There’s no doubt about it; California has a smog problem. Three factors are currently encouraging the unhealthy levels of air pollution in California:
- Considerable amounts of air pollution have been created from the activities of 33 million people,
- Terrain or topography traps contamination, and
- A warm, sunny climate helps shape ozone and other air pollutants.
Plenty of People, Tons of Pollution
During activities, Californians release tens of thousands of tons of pollutants. But we each might create a little bit of air contamination the combined pollution in the 33 million Californians adds up into a big issue.
Sources of Air Pollution
Some air pollutants are discharged and formed via the combustion (burning) of petroleum-based products and other fuels like wood. Examples of those air pollution sources are:
1. Gas and diesel-powered motor vehicles such as cars, trucks, trains and boats;
2. Factories;
3. Electricity plants;
4. Fireplaces.
Tons of pollutants also enter the air through evaporation (liquids turning into gases). Sources of air pollution from evaporation include:
1. Fuel from gas storage and dispensing facilities (service stations, gas terminals, and refineries);
2. Automobile and truck gasoline tanks and gasoline storage containers;
3. Firms which use solvents and paint;
4. Personal, family, and business consumer goods like automotive cleaning products, aerosol paints which contain smog-forming ingredients like hydrocarbon propellants and alcohol, and hairsprays.
The Perfect Conditions For Smog
California’s land and its hot climate are perfect for forming and trapping air pollutants. California cities are built on coast or in valleys. These regions are organic prevent the air and bowls that trap air pollution. On some days temperature inversions (in which the air closer to the ground becomes cooler than the air above) behave as grasses which trap air pollutants near the ground. This prevents vertical mixing (the upper, cleaner air mixing together with the decreased, polluted atmosphere) and the dispersion of pollutants.
On days that are hot, pollutants emitted by vehicles, industry, and several products (nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds) react with each other to generate ozone, the main element of smog.
Through the winter, temperature inversions can trap Particles that are miniature of smoke and exhaust from cars, trucks, fireplaces, and anything which burns fuel. This retains the contamination close to the ground level and in our lungs.