Air pollution is primarily caused by the chemicals, greenhouse gases and particles which can damage the atmosphere around us. The emission of toxic substances by human activity has been one of the major contributing factors towards air pollution. Thanks to the pro-active environmentalists and scientists as well as all forms of public media, air pollution is a public concern around the globe in recent times. The very basics of this environmental hazard are included in school level curriculums of almost all the developed and the developing countries.

Governmental and non-governmental organizations campaign continuously through the media to create awareness against the ill-effects of air pollution and the ways to prevent it.

Somehow, all these efforts are falling short of their target. Although the term air pollution is getting publicity amongst common people, its pernicious effects on human health and human society remain largely unknown to the laymen.

Given below are some interesting facts about this natural bio-spherical hazard:

The pollutants have natural sources like volcanoes. But human activities have increased their level manifold. For example, Sulphur Oxides is produced during volcanic eruptions, but industrial productions are creating it at an alarming level.

Some polluting substances are created by human activity only and these are highly pernicious to the environment. For instance, the CFC is a case in point. It actually damages the Ozone layer which shields our planet from the UV rays of the sun. The absence of the Ozone layer can cause serious health hazards including skin cancer.

Pollution can affect air quality inside a home as well as outside. This particular anomaly is called Indoor Air Quality. Some of the basic household substances we use on a daily basis can be silent killers. For instance, lead paint can dissipate into particles and then enter our body through the air. The fireplace can be a source of the fatal Carbon Monoxide, which can cause death.

Health hazards of air pollution include various symptoms, the most common being cough. In Beijing, air pollution actually gave birth to a new sort of cough which was named Beijing Cough.

Apart from respiratory diseases, air pollution can also aggravate cardiac problems and these can be fatal. According to WHO, around 2.4 million people died each year due to health problems caused by acute air pollution.

Certain particle matters in the air have been found to induce the risk of lung cancer.

The ill-effects of air pollution have been seen among animals as well. Some dolphins living off the coast of large cities like New York have shown signs of Black lung Disease, which is usually seen amongst coal-mine workers.

Amongst all the human activities, motor vehicles are the primary contributors to air pollution.

Recent studies have shown that Asia is the worst affected continent in terms of air pollution.

The effects of air pollution around the Grand Canyon have created perennial smog over the surrounding areas. This smog prevents the visitors from seeing the other side of the canyon.

These are only a handful of things that people should really know about. The preventive measures to control air pollution would need a concerted effort for which it is imperative to have sufficient knowledge.