Written By: Ali Adnaan Raza

Grade 9
Chemistry of Smog: Pollution in the Atmosphere
The problem I will be addressing is a rather now popular and pressing problem; air
pollution and smog in the atmosphere. I would like to begin by giving expert definitions of
air pollution and smog. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is
the contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or
biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. (World Health
Organization) For smog, Professor Ruth Schwartz Cowan says, Smog is a type of air pollutant;
the word "smog" is a combination of smoke and fog. (Prof. Ruth Schwartz Cowan in A Social
History of American Technology.) In addition, smog majorly contains ground-level ozone,
Sulfur Dioxide (SO
2
), various Nitrogen Oxides (NO and NO
x
where x is number of O atoms),
CO
2
, CO and various hydrocarbons. (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
(Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency)
I will discuss the advantages and limitations one at a time of various scientific ideas and
methods to aid the solving of this dilemma which are renewable energy, The Kyoto Protocol,
use of efficient transportation and also educating the public. In this essay, I will argue that
the scientific ideas and processes to be good, but not always good, as . The scientific ideas
Im about to discuss are renewable energy, the Kyoto Protocol, efficient transportation and
educating the people.
Solution 1: Renewable Energy
Description
Written By: Ali Adnaan Raza
Grade 9
The first solution to this long-standing I would like to discuss is the use of renewable
energy to replace the disastrous, widespread burning of coal and fossil fuels to produce
electricity. The greatest advantage of this is that there are several kinds of renewable energy
to create and use as best suited to the concerned environment and country. You have solar
power which is energy from the sun converted to electricity by solar cells, panels and
collectors. Also there is hydroelectricity, which is the use of hydroelectric power plants
(usually part of dams) to generate electricity using rushing water. Furthermore, you have
geothermal energy, which is Geothermal energy (from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth,
and thermos, meaning heat) is energy made by heat inside the Earth's crust. This is usually
from activities such as radioactive decay. (Earth Science. United States of America: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston) Wind energy is created by using wind pole towers with large fans
which, when spun by win, rotate an electricity-generating turbine. Biomass energy is created
using animal waste and plant material. It can produce more electricity than wind and solar
power combined. (Energy Information Administration, Washington D.C.)
Advantages
With regards to the environment, all of these forms of renewable energy provide clean,
safe energy, and can be re-made infinitely. Economically speaking once set up and developed, it
provides cheap electricity. For example, solar cell panels are expensive, but if you set one up in
your house, itll provide free energy! From the socio-environmental aspect, renewable energy
entails less emissions and, as a result, better public and environmental health. Research shows
that The aggregate national economic impact associated with these health impacts of fossil fuels
is between $361.7 and $886.5 billion! (Union of Concerned Scientists) If all or at least most of the
worlds countries adopt renewable energy, all those expenses would go down! In addition, such
forms of energy are sustainable, meaning they can be used just as infinitely in the future.
(Source: Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21
st
Century)

Written By: Ali Adnaan Raza
Grade 9

Limitations
The first limitation is economical. While these scientific technologies are indeed radical,
not every country can afford them, particularly 3
rd
world and developing countries with low
economies. Additionally, while you may have the money, you might not have the natural or
manmade resources required to generate electricity from renewable sources. For example,
you may not have rushing water for a hydroelectric dam, or strong winds for wind turbines, or
volcanic ground heat for geothermal energy. This is more of an environmental limitation.
Finally, some cultures may not believe in using renewable energy (unlikely but possible), while
some governments might not want to use renewable energy for other political or economical
reasons. These are cultural and political limitations of renewable energy.
Solution 2: The Kyoto Protocol
Description
The Kyoto Protocol was an agreement introduced in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December
1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. It is an international agreement created
by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change). It is agreement that binds all signing countries
to reduce their emissions, whether CO
2
, SO
2
and NO
x
from fossil fuels, or CO etc. from cars to
CFCs produced by fridges and coolers.

Statistics on Renewable Energy Advantages (Source: Bull/Natural Resource Defense Council Staff Blog)
(Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency)
Written By: Ali Adnaan Raza
Grade 9
Advantages
The foremost advantage is a socio-political one. The Kyoto Protocol has rules that every
signing country has to follow. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all participating countries to
show reduction in their greenhouse gas (i.e. methane, CO
2
, CO, NO
x
, SO
2
etc.) emissions, or
else as an economical advantage to the Protocol and disadvantage to a signing country, they
will be fined heavily. Japan, Spain, and Italy alone have to pay $33 Billion worth of fines to the
UN for not complying with the Kyoto Protocol. (Rix and Carr/Bloomberg News) Another
socio-political advantage is that it unites all signing countries under the same cause to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. This means that all the countries can help each other reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions by supplying and trading resources like solar panels, green cars etc.
with them, or maybe even simply helping control amounts of fossil fuels burnt. Also, an
environmental benefit is just like the one of renewable energy, reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions, and in this case not only from fossil fuel burning for energy, but also from
transportation, agriculture and other industries. This allows fossil fuels etc. to be conserved for
future or emergency uses. Moreover, one socio-economical benefit of the Kyoto Protocol is
that countries who are willing to sign the Protocol, but do not yet have the technology to
generate renewable energy will be given extra time and may be pardoned from fines.
(United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)
Limitations
The first limitation is also a political one. Not all countries sign the Kyoto Protocol,
thus rendering the global unison of countries incomplete. This entails an environment
limitation. Lets say that there are two countries side-by-side in one continent. One large
that isnt a signer of the Protocol, and one smaller which is. The larger country will continue
to burn fossil fuels as normal, and all the smog would spread in the air until it eventually
reached the small, signing country. This shows how one non-signing country could harm one
or more signing countries. This brings us to another ethical and political limitation, that
some very rich countries might not mind paying the heavy fines upon them. Thats why for
such countries, the UN should take harsher action, such as travel restrictions, maybe.
Solution 3: Use of Efficient Transportation
Description
Efficient transportation includes cars and other vehicles with high fuel efficiency, or
ones that run on renewable energy such as solar, wind or hydroelectric power. It could also
mean non-fuelled transport, such as ferries, bicycles and rickshaws (bicycle-type public taxi
commonly used in India.) The great thing about pubic bicycle taxi and ferry services is that
they are widespread throughout the cities they operate, and do not emit any greenhouses
gases at all.
Advantages
The prime environmental advantage of efficient transportation and especially cars is
high and possibly complete removal of greenhouse gas emissions from roads and public places
if solar powered or hydrogen fuel cell powered cars are used. Theyll also be minimized if high
Written By: Ali Adnaan Raza
Grade 9
fuel economy and hybrid cars are used. This then leads to a socio-environmental advantage of
clearer skies and safer, smog-free streets, which is crucially required for China, predominantly
in Beijing. Last year, the average concentration of fine particles was 89.5 micrograms per
cubic meter in Beijing due to all the smog. (World Health Organization reported by Deutsch
Welle News) Due to this, people who go out may even have to wear gas masks in certain
places! This is quiet grave, and can clearly be seen in the pictures below.


As an added economical advantage, you would be saving petrol, natural gas and other fossil
fuels and even electrical and human chemical energy by using efficient transportation!
Chevrolet Volt in full electric mode uses 36 kWh per 100 miles (810 kJ/km), meaning it may be
more energy-efficient than walking for 4 or more passengers. (US Department of Energy Field
Operations Program)
Limitations
There are two main limitations concerning efficient transport. The first one is a socio-
economical one. Obviously, solar- and hydrogen fuel cell powered cars will cost an arm and a
leg for most ordinary people. Even hybrid cars are quite expensive to buy no matter the
brand. The reason for this is that, socially speaking, such technology is currently very
uncommon, and hard to procure unless you have the time and the money. However, more
and more companies are making high fuel efficiency and hybrid cars, and the more common
they get, the cheaper they become.
Solution 4: Educating the People
Description
Educating the people is my favorite scientific-ideological solution, as it is something we all
can do to a certain extent. This could include anything from telling a fried about the dangers
of greenhouse gases and about solutions to posting tips on Facebook to running awareness
campaigns in your local or national community.
Smog in China and its Effects (Reuters)
Written By: Ali Adnaan Raza
Grade 9
Advantages
The advantages of this are largely social. First of all. This is the best way to spread
information from one person to another quickly in just general discussions. Second, its quite
easy to post such things on Facebook to all those you know for them to read and share with
further more people, who in turn could also share it and so on. Furthermore, local of national
awareness campaigns can be run, and events can be held like shows, plays and demonstrations.
And if such a campaign becomes international and a charity is opened for raising money
development of green technologies, it could lead to a economical and political benefit.
Limitations
There are a couple of social and ethical limitations with regards to educating the people.
Socially speaking, the message, unless spread quickly by the smaller groups, might not reach
on a large enough scale to have any significant benefit or reduction in emissions. What's
more, ethically speaking, some groups of people or individuals that are told about the harms
of smog and greenhouse gases and ways to reduce these, they might not care enough to
spread the message, particularly if there are disagreements between the teaching person
and the taught person.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the solutions suggested above are very good, but they do have some
setbacks and limitations. Renewable energy and efficient transportation will both reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from petrol and natural gas. The Kyoto Protocol and awareness
campaigns help unite governments and civilians under the cause of reducing fossil fuel
emissions from a local to a natural to a global scale. Educating the people is something we all
can do to contribute to the reduction of fossil fuel emissions personally. Looking at all of the
actions currently in place, I would suggest that charities be opened for people to donate
towards the development of renewable energy technologies and fuel efficient transportation,
as these are the main contributors towards reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Written By: Ali Adnaan Raza
Grade 9
Bibliography
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/slyutse/in_an_arkansas_times_oped.html
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/public-
benefits-of-renewable.html#globalwarming
https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=akEM_x0ximjk
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/ghg/global-ghg-emissions.html
http://www.dw.de/smog-makes-beijing-barely-suitable-for-living/a-17453349
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/avta/pdfs/nev/gem2005e4.pdf