Summer Green Team: Air Pollution and How it Affects YOU

How clean is the air we breathe? As it turns out, not that clean. Humanity has struggled with air pollution for decades, and the issues are only growing worse. Since countries began entering industrial revolutions in the 1800s, we’ve started releasing pollutants into our atmosphere, notably, minuscule particles like carbon dioxide, methane, and formaldehyde. 

There are natural causes of air pollution, like forest fires and volcanic eruptions. As such, the Earth is equipped to deal with it: plants filter out air pollution and turn pollutants into clean oxygen. However, mankind is releasing pollutants at a much faster rate, and the Earth can no longer keep up. Air pollution has begun to have drastic effects on the human population, raising rates of asthma and turning our skies orange or gray with smog (a mixture of smoke and fog). 

That’s why our work at Fort Greene Park prioritizes plants and green infrastructure, so that we can better counter the growing issue of air pollution. We plant trees and grow gardens in order to help the planet and make the park as green as possible.

Better yet, you can help too! Even small acts like growing plants on your windowsill can help counteract the effects of air pollution. Things like ventilation, barbeque smoke, and dirty air conditioners can do a lot to contaminate the air you breathe in everyday, so cleaning them protects yourself and your health. Choosing to ride a bike or take the subway instead of driving a car stops the issue at its source. Above all, continue to do your research and keep educating the public.

Signing off,
Ayden, Oli, Jacob, and Selina