Air pollution is now something we all have to deal with. The question is, what should be done about it? What is effective?

For the discussion, read the short articles below about air pollution issues. Once you read the articles, discuss the following questions about air pollution below. You do not need to talk about all of them, but you are responsible for all the information in the articles. Make sure your answers are one to two paragraphs, and that your support your opinions with data and evidence. You will then be required to reply to at least one of your classmate’s posts. Again, make sure you write at least one paragraph, and make sure you support what you say with evidence.

https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackperkowski/2013/01…

https://www.businessinsider.com/californians-hacki…

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/2…

https://www.cnn.com/2015/09/16/health/air-pollutio…

https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/s…

Questions:

1. The clean air act has done a lot to reduce air pollution in the United States. Some companies object to this type of regulation, and say it is bad for business. What role do you think the US government (or any countries government) should have in regulating pollution? Make sure to back up your opinion with data and evidence.
2. Pollution doesn’t stay where it is produced. Air pollution from places like China affects the health of people all over the world. Do you think the international community should get involved in air pollution issues of sovereign nations? What role should countries have in stopping air pollution globally? Should the UN be able to tell China how much they can pollute? How might the international community come together to tackle this global issue in an effective way? Make sure to back up your opinion with evidence.
3. Air pollution causes lots of health issues, from increased skin cancer rates, to asthma, to lung cancer, and even can change our global climate systems. Even so, many people don’t see this as a priority issue. What are some ways beside government regulation to get the public engaged in dealing with air pollution issues? Make sure to back up your opinion with evidence.

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If you spray perfume in a room and enclose it, the scent of perfume will be smelled all around the room. Just like a perfume, the air circulates the Earth. This is proven to be true in an article that was written by Business Insider that states, “Typical westerly wind flows across the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere mean air pollution from China is often carried over the Pacific Ocean. If the weather conditions are right, contaminants including mercury, ozone, sulphur and nitrogen oxides, black carbon and desert dust, can reach the west coast of the US within days.” Having to know that the air travels around the world, it’s important that people are educated about the harm of polluted air. In China, “Hospitals reported increases链接到外部网站。 of up to 30 percent in the number of patients reporting breathing problems” and “Globally, more than 3 million people die prematurely each year from prolonged exposure to air pollution, according to the World Health Organization.” Studies have shown the dangers of a polluted air, that means that we do have to take actions to reduce the amount of casualties that dies due to air pollution, and make the Earth habitable for the future generation.

Personally, I think that international community should get involved in air pollutions of sovereign nations because it’s a global problem. Countries should have an annual meeting to talk about the amount of pollution they have contributed to the Earth and impose fine to countries that have contributed the most and we can use those money to fight off air pollution. Although the mindset of: “if you’re doing it, then i’ll do it!” this is the case for a lot of countries but if no one initiates change then we can’t achieve change. According to the U.N’s website of what is United Nation and their mission, it stated that United Nation is to “achieve international co-operation and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.” This means that the U.N can definitely tell China on how much it could pollute and other countries as well. We are all in control on how much pollution we can produce. One of the ways we can tackle air pollution as a global community and provide a solution to it, is by requiring each country to have a plan targeting to eliminate or reduce air pollution. Making each country accountable for the pollution they produce, fines will be imposed to those won’t follow and if necessary trade restriction will be imposed to force a country to stop producing too much pollution.