Our furry friends are exposed to many of the same indoor air pollutants we are, if not more, considering the fact that pets spend the majority of their time indoors. Because of this constant exposure to polluted indoor air, pets are more susceptible to developing nose and throat ailments, as well as asthma and bronchitis.
To help protect our pets, it is important to keep homes well ventilated and pollutant-free. To create the perfect indoor air environment, choose a Venta Airwasher for the right balance of humidification and natural reduction of indoor air pollutants. The Airwasher does not use dirty filters and does not produce ozone or white dust, so be assured your pet will be comfortable and safe around a Venta Airwasher. For all the bird owners out there, pet birds, in particular, need adequate indoor air quality.
Mary McQueen, founder of Hand and Beak, and owner of Luigi the Lovebird explains how the Airwasher has made a difference in her air quality:. Birds have a complex respiratory system and air quality is supremely important, clean air as well as humidified air. Also if a bird gets sick the vet bills can be astronomical, thousands of dollars is not unheard of for a serious illness. I love my Venta so much that one time I kissed it! One of the most interconnected groups of animals on Earth, insects are very susceptible to the consequences of air pollution.
Small fluctuations in air quality force insects to relocate, alter their food intake and reduce their colony size. Bees, in particular, are a hot topic when it comes to discussing the effects of air pollution on wildlife. Air pollutants break down plant-emitted scent molecules, which insect pollinators use to locate food. Sea turtles in particular ingest large amounts of plastic debris.
Plastic bags pose a problem in particular because they look similar to jellyfish or algae, the primary prey to some sea turtle species. In fact, researchers believe that over half of the world's sea turtles have consumed plastic at one time or another. Ingesting plastic can result in decreased ability to digest foods and intestinal blockage.
The plastic generally cannot pass through their system and typically results in death unless treated. Recycling plastics can help reduce the amount of marine debris in the oceans and protect sea turtles and other wildlife. Marina Somma is a freelance writer and animal trainer.
She holds a B. Marina has worked with a number of publications involving animal science, behavior and training, including animals. Define Chemical Pollution.
The Effects of Sewage on Aquatic Ecosystems. The Effects of Bioaccumulation on the Ecosystem. These oil giants are rapidly building petrochemical plants across the United States to turn fracked gas into plastic. This means more toxic air pollution and plastic in our oceans.
The largest one has been dubbed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Just how big is it? Using the map below, click and drag around the garbage patch shown in red. Thousands of animals, from small finches to blue whales, die grisly deaths from eating and getting caught in plastic.
The Center for Biological Diversity is tackling this problem on multiple fronts. Environmental Protection Agency asking the government to regulate plastics as a pollutant under the Clean Water Act and will keep pushing for plastic pollution to be treated as the hazardous waste that it is.
These alien conditions disrupt the delicate biological balance that has evolved over thousands of years. Toxic metals from human activities accumulate to create a bewildering number of hazards to wildlife. Animal agriculture, fossil fuels, mining, metal refining, and waste-water discharge create toxic levels of pollutants beyond what naturally cycles through soil, air and water.
Pollution is have detrimental effects on the health of wildlife. Synthetic chemicals, acid rain and oil are all toxic. Additional types of pollution harm wildlife in indirect ways, changing or destroying their habitats. Carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere, resulting in changes in climate and the distribution of habitats. The ozone layer is being damaged by chlorofluorocarbons, causing destruction from the effects of excessive ultraviolet radiation on wild animals and their food sources.
Grasslands, marshes and canyons are being destroyed by solid waste landfills. Gases, solid particles and aerosols are polluting the air. Air pollution negatively affects wildlife by changing plant communities. Stunted plant growth from atmospheric ozone affects the quality of habitat and food sources.
Birds are threatened directly by coal power production exhaust, which damages their respiratory systems. Air pollution also indirectly threatens birds.
Mercury accumulates in the food chain, wreaking havoc on predatory bird populations. Acidic rivers and streams, resulting from acid rain, causes respiratory distress in fish.
Clearer water from higher acid levels also results in temperature and light increases in the water, causing native fish to relocate to cooler and darker habitats. Amphibians have changed both physiologically and behaviorally due to air pollution. Ozone damages their immune systems. Insects are especially susceptible to the dangers of air pollution. Air quality fluctuations can cause insects to relocate, affecting the plants and animals connected to them.
Insects more resilient to air pollution digest organic waste less effectively, resulting in a buildup of organic waste when air pollution increases. Metal smelters release toxic metals through tall smokestacks that have negative effects on wild animals. Pollutants cause environmental contamination both close to the source, and downwind of smelters. Air pollution is damaging lung tissues of animals. Chlorofluorocarbons CFCs have damaged the ozone layer that protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation.
Ozone molecules near the ground damage wildlife lung tissues and reduces plant respiration by blocking openings in leaves. A plant not able to photosynthesize at a high rate due to inadequate respiration cannot grow. Holes in the ozone layer also cause skin cancer in wildlife.
Greenhouse gases from air pollution are warming the planet. Through photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and use the carbon to grow.
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