The Earth’s atmosphere is made up of natural gases that we depend on to survive. Substances that are not normally found in the air are known as pollutants. Over the past few centuries, human activity has increased the amount of harmful pollutants in the atmosphere. Today, air pollution is responsible for a large number of deaths and diseases.[1] According to a 2005 study by the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, about 800,000 people, globally, die pre-maturely due to outdoor air pollutants.[2]

Air pollution comes from a variety of sources: factories, power plants, cars, buses, dust, and fires.  One of the most serious pollutants today is ground-level ozone. The American Lung Association states that over half the world’s population lives in countries that receive a grade “F” on their rating system for ozone pollution.[3] Ozone particles at ground-level can damage lung tissue, as well as, prevent plant respiration. In addition to ground-level ozone pollutants, the upper-level ozone is thinning by the minute. CFC’s, also known as Chloroflurocarbons, are the main pollutant that causes ozone depletion. CFC’s have been used as refrigerants, as solvents in the electronic industry, as insulation materials, as aerosol propellants, and as a chemical in fire extinguishers.[4] The ozone layer is an important part of the earth’s atmosphere as it shields the Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet rays are dangerous to humans, animals, and plants. As the upper ozone continues to thin more people are susceptible to skin cancer and the Earth is experiencing a major increase in global warming.[5]

One of the most important, if not the most important, environmental issues we face today is global climate change, which is occurring because of the additional release of gases (air pollutants) into the Earth’s atmosphere. The Earth is currently warming at a rapid pace and it has been predicted that by 2025 we will experience an environmental health disaster.[6] We must act now to reduce the amount of toxic gases we release into the atmosphere in order to ensure that future generations live in an environmentally sound world.