332. "SMOG"

"SMOG"

Smog is a new word coined in the the early 1900s.

Two words are used: Smoke + fog = Smog (Humo mas niebla).

So, when there is a lot of pollution, you can see a thick brown fog called smog.

 Smog in Madrid

When you are on top of a high mountain or coming into the city from the countryside, then you will see the smog that looks like brown smoke when there is a fire.

As you can see from the photo above, living and breathing this smog can have serious consequences for people´s health.

In the past, smoke was caused by burning coal and industrial areas.

Today, most of the smog is called photochemical smog.

This smog is produced when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and one vollatile organic compound in the atmosphere.

Nitrogen oxides come from car exhaust and factory imissions.

The big problem is that there are a lot of cars in the city and people arebreathing toxic fumes.

There are studies which say that the diesel exhaust from cars can cause severe lung problems, and evenlung cancer. 

Therefore, smog is unhealthy to humans and animals.

Smog contains a health-harming pollutant called ozone.

High levels of ozone can cause difficulty in breathing because ozone can have negative effects in the lungs.

If you breathe deeply, you will feel a little irritation in the upper part of the chest.

If a person suffers from asthma, high levels of bad ozone can trigger asthma attacks.

Climate change also increases the amount of ozone. Temperatures have risen 2 degrees in the past century.

The planet Earth will be a dangerous place to live in many countries if mankind doesn´t do anything to clean the atmosphere..... and use alternative energies instead of using petrol.

Our planet is getting too hot, the Arctic is melting and 

people will die if we don´t make the planet Earth clean 

again.

So remember, somtimes if there is a lot of smog pollution in the air, it´s a good idea to wear a surgical mask when walking in the street, riding a bicycle or a motorcycle.

 

Vocabulary 

Coined = inventaron

Early = principios 

A lot of = mucho

Thick = denso

Fog = niebla

Top = cima

Countryside = el campo

Looks like = se parece

Most = la mayoria

Coal = carbon

Breathing = respirando

Fumes = humos

Even = incluso

Therefore = por tanto

Unhealthy =  dañino

Health-harming = dañino para la salud

Lungs = pulmones

Deeply = profundamente

Upper part = parte superior

Chest = pecho

Trigger = desencadenar

Risen = subido

Mankind = humanidad

Wear = llevar

Instead = en lugar

So = así que 

Listen to the Platters sing with the lyrics, "Smoke gets in your eyes" = El humo entra en tus ojos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfBboBz3yoc