Environmental Health Student Portal
Connecting School Students to Environmental Health Information

Outdoor Air Pollution

Have you ever noticed smog over a big city? Then you’ve actually seen outdoor air pollution. Some outdoor air pollution is invisible to us, of course, but it can still affect our lives.

Many factors play a role in outdoor air quality. Natural things like volcanic eruptions, wind currents, and trees affect it. Some human activities add pollutants into the air. Think of factories and power plants pumping out smoke and chemicals, and tractors on farms blowing up dust clouds. When we breathe in these pollutants, they can create health problems - or make existing health problems worse.

At this Web site, discover what causes outdoor air pollution, how you can reduce your exposure and health risks, and what people are doing all over the world to address the problem.

Explore the links at right to:

• Learn about the common air pollutants that affect outdoor air quality
• Visit Smog City 2, an interactive game where you make choices to affect air quality
• Read about how England’s pollution problem inspired other countries to change
• Find out how the Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization monitor air quality and work to reduce pollution
• Find out how industries and health officials are fighting against air pollution
• Make a jar of smog to help you understand convection currents and temperature inversions
• Learn about the Air Quality Index (AQI) and how to use it
• Watch the Air Aware video to learn about health effects of poor air quality, and programs to improve it