A Brief History of Energy Use in Human Societies Essay Example for Free

A Brief History of Energy Use in Human Societies Essay The industrial revolution started the intensive use of oil, coal and natural gas. The development of factories, cars, and technological advances marks the start of air pollution. Smog from factories and the release of carbon dioxide from cars began to become detrimental to the environment as well as to health. Ever since the world continues to burn fossil fuels and will continue to do so. Factories, motor vehicles, buses, etc., are used throughout the world to provide people with transportation, products or food and have been a leading cause of air pollution. Similarly, these things have led to a series of environmental issues as well as health concerns, including many respiratory diseases (The Industrial Age). Although air pollution is a concern throughout the world, developing nations take different approaches to concerns as well as developed nations. Most of the worlds children live in developing nations, which means that they are exposed to higher levels of poverty and have different levels of health quality as oppose to developed, wealthier nations (Loomis et al. 1999). In a country like Mexico for instance, childhood mortality is high. Mexico City is one of the most populated cities in the world, with a population of eighteen million people and three million motor vehicles (Borja-Aburto et al. 1998). Nevertheless, air pollution has the same effects on the respiratory system among the population in New York City. Similarly, it is also densely populated and traffic congestion leads to the emission of air pollutants that are harmful to respiratory health. Air pollution affects the respiratory system, causing different respiratory diseases in both Mexico City and New York City, but there are a number of different methods used in each city to prevent further air pollution. Many countries in Latin America are going through rapid industrialization, as well as an increase in transportation and have not yet resolved health concerns related to air pollution. Due to the poor sanitation that young kids experience in poor countries, they are becoming infected with many diseases, thus becoming more susceptible to respiratory diseases (Loomis et al. 1999). When poor children experience life-threatening diseases, they are more likely to die because they cannot receive medical attention. In addition, studies reveal that air pollution is the main cause of the increasing infant mortality in Mexico City (Loomis et al. 1999). The main pollutants that are of a concern in Mexico City are nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and tropospheric ozone (BellML et al. 2006). It is estimated that the transportation sector is responsible for about forty percent of the particulate matter emissions in Mexico City. Transportation however, is a vital sector in Mexico City traffic congestion in Mexico City forces people to take transportation methods to reach work, school, etc. Similarly, a large part of the population lives in poverty, which means they cannot afford a car. In addition, it has been reported that ozone causes the airway inflammation among young children playing outdoors. Nitrogen oxides increase the chance of respiratory infections as well as wheezing (Bernstein JA et al. 2004). Particulate matter is associated with infant mortality and also includes an increasing number of absences of students in schools as well as emergency room visits for respiratory problems including asthma (Bell ML et al. 2006). In addition, a reduction of 10 percent of particulate matter and ozone levels would save 273 to 1189 lives every year as well as save 760 US dollars a year there would be less emergency room visits, less medicine to purchases, less days of work or school missed or hospital admissions. New York City, similar to Mexico, has an air pollution problem caused by motor vehicles. However, morbidity and asthma is higher in different communities around New York City South Bronx and Harlem. These communities for instance, have higher diesel exhaust le vels from bus depots, truck routes, and waste transfer stations (Patel et al. 2013). As a result, this diesel exhaust creates black carbon. The black carbon is linked to the increasing number of respiratory diseases as well as the hospital admissions among children and adolescence in Harlem and South Bronx (Patel et al. 2013). Similarly, Patel et al. also explain that short-term increases of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide are associated with airway inflammation among adults and children. The number of people being affected by air pollution will continue to grow, if no regulations to stop air pollution are enforced. Mexico city suffers from a serious air pollution problem, which has led to many respiratory diseases. However, there are policies that exist which help control air pollution. An air pollution problem that they face is ozone released from transportation methods. One measure Mexico City has taken to reduce vehicle pollution includes a motor vehicle Maintenance and Inspection (IM) program. This program keeps track of vehicle emissions to make sure th at the advanced emission control systems are working properly in modern-day cars (Riveros HG et al. 2002). In addition, catalytic converter devices added to the exhaust of a motor vehicle consisting of a catalyst that transforms pollutant gases into less dangerous ones were introduced in 1995 to Mexico City. In 1995, vehicles were emitting 70 percent less hydrocarbon, 75 percent less carbon monoxide and 65 percent less nitrogen oxide (Riveros HG et al. 2002). Similarly, methyl tertiary-butyl ether was added to gasoline beginning in 1995, to refine combustion efficiency and applied boundaries on the aromatic aspect of fuels as well as on the sulfur content in fuel used in industries (Mckinley G et al. 2005). However, despite the tries to limit air pollution, the levels of air pollution emissions remain high.The State of New York has many programs, which take care of the environment. For example, there is the Department of Environmental Conservation. This department carries out monitoring programs as well as pollution control. It also contains a Maintenance Program and requires a Vehicle Inspection, which monitors motor vehicle emissions and requires unsuccessful pollution control equipment to be fixed. Furthermore, New York City also has Inspection and Maintenance (IM) programs. These programs requires cars to take an annual emission inspection and requires a repair when emission system is not working properly. All of these methods are used in New York to prevent more air pollution to enter the atmosphere. As a result, although air pollution remains high in New York City, these methods to protect the environment from harmful pollutants (Controlling Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles).Air pollution is a major problem in both densely populated cities New York City and Mexico City. This problem has led to an increase in asthma, as well as other respiratory diseases. It has also led to an increasing number of hospital admissions, and emergency room visits. There are a large number of fatal deaths as a result of air pollution, which is why each city must have regulations to help eliminate the pollution. People are becoming sick, and a lot of money is being spent as a result of the pollution. Not only the people are suffering from this environmental problem, but the environment as well. Carbon emissions, as well as ozone are detrimental to Earth, as well as to health. Young children and seniors are the most vulnerable to these diseases, but something can be done to protect the citizens of these cities, and that is more air pollution control policies. Mexico City and New York City have regulations, but they are not enough to end the air pollution. Cars are a necessity in every major city around the world, which creates more air pollution for the world. However, more regulations need to be placed before the environment becomes greatly impacted by the man-produced emissions