not present a direct hazard to human health!
Does negatively affect our environment
Energy is wasted when
light is directed upward
to the night sky and lost
to space
Better if light is directed
downward and on timers
Lights near the beach
discourage turtles from
nesting
Optional demonstration with flashlight and aluminum foil.