Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

What Can You Do?Indoor Air Pollution•Test for radon and formaldehyde inside your home andtake corrective measures as needed.• Do not buy furniture and other products containingformaldehyde.• Remove your shoes before entering your house to reduceinputs of dust, lead, and pesticides.•Test your house or workplace for asbestos fiber levelsand for any crumbling asbestos materials if it was builtbefore 1980.• Don't live in a pre-1980 house without having its indoor airtested for asbestos and lead.• Do not store gasoline, solvents, or other volatilehazardous chemicals inside a home or attached garage.• If you smoke, do it outside or in a closed room vented tothe outside.• Make sure that wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, andkerosene- and gas-burning heaters are properly installed,vented, and maintained.• Install carbon monoxide detectors in all sleeping areas.Figure 20-22 What can you do? Ways to reduce your exposureto air pollution.CRITICAL THINKING1. Explain why you agree or disagree with the followingstatement: “Because we have not proved absolutely thatanyone has died or suffered serious disease from nitrogenoxides, current federal emission standards for thispollutant should be relaxed.”2. Identify climate and topographic factors in your localcommunity that (a) intensify air pollution and (b) helpreduce air pollution.3. Should all tall smokestacks be banned? Explain.4. Explain how sulfur in coal can increase the acidity ofrainwater.5. Do you agree or disagree with the possible weaknessesof the U.S. Clean Air Act listed on p. 454? Defendeach of your choices.6. Explain why you agree or disagree with each of theproposals listed in Figure 20-21 (p. 459) for shifting theemphasis to preventing air pollution over the next severaldecades. Which two of these proposals do you believeare the most important?7. Congratulations! You are in charge of reducing airpollution in the country where you live. List the threemost important features of your policy for (a) outdoor airpollution and (b) indoor air pollution.PROJECTS1. Evaluate your exposure to some or all of the indoor airpollutants in Figure 20-13 (p. 450) in your school, workplace,and home. Come up with a plan for reducing yourexposure to these pollutants.2. Have buildings at your school been tested for radon?If so, what were the results? What has been done aboutareas with unacceptable levels? If this testing has notbeen done, talk with school officials about having itdone.3. Use the library or the Internet to find bibliographic informationabout Michael J. Cohen and Hilary F. French,whose quotes appear at the beginning and end of thischapter.4. Make a concept map of this chapter’s major ideas, usingthe section heads, subheads, and key terms (in boldface).Look on the website for this book for informationabout making concept maps.LEARNING ONLINEThe website for this book contains study aids and manyideas for further reading and research. They include achapter summary, review questions for the entire chapter,flash cards for key terms and concepts, a multiple-choicepractice quiz, interesting Internet sites, references, and aguide for accessing thousands of InfoTrac ® College Editionarticles. Log on tohttp://biology.brookscole.com/miller14Then click on the Chapter-by-Chapter area, choose Chapter20, and select a learning resource.460 CHAPTER 20 Air Pollution