Pollution clogs our oceans, water ways, and land. The Great Garbage Patch, a colossal mass of litter currently floating in the Northern Pacific Ocean, is one obvious example. But a lot of pollution is invisible. Burning gasoline to fuel vehicles produces carbon monoxide, for example, which is both colorless and odorless. Whether or not we can see it, pollution is dangerous to living things and the environment, and causes a number of diseases, including asthma and even cancer. 

Where does pollution come from?

A lot of pollution comes from human waste. However, much of the worst pollution comes from industries that burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Many factories spew pollutants like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons, which can cause smog and acid rain that are harmful to humans and the earth. 

Industrial pollution also produces dangerous greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, which are driving climate change. These gases absorb sunlight reflected from Earth and trap it in the atmosphere, where it warms the planet exponentially. The increased warming is melting glaciers and stirring up more dramatic weather, like bigger and more frequent hurricanes. It is also making the oceans more acidic and dangerous for marine life.

Join the Fight Against Pollution 

All this may sound very scary, but it’s not too late to reverse pollution. A great way to stop pollution is to participate in National Pollution Prevention Week. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pollution Prevention Week is meant to encourage “reducing or eliminating sources of pollution to prevent damage to the environment while also eliminating the need for costly controls and cleanup.” Visit the website to learn more. 

Teach students how to construct outdoor air pollution detectors from everyday materials with the IEEE TryEngineering Lesson Plan, Pollution Patrol. Download it today!