Fossil Fuels and Pollution: The Future of Air Quality

by: Julie Kerr, Ph.D. Casper

Clean air is essential to life and good health. Several important pollutants are produced by fossil fuel combustion and emitted directly into the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and hydrocarbons. In addition, total suspended particulates contribute to air pollution, and nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons combine in the atmosphere to form tropospheric ozone, the major constituent of smog. With an examination of fossil fuels as energy sources and the world population's reliance on them, "Fossil Fuels and Pollution" outlines the connection of fossil fuels to global warming. This new full-color book explores the properties of greenhouse gases, the nature and causes of the emissions, who the largest contributors are, and the important health issues and considerations associated with them. The concepts of energy efficiency and fuel economy are also examined as well as agricultural greenhouse gases and pollution. "Fossil Fuels and Pollution" ends with a close look at fuel technology and the "green technology" that has been put into place for tomorrow's cars. The chapters include: Energy, Fossil Fuels, and Global Warming; Greenhouse Gases, Health, and the Environment; Evolution Since the Industrial Revolution; Global Warming and Pollution: Buildings and Homes; Global Warming and Pollution: Green Transportation; Global Warming and Pollution: Cities and Industry; Global Warming: Agriculture and the Impacts Today; Fuel Technology; Green Technology: Tomorrow's Cars Today; and, Conclusions: The Future of Air Quality.