http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-nasa-images-highlight-us-air-quality-improvement/#.VHLE_vl4pcQ
After ten years, NASA’s satellite which monitors six particularly dangerous pollutants found that people living in big United States cities are breathing nitrogen dioxide (a yellow gas which can cause respiratory problems). The gas is produced during the combustion of gasoline and is a very strong proxy to the overall health of air. Many graphs are depicted which go to show that air pollution in America is decreasing, however in major cities, Nitrogen Dioxide is increasing. This provides a gaping difference between the air quality for those living in rural and suburban areas of America.
The graphs and pictures shown on this website of NASA’s satellite goes to show how air pollution in America as a whole is improving, but the quality of air in big cities is more unhealthy than it has ever been. These pictures give great visual representation as to what exactly is happening in the Unite State’s atmosphere and levels of Nitrogen Dioxide. The purpose of this article was to educate those who live in big cities of their increased medical risks due to this very dangerous pollutant.
NASA. NASA, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.22
This inconvenient truth is something that we must take into overwhelming consideration. Although we as a nation are decreasing our pollution, we have to consider how we can change our combustion levels in cities. However, as our population continues to increase, we will need to come up with alternatives in order to decrease our pollution in cities.