On average, humans breathe at an estimate, 22 times a minute. In through the nose or mouth, into your throat, down the windpipe, then divided into either the left or right lung.  Within the lungs there are tiny balloon shaped air sacs called alveoli, which are covered in tiny little blood vessels called capillaries which passes oxygen into the bloodstream. That oxygen streams to the heart and absorbed into every organ and every piece of tissue on your body.

Along with cilia, the tiny hairs in our noses that aid in the filtration of large particles in the air (dust), but harmful substances like cigarette smoke, rendering them useless: it takes two weeks for the cilia to start working properly. In addition to those tiny hairs, our bodies produce an insane amount of mucus in order to filter out the tiniest air particles!

In a study called, Air pollution causes 200,000 early deaths each year in the U.S. by Jennifer Chu, MIT News Office, Jennifer concludes that, “The group tracked ground-level emissions from sources such as industrial smokestacks, vehicle tailpipes, marine and rail operations, and commercial and residential heating throughout the United States, and found that such air pollution causes about 200,000 early deaths each year. Emissions from road transportation are the most significant contributor, causing 53,000 premature deaths, followed closely by power generation, with 52,000... finding the highest emissions-related mortality rate in Baltimore, where 130 out of every 100,000 residents likely die in a given year due to long-term exposure to air pollution.” Yearly, the number of deaths are amount to 200,000 and In Maryland alone, that the death total is 7,768.  This number doesn’t include the ones still suffering (acute asthma).

It is true that the smoggy air is hazardous and gross, It is the particals invisible to the human eye that should be concerning us. PM 2.5 is a partical soo tiny that it can get into our bloodstream ust by breathing it in. According to Wikipedia, “Particulates are the deadliest form of air pollution due to their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and blood streams unfiltered, causing permanent DNA mutations, heart attacks, and premature death.[4] In 2013, a study involving 312,944 people in nine European countries revealed that there was no safe level of particulates and that for every increase of 10 μg/m3 in PM10, the lung cancer rate rose 22%. The smaller PM2.5 were particularly deadly, with a 36% increase in lung cancer per 10 μg/m3 as it can penetrate deeper into the lungs.[5]” this deadly partical is not safe, even in the smallest amounts.

In China, the manufacturing industries have been working hard to cause on the biggest (air) pollution concern this world has every seen. An article titled, LOST LIFE EXPECTANCY DUE TO AIR POLLUTION IN CHINA, the author explains that, “In December 2012, the Global Burden of Disease analyses were published in The Lancet [5]. As part of that effort, average 2005 fine particle (PM2.5) air pollution was estimated across the world (Figure 3).[6]  Outdoor air pollution in China was estimated to contribute to 1.2 million premature deaths and 25 million healthy years of life lost.[7] Outdoor air pollution was ranked as the fourth leading risk for loss of life expectancy in China; and indoor air pollution from burning solid fuels for heating and cooking as the fifth leading cause.” This means that in China, the air pollution is on of the leading cause of death.

When a countries air quality is so bad that respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and lung cancer, are everyday issues, what can we stop this?  What can a Country do?

"Human Respiratory System and Lungs; How They Work." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://www.webmd.com/lung/how-we-breathe>.

Chu, Jennifer. "Study: Air Pollution Causes 200,000 Early Deaths Each Year in the U.S." MIT News. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2013/study-air-pollution-causes-200000-early-deaths-each-year-in-the-us-0829>.

"Particulates." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulates>.

Arden Pope III, Douglas Dockery, C. "Lost Life Expectancy Due to Air Pollution in China." Lost Life Expectancy Due to Air Pollution in China. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://cgd.swissre.com/risk_dialogue_magazine/Cardiovascular_risks_in_HGM/Lost_life_expectancy_due_to_air_pollution_in_China.html>

Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cfr.org/china/chinas-environmental-crisis/p12608>.

China

Countries such as China and India, are dealing with from a booming increase of population. With the increase of humans, the most basic needs increase. The need for transportation, refined products, food, medicine, but the end result is same… air pollution. Because of the government’s loose laws on car emissions, factory rules and regulations as well as the rapid burning of fuels for automobiles. According to the article written by actionforourplanet.com, titled "Top 10 Polluting Countries" It states that, "The biggest polluting countries are typically the states with the biggest industries, biggest production capabilities and the biggest populations." meaning that be reason for all the pollution is because these counties with so much pollution tend to produce a lot of materials (supply and demand). With China's population reaching over 1,300,000,000, it's no surprise that it is the leading contributor of air pollution.  China, the leading production countries, creates 6,018 million tonnes of air pollution yearly (or 1.32684864 x10^10 pounds). Joseph Stromberg from the Smithsonian.com wrote an article called, “Air Pollution in China Is Spreading Across the Pacific to the U.S.” in this article he states that the “impact of China's enormous manufacturing industry is very localized: Remarkably bad urban air quality in China that occasionally closes schools, has entrepreneurs selling canned air and has caused an estimated 1.2 million premature deaths.” Joseph means that, though China manufacturing companies are restricted to certain areas, the air pollution that they create is uncontainable, leaking to areas where children, adults and the elderly are exposed. The article goes on further to say that this contamination is even going over the Pacific Ocean, reaching toward the Western US.

                                   (Above is a view from space of China's expanding clouds of haze).

UNFORTUNATLY!!! The US may be to blame. Over 26 percent of the products manufactured are exported and about a fifth of that is exported to the US. The US as a Nation buys a large portion of the manufactured products made by China because the products are so cheap!

In an article written by Jonathan Kaiman, a reporter from the Guardian, he states, the worsening air pollution has already exacted a significant economic toll, grounding flights, closing highways and keeping tourists at home.” This pollution is hurting their economy significantly! According to He Dongxian, an associate professor at China Agricultural University's College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, “He has demonstrated that air pollutants adhere to greenhouse surfaces, cutting the amount of light inside by about 50% and severely impeding photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light into life-sustaining chemical energy.” This air pollution is restricting the way the Chinese maybe trying to grown their crops. Sure, the smog is quite the problem (it’s also ugly!) but it’s the fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) that’s really to be aware of. PM2.5s are an invisible super fine particle that can actually seep into your lungs and get into the bloodstream. The World Health Organization recommends a safe level of 25, China just recently hit 505!!!

The problems in China are 8X as bad as they are in the US. This is a problem that should be rectified, this problem is affecting everyone.

 The children,  the elderly, animals, life, ALL LIVING THINGS are at risk. 

In an article called, China’s Environmental Crisis written by Beina Xu, he states, “Yet experts cite water depletion and pollution as the country's biggest environmental hazards. Overuse, contamination, and waste have produced severe shortages; approximately two-thirds of China's roughly 660 cities don't have enough water despite the fact that China controls the river water supply of thirteen neighboring countries and has dammed every major river on the Tibetan plateau. The impact is particularly felt in rural areas, where some 300 to 500 million people lack access to piped water. Industry along China's major water sources has also polluted the supply heavily; in 2005, a plant explosion leaked around one hundred tons of toxic chemicals into the Songhua river.”

"Action For Our Planet." Home -. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://www.actionforourplanet.com/#/top-10-polluting-countries/4541684868>.


Stromberg, Joseph. "Air Pollution in China Is Spreading Across the Pacific to the U.S."Smithsonian. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/air-pollution-china-is-spreading-across-pacific-us-180949395/?no-ist>.

Kaiman, Jonathan. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/25/china-toxic-air-pollution-nuclear-winter-scientists>.