1
00:00:00,370 --> 00:00:01,861
Air quality is important for

2
00:00:01,861 --> 00:00:03,779
the environment and for human health.

3
00:00:04,020 --> 00:00:05,280
We all breathe air.

4
00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:06,676
Air pollution comes in the form of

5
00:00:06,676 --> 00:00:08,262
fine particles and gases.

6
00:00:08,262 --> 00:00:11,370
They cause acid rain and pollute rivers and lakes.

7
00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:13,640
Breathing them puts people at risk

8
00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:14,834
for asthma and worse.

9
00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,280
Air pollution can be dust, haze, smoke,

10
00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:18,400
and something called smog

11
00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:19,350
because it looks like

12
00:00:19,350 --> 00:00:20,931
a mixture of smoke and fog.

13
00:00:20,931 --> 00:00:22,896
Some cities, famously Los Angeles,

14
00:00:22,896 --> 00:00:25,439
have ground-level ozone that burns the lungs.

15
00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:28,560
From space, earth lights up at night

16
00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,540
where most people live.

17
00:00:30,540 --> 00:00:32,620
Watch the lights change over the 20 years,

18
00:00:32,620 --> 00:00:33,960
from 1992

19
00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:35,000
to 2002

20
00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,100
and 2012

21
00:00:37,100 --> 00:00:40,660
More people, more cities, more lights, more energy

22
00:00:40,660 --> 00:00:42,420
being used to power those lights.

23
00:00:42,700 --> 00:00:43,576
Where does most of

24
00:00:43,576 --> 00:00:44,939
the energy we use come from?

25
00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:46,600
Burning fossil fuels.

26
00:00:46,700 --> 00:00:48,120
In addition to producing energy,

27
00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,180
burning fossil fuels produces air pollution.

28
00:00:50,185 --> 00:00:52,980
Can you guess where most air pollution is found?

29
00:00:53,739 --> 00:00:55,356
Satellites in space measure

30
00:00:55,356 --> 00:00:58,051
chemical components of Earth's air pollution,

31
00:00:58,051 --> 00:00:59,608
including nitrogen dioxide.

32
00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,700
Nitrogen dioxide makes Los Angeles type smog.

33
00:01:03,700 --> 00:01:05,440
Here is monthly NO2,

34
00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,383
nitrogen dioxide, superimposed

35
00:01:07,383 --> 00:01:08,680
over the lights at night.

36
00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:10,740
Notice how most pollution is found

37
00:01:10,740 --> 00:01:12,620
near the biggest cities and industrial areas.

38
00:01:12,621 --> 00:01:16,199
Burning forests and fields also cause pollution.

39
00:01:16,810 --> 00:01:19,633
In recent years air pollution in many places,

40
00:01:19,633 --> 00:01:21,297
especially India and China

41
00:01:21,297 --> 00:01:22,769
has reached epic levels.

42
00:01:23,140 --> 00:01:24,787
There is however some good news too.

43
00:01:24,787 --> 00:01:26,003
During the past 10 years

44
00:01:26,003 --> 00:01:28,080
over the United States and Western Europe,

45
00:01:28,689 --> 00:01:30,369
pollution has improved.

46
00:01:30,369 --> 00:01:32,614
Emissions controls, more alternative energy,

47
00:01:32,614 --> 00:01:35,063
switching power plants from coal to natural gas,

48
00:01:35,063 --> 00:01:35,879
these all help.

49
00:01:36,100 --> 00:01:38,247
A modern car in good repair produces

50
00:01:38,247 --> 00:01:40,060
only about 5% of the pollution

51
00:01:40,060 --> 00:01:41,727
that your grandfather's car

52
00:01:41,727 --> 00:01:42,839
might have in 1960.

53
00:01:42,909 --> 00:01:44,332
There's still more to do.

54
00:01:44,332 --> 00:01:47,008
We can all improve air quality around the world.

55
00:01:47,110 --> 00:01:49,302
We all share the earth, its atmosphere,

56
00:01:49,302 --> 00:01:51,551
and everyone needs to breathe clean air.

57
00:01:51,551 --> 00:01:52,619
For more information

58
00:01:52,619 --> 00:01:55,499
visit climatebits.umb.edu