Health & Fitness

When it comes to the relative health of our environment, it seems like everyone should be concerned. Our environment is a delicate balance of a variety of different elements working in perfect harmony with one another. When one or more of these elements gets out of whack, the effects can be exponentially compounding.

What are some of the factors that contribute to the general well-being of our environment? Air quality is an enormous factor thats getting a lot of press these days. As our cities become more and more polluted and this pollution seeps into our wildlife preserves, the need for environmental vigilance becomes ever clearer.

One of the biggest contributing factors to our general reduction in air quality is automobile exhaust. Automobiles burn gasoline and the burning of this gasoline produces a substance called carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that in large quantities can inhibit our bodys ability to use oxygen.

Car Exhaust Contributes to Smog
If you live in a major urban area, then the chances are good that youve come into contact with smog of some sort. This yellow brown layer of bad air is truly harmful to our health. Since the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th Century, man has been creating an increasingly resilient layer of smog in which to live.

Smog is actually a combination of two words, smoke and fog. The word was invented back in 1905 by Dr. H. A. Des Voeux to describe a condition that was becoming more prevalent in the rapidly industrializing cities. Smog was initially caused primarily by coal burning households and factories. Today, smog is primarily a result of car exhaust fumes.

Luckily, some governments are listening to scientists who warn about the harmful effects of smog. It can cause severe respiratory problems and when it is thick enough it can block the vitamin D that we normally obtain from the sun. Not only does smog have the ability to affect localized urban areas, but smog and air pollution in general can harm the UV-shielding ozone layer.

Fuel Efficient Cars Are a Step in the Right Direction
One of the best ways that we can help reduce smog and general air pollution on a personal level is to invest in a fuel efficient automobile. SUV owners arent going to like to hear this, but these gas guzzlers are generally considered to be the antitheses to some of the more forward thinking environmentally conscious cars. Even with an SUV though there are ways to make it more fuel efficient.

There are some interesting aftermarket products that can really boost your car or SUVs fuel efficiency. Some of these products consist of easy to install chips that can make your car up to 15 percent more fuel efficient. In addition to using a good aftermarket fuel booster, common sense can go a long way. If you have the ability to car pool, this can be an excellent way to cut the air pollution youre responsible for in half.