Pollution solutions

Ranger Rick, April, 1994 by Lyle Prescott

AIR CARE

Worldwide, the stinky problem of air pollution has grown. More and rnore factories, cars, and trucks keep adding their bad breath to the air.

But the battle against air pollution is also growing. Many U.S. cities still have dirty air. So most states are making tougher laws against air pollution. And scientists keep looking for ways to make factories and cars run cleaner.

CLEANER RAIN?

Chemicals called sulfates puff out of coalburning factories around the world. When the sulfates mix with clouds, acid rain falls and harms lakes, rivers, and plants - and the creatures that need them. Also, wind blows the air around, so sulfates from one place can fall as acid rain many miles away.

The good news is that many countries are working hard to end acid rain. Scientists are figuring out ways to make coal burn more cleanly.

And in many parts of North America, the amount of sulfates spewing into the air has gone down. So less acid rain seems to be falling!

DIRTY WATER?

Nearly half of our lakes, and rivers are polluted. Often, companies dump chemical wastes into water. Plus, rain water mixes with chemicals on the ground, and this "runoff" ends up in lakes, rivers, and bays. Runoff comes from farms, lawns, golf courses, streets, parking lots, and other places as well. YUK! The runoff problem is like a monster with many tails.

But solutions are springing up. Some rivers have been made much cleaner. And there are big plans to clean up the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, the Mississippi River, and other bodies of water.

GOOD ENERGY

NEWS

When we burn coal and oil for energy, we cause pollution. But little by little, we're getting more energy from the sun and the wind. This energy is clean and renewable (that means we'll never run out of it). Energy from the sun now helps heat and light more than 100,000 homes in the United States.

More good news: Many electric companies have discovered that saving energy is better than making more energy. So they offer to send experts to people's homes. There these experts look for energy "leaks" - places where energy is being wasted.

POISONS IN FOOD

Farmers often spray chemicals on crops to protect them against pests, These chemicals are called pesticides. Scientists liave found that pesticides often end up in our food.

Pesticides can cause health problems-especially for kids. But here's the good news. The U.S. government is helping farmers find ways to protect crops without using many pesticides,

CLEANER CARS

Cars are the world's biggest air polluters. But scientists are trying to invent cars that pollute less. And they even have the help of U.S. President Bill Clinton. He wants to see a car invented that can go 80 miles on a single gallon of gas - about three times farther than cars can now go on one gallon.

Meanwhile, scientists keep experimenting with other clean fuels. Farmers in Illinois are trying a fuel in their tractors made from soybeans. And a bunch of electric minivans are zipping arouiid in at least six U.S. cities.

BASH THAT TRASH

In 1993, each person in the United States threw away about four pounds (1.8 kg) of trash daily. Put it all together and you'd fill 45,000 trash trucks every day!

About 1/3 of this waste comes from packaging, But here's a bit of good news. Some companies have begun to use less packaging. And lots of U.S. cities have started recycling projects. In these ways we've begun making less trash.

So, dear world, you may be covered with muck and gasping for air. But many people are working hard to fix you, and many kids are rooting for you too. By the time these kids have grown up, you may be on the way to being your clean old self again!