Air Pollution, it affects us all.....................

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There is sadly, no doubt that air pollution is a growing problem, not just here in the UK, but also around the world.  It is an issue that affects so many of us either directly or indirectly.  It is causing harm to us,  to our health, our ecosystems, the natural world around us, no matter if you live in a rural or urban area. 

The aviation industry, whilst really slow to make a start in realising its responsibilities has been investigating a number of ways to make air travel more sustainable and environmentally sound.   

Air pollution occurs when clean air is polluted by particulate matter (PM). This is made up of solid or liquid particles from natural sources such as pollen and desert sand, or from man-made sources, such as dust, soot and smoke.

Man-made PM mainly comes from wood-burning stoves, solid-fuel stoves, and open fires in homes; industrial combustion and processes; and road transport.

Air pollution also comes from gases that have been released into the atmosphere from a wide range of sources, including:

Ammonia – from agricultural fertilisers, manure and human waste.

Nitrogen oxides – for example, from burning fossil fuels for road transport.

Sulphur dioxide – from industrial combustion, energy generation and domestic burning.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – these can be found in products such as solvents, detergents, and synthetic coatings in paint and soft furnishings. 

Rachel Brown

Rachel Brown from DIY Garden has written this excellent article on Air Pollution: How to Create an ‘Air Quality’ Garden

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