1. BELLWORK
“I thought I saw a blue jay this morning, but the smog was so bad it turned out to be a cardinal holding its breath!”
-Michael J. Cohen, comedian
What does Cohen mean by this comment? Where do you think he was when he said it?

2. Unit 5: Atmosphere and Climate Change
How pollution affects air quality

3. Today’s Objectives In this lesson, you will:
Learn ways that air pollution is produced
Learn ways that air pollution can be reduced
Predict some of the health effects that can result from air pollution

4. Why Study Air Pollution?
In Mexico City, children rarely use the color blue when they make paintings of the sky.
Why?

5. This is why.

6. What Makes Up Clean Air?
Clean air is primarily oxygen and nitrogen gas.
air pollution occurs when harmful substances build up to unhealthy levels in the air.

7. Primary and Secondary Pollutants
primary pollutant - a pollutant that is put directly into the air by humans
examples: smoke, carbon monoxide, etc.
secondary pollutant - a pollutant that forms when primary pollutants react with naturally occurring substances such as water vapor
examples: ground-level ozone

8. Sources of Primary Air Pollutants
exhaust from vehicles
coal-burning power plants
oil refineries
gas station spillage
household chemicals
and much, much more...

9. History of Air Pollution
Air pollution is not a new thing!
In 1273, England’s King Edward I ordered that burning “dirty coal” was illegal because it produced a foul smoke.
A man was executed for breaking this law!

10. Motor Vehicle Emissions
How much of our air pollution do you think comes from gasoline burned by cars?
Over 30%!

11. Reducing Vehicle Emissions
The Clean Air Act was passed in 1970 to give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to regulate vehicle emissions
Their first step was to eliminate lead in gasoline.
Since then, lead pollution has dropped by more than 90%!

12. Clean Air Act, continued...
EPA estimates that cars today burn fuel 35% more efficiently and with 95% fewer emissions (except carbon dioxide) than they did 30 years ago!
This carbon dioxide is still a problem… Why?
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas!

13. Industrial Air Pollution
Many power plants burn
fossil fuels to produce
the energy we need.
e.g. coal, oil, natural gas
This releases large amounts of pollutants into the air, as well as greenhouse gases such as CO2

14. Smog
When pollution hangs over urban areas and reduces visibility, it is called smog.

15. Group Assignment
Your group was just put in charge of reducing air pollution in a major city (pick one).
Objective: make a list of things you would do to try to make this happen.

16. Things to Keep in Mind
-Think about both individual (cars and household) and industrial air pollution
-Don’t do anything unrealistic
-If you make a law, think about how you would enforce it and whether or not it’s fair to everyone

17. Reducing Air Pollution
After 20 minutes you will post your ideas on the wall and present it to the class.
Write big so that everyone can see!

18. Town Hall Meeting
After each group presents their plan, the class will have a chance to ask questions and give comments
We want to have a discussion about the effectiveness of these plans!

19. Homework Research health effects of air pollution.
Find at least 3 negative health effects caused by air pollution.
What are some of the specific pollutants that can cause these effects?
Write 1-2 paragraphs about your findings.