By Angela Zhu from the Fume Fighters
Smog, or photochemical smog, is produced when sunlight and nitrogen oxide react to create minuscule particles. If particles are inhaled, they can cause major damage in the lungs. Nitrogen oxide is commonly released through vehicle emissions, which is why urban areas have higher amounts of smog. Smog can cause coughing and throat irritation. These effects are compounded in the elderly, children, and those that suffer from asthma. Exposure to high amounts of smog can cause breathing difficulty and lung damage. It is not only harmful to humans, it is also harmful to the environment/green life around us, and the animals around the world and in our homes. It has devastating effects on societies all across the world, and it is of utmost importance that we should save not only ourselves, but also our planet, from the looming threat that is in our cities and homes.
Our group the fume fighters formed to find a solution and spread awareness about such a pivotal issue. We wanted to expand the knowledge that we gained through research and educate people both in Long Island and in New York City.
We were able to make a presentation in front of elementary school students from Jackson elementary. This was a great experience for us because we got to share what we have learned during this process and also provides something fun and interactive for the students. We got to ask them questions and they responded with great interest and we felt more inspired to push our ideas out into the public and spread knowledge about smog.
Our trip to NYC not only opened our eyes to how badly smog affected our city but also the lack of education with NYC‘s residents. Many people were unaware of smog but they all agreed that smog is an issue that is not highlighted in the news as much as it should be. After interviewing many people, we realized that our team was tackling an issue and spreading awareness about something that plagues our city.
We interviewed some middle school and high school teachers that gave us different viewpoints on people’s approaches to smog. Our team will also host a seminar in the library to further educate people about smog and different ways to combat it.
We want to, as a team, educate people about the dangers of smog and contribute to a global search for a solution.
Our Instagram: @fumefighters
Our email: fumefighters@gmail.com
Our website: https://fumefighters.weebly.com/