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Kayla Smith 23 February 2012  “Air pollution may increase stroke, heart attack risk” **Summary ** New research shows that a rise in traffic-related pollution in the air might increase a person’s risk for a stroke. If the air quality decreases, there is a higher chance that people will get strokes within the first 24 hours of the decrease in air quality. A person is 34% more likely to get a stroke following a day of “moderate” air quality as opposed to “good” air quality. In addition to strokes, one may have a higher chance of getting a heart attack due to air pollution. Airborne pollutants can be thanked for this, particularly the burning of fossil fuels and industrial emissions. These particles that people breathe in tend to affect heart rates and the nervous system. This, in turn, affects blood flow. Doctors recommend that people try to lessen their time in areas with high pollution levels (Air pollution).

Air quality has been a big issue since the Industrial Revolution. Smog is made from ozone, and it is the most common air pollutant. Ozone is very powerful during warm seasons, and this may cause people to experience wheezing and coughing. It has been reported that over 100 million Americans vacate areas where ozone levels are too high. Over long amounts of time, breathing in air pollutants can reduce the level at which the lungs function, which can lead to many health problems (The Clean). Since the Industrial Revolution, countries have felt the effects of worsened air quality. In 1948, over 7,000 people got severely sick in Donora, PA when industrial pollution made a potent smog. In 1952, 4,000 Londoners died when the air condensation mixed with pollutants from a factory. An environmental movement took place in the 1960s that tried to lessen the damage on the earth’s ecosystems. Because of this movement the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, and Earth Day has become a celebrated holiday. Automobiles and other motor vehicles are the biggest contributors today in the U.S. of air pollutants. Motor vehicles were first made by Henry Ford in the early 1900s. The emissions contribute to greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere, and this adds to global warming. In the past century, struggles with poor air quality are very common across the globe. The “going green” campaign that was recently developed has helped somewhat with this issue (Water).
 * Relevance **

The article discusses how bad air quality is right now in many areas, but what about in the future? Will air pollution increase? Will it decrease due to the “going green” campaign? Perhaps research should be done based on use of new technology versus air quality. Also, how do other countries compare to the U.S.? One might believe developing countries could experience the same trends America has. The more countries industrialize, the more air pollution there will be. But for developed countries, improvements could be made very soon. The article focuses on heart conditions from air pollution, but how to lung conditions compare? Asthma is a pretty common disease in America. Do asthmatics suffer from poor air conditions more than those with weakened hearts? One might believe asthmatics would suffer more as a whole due to the fact that a buildup isn’t necessary. Triggers to an asthma attack occur faster and almost directly after exposure to poor air quality than the process leading up to a heart attack.
 * Evaluation **


 * Questions **
 * 1) How would air quality change if everyone in America were to get hybrids?
 * 2) Who is most at risk from poor air quality?
 * 3) Would it be more beneficial to run most industries on electricity, or would this be more expensive?
 * 4) How do other countries compare to America air quality wise?
 * 5) Are all air pollutants harmful?
 * 6) Besides factories and motor vehicles, what else contributes to poor air quality?

"Air pollution may increase stroke, heart attack risk." CNN Health. CNN, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. <www.cnn.com/2012/02/15/health/air-pollution-stroke-heart-attack-risk/index.html?iref=allsearch >.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bibliography **

"The Clean Air Trust, Keeping Our Air Clean." The Clean Air Trust, Keeping Our Air Clean. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. <http://www.cleanairtrust.org>.

"Water and Air Pollution — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. <http://www.history.com/topics/water-and-air-pollution>.