The effects of car exhaust on the environment and people
Car emissions have immediate and long-term effects on the environment. Car exhaust releases a wide range of solids and gases, causing acid rain, global warming, and harming human health and the environment. Cars, trucks, and farm vehicles are the main contributors to air pollution, but owners can reduce the environmental impact of their diesel vehicles?
Global warming
Car emissions are a major contributor to global warming. One-fifth of the total global warming is caused by greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide emitted by cars and trucks.
Greenhouse gases store heat in the atmosphere, which increases global temperatures.
Without greenhouse gases, the earth would be covered in ice, but the burning of extreme amounts of fossil fuels like diesel and gasoline has caused global temperatures to rise by 0.6 degrees Celsius or 1 degree Fahrenheit since pre-industrial times.
This will continue to increase in the coming decades. The warmer global temperatures affect agriculture, wildlife, sea levels, and natural landscapes.
Air, soil, and water
Car pollution effects are widespread. It affects water, soil, and air quality.
The depletion of the ozone layer is caused by nitrous oxide, which protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet solar radiation.
Nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide mix with rainwater creates acid rain that damages forests, plants, and other vegetation as well as buildings.
Fuel and oil spills from trucks and cars seep into the soil close to highways, and particulates from car emissions contaminate wetlands, rivers, and lakes.
Human health
Fine dust, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and other automobile exhaust gases are harmful to human health.
Diesel engines emit a high proportion of particles, which are airborne particles made of soot and metal.
These cause skin and eye irritation and allergies, and very fine particles settle deep in the lungs and cause breathing problems.
Ozone inflames the lungs, causes chest pain and cough, and makes breathing difficult.
Another exhaust gas which is carbon monoxide is particularly hazardous to people and infants with heart disease because it affects the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
Other car emissions that are harmful to human health are sulfur dioxide, benzene, and formaldehyde.