Air Pollution Basics

Wildfires carry hidden costs that extend beyond immediate damage. They strain public health systems, disrupt employment, and drive up nearby housing costs. Proactive strategies can help reduce these long-term financial impacts.

Wildfire season varies across the U.S. As climate change drives longer, more intense fire seasons nationwide, once-localized risks now threaten public health, ecosystems, and air quality across the country.

Air pollution in the U.S. rises significantly during the Fourth of July due to fireworks, increased travel, and backyard grilling. Sustainable celebrations and air quality monitoring can help lessen the harmful impact.

An examination of wildfire seasons in North America over the past decade reveals how climate change and human activity are driving more frequent and intense fires.

LA battles air pollution driven by geography, traffic, and summer heat. Learn about its smog history, current challenges, and efforts to protect public health.

Air pollution threatens children's health from the womb through adolescence, increasing risks of respiratory, cognitive, and chronic conditions. Early exposure can cause lifelong harm, underscoring the need for monitoring and protective action.

Air pollutants influence ecosystems, the water cycle, and global temperatures by driving acid rain, ocean acidification, ozone depletion, the greenhouse effect, and changes in Earth's albedo.

Smog includes two main types: sulfurous smog, linked to coal burning and sulfur dioxide, and photochemical smog, formed by sunlight-driven reactions between nitrogen oxides and VOCs, producing ozone and particulate matter.

Transboundary air pollution spreads across borders, harming health and ecosystems. Global cooperation is key to identifying sources and reducing pollution worldwide.

Natural sources such as wildfires, volcanoes, and sandstorms emit air pollutants like particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds, sometimes affecting human health and the climate.