Air Pollution and Effects on Research Paper

Whereas the level of air pollution in Canada is smaller than the ones in other countries, it can still be considered to play an important role in the tourist industry. People generally come to the country thinking about fresh mountain air and no pollution. However, if one of those wanting to visit Canada would have came across the information that, in 2007 alone, air pollution in Toronto was responsible for 1,700 premature deaths and 6000 hospitalizations, the respective person would certainly have second thoughts regarding their travel destination.

When concerning the impact of air pollution on Canada's agricultural sector, matters become even more complicated, as it is responsible for deficiencies in other divisions of the country's economy. Airborne pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide transform in acid rain when they are mixed with water vapor. Acid rain has a devastating effect on plants and on aquatic ecosystems, reducing the level of production coming from both resources. "Some areas of the region issue advisories, recommending that people limit their consumption of certain types of sport fish" (Environment Canada). With the plants and the fish being contaminated, people have to resort to spending money on attempting to decontaminate them, or on buying more expensive products that are not polluted.

Crops in Canada are normally insured and when productions are destroyed as an effect of pollution, insurance agencies have to come up with funds meant to repair the situation by reimburse the people affected.

One of the most harmful pollutants transported through air is Mercury and it too can have severe effects on Canadian economy. Every organism exposed to the air pollutant in large quantities or for long amounts of time has greater chances of being critically affected by it.

Communications are also affected by the fact that air is polluted, as radio signals from space and high frequency radio wave communications can be jammed by the Particulate matters travelling suspended in the atmosphere. Whether coming from chemical reactions, or from the smokestacks of factories, particulate matters are likely to cause interruptions radio, telephone, and television signals.Air pollution does not only affect economic sectors directly related to it, as it can have an influence on a series of domains, ranging from banking to communication. People need to make choices that might come in disagreement with their principles relating to comfort in the present in order to avoid having to pay money because of air pollution.

Works cited:

1. Hessing Melody, and Howlett Michael, Canadian Natural Resource and Environmental Policy: Political Economy and Public Policy (Vancouver, B.C.: University of British Columbia Press, 1997) 22.

2. Reese April, "Bad Air Days," E. Nov. 1999: 28.

3. "Airborne Pollutants Cause Health and Environmental Problems." Retrieved March 20, 2010, from the Environment Canada Web site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Regional_Clean_Air_Online/Atlantic_Region/Effects_of_Air_Pollution-WSCD9DB205-1_En.htm

4. "Particulate Matter (PM)." Retrieved March 20, 2010, from the Environment Canada Web site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/PM_2.5,10-WS2C68B45C-1_En.htm

5. "New index measures health risk from air pollution in Toronto." Retrieved March 20, 2010, from the Toronto Web site: http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf/7017df2f20edbe2885256619004e428e/c45184c94964b48b852573130056749d?OpenDocument

6. "Poor air quality affects Canadians in a variety of far-reaching ways, from our physical health, to our environment, to our economy.." Retrieved March 20, 2010, from the Environment Canada Web site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Economic_Impacts-WS2EE1026A-1_En.htm

"New index measures health risk from air pollution in Toronto." Retrieved March 20, 2010, from the Toronto Web site: http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf/7017df2f20edbe2885256619004e428e/c45184c94964b48b852573130056749d?OpenDocument

"Airborne Pollutants Cause Health and Environmental Problems." Retrieved March 20, 2010, from the Environment Canada Web site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Regional_Clean_Air_Online/Atlantic_Region/Effects_of_Air_Pollution-WSCD9DB205-1_En.htm

"Particulate Matter (PM)." Retrieved March 20, 2010, from the Environment Canada Web site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/PM_2.5,10-WS2C68B45C-1_En.htm.....