What do smog, acid rain, carbon monoxide, fossil fuel exhausts,
and tropospheric ozone have in common? They are all examples of
air pollution. Air pollution is not new. As far back as the 13
th century, people started complaining about coal dust and soot
in the air over London, England. Since the beginning of the
industrial revolution in the late 1700s, we have been changing
the Earth's atmosphere and its chemistry. As industry spread
across the globe, so did air pollution. Air pollution has many
effects. In addition to being ugly, it can cause illness and
even death. It damages buildings, crops, and wildlife. The worst
air pollution happened in London when dense smog (a mixture of
smoke and fog) formed in December of 1952 and lasted until March
of 1953. 4,000 people died in one week. 8,000 more died within
six months. Air pollution is made up of solid particles and
chemicals. Natural processes impacting the atmosphere include
volcanoes, biological decay, and dust storms. Plants, trees, and
grass release vola