Pollution and Your Lungs

In many parts of the world, people can not only smell the air around them, but also see it and even feel it. Air is so thick with pollutants in certain areas that astronauts in space have seen and photographed it without magnification. Smoke does not simply disappear; it lingers in the atmosphere until natural processes eliminate it. One method of natural process is that trees and other plants are structured so that they absorb pollutants. The bad news is that companies are reducing plant habitats for their timber and land area. Readers learn that new pollutants are entering the atmosphere, both natural and man-made. Natural air pollutants include volcanic eruptions as well as wildfires. Hospitals have been overwhelmed by thousands of patients with respiratory problems. This graphic account explores the causes of pollution and its effects on the lungs. It looks at what is being done to address the pollution problem and ways in which readers can contribute to solutions.