History of Air Quality Lesson

Part 1. Have you ever wondered about the history of air pollution? Go to this website Fighting for Air (http://www.stateoftheair.org/2010/our-fight/l), and find the answers to the following questions:

1. The American Lung Association has played a key role in the review of air quality standards. Describe their historical role.

Part 2. Go to State of the Air (www.stateoftheair.org/2010/facts)

1. What are the two most widespread air pollutants?
2. What can air pollution do to your lungs?
3. How much of the world's population is exposed to unhealthy air?
4. What are some of the contributors to air pollution?

Part 3. In the yellow box that says "Report Card - What's the grade for your ait?" (www.stateoftheair.org/); type in your zip code.

1. What is the quality of the air overall where you live?

Part 4. Have you heard about the London Smog Disaster of 1952? Go to this website Days of toxic darkness. (www.portfolio.mvm.ed.ac.uk/studentwebs/session4/27/greatsmog52.htm), and find the answers to the following questions:

1. What does the term "smog" mean?
2. What caused the government to notice the high death rate, which was attributed to the air pollution?
3. What did the London Smog Disaster of 1952 prompt the government to do?

Part 5. Now let's look at the environmental history timeline. Go to this website Environmental History Timeline (www.environmentalhistory.org/), and find the answer to the following question:

1. What are some dangerous myths that have emerged among people that don't understand the history of environmental issues?

Part 6. Now go to this site Air pollution and air quality (www.unep.org/geo/geo3/english/366.htm) and answer the following questions:

1. Describe the major air pollutants resulting from burning of fossil fuels.
2. Why are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) a global concern?

Part 8: Let's learn more about smog by running a virtual city - Smog City! (www.smogcity.com)

• After opening the page, click on the link that says "run smog city". Be patient, it may take a little while to load.
• There are six variables you can manipulate in the simulation. You will be manipulating the variables to discover the answers to the following questions.
  • Air speed (little windmill)
  • Inversion level - height of air mass that traps pollution (looks like a black stripe)
  • Temperature (thermometer)
  • Cloud cover (clouds)
  • Population (plain meter)
  • Emissions (dials at the bottom)
• Answer the following questions:

1. How does air speed and wind effect the level of smog in the city?
2. How does temperature affect the level of smog in the city?
3. Which type of emission has the greatest affect on air quality?
4. Would you expect there to be more smog on a cloudy day or a clear day?
5. Reset your simulator and try to create the WORST conditions for smog in your city - you should be able to get the air quality index up to unhealthy levels. What are the reading for each of your variables to produce the nastiest city?
6. What is AQI? (See link on the side). What levels are there for air quality?
7. What is ozone? (See link on the side)
8. What is the purpose of upper atmosphere ozone?
9. Whatis the problem with ground level ozone?
10. What does long term exposure to ozone do to us?
11. What kinds of things can be done to improve air quality? List four things.