Reduction of Air Pollutants
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Provided by: Khan Academy|Published on: April 27, 2021
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video outlines the history of the Clean Air Act and how it has helped improve air quality in the United States by limiting harmful pollutants.
- Personal and systemic actions that can help improve air quality are presented, including reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, investing in clean energy, and conserving energy in daily life.
- The video specifically emphasizes electric and hybrid vehicles as a way to reduce air pollution.
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Civics, History
Authors: Khan Academy
Region: North America, United States
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The video gives actionable steps students can take in their daily life to help keep our air clean.
- The interactive quiz allows students to test their understanding with immediate feedback.
Additional Prerequisites
- Standards for AP Environmental Science are included under the video.
- There is a time-stamped transcript available for students to follow along, as well as closed captioning and subtitles.
Differentiation
- In a civics class, students could further research the impact of the Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, or identify other policies or government agencies that help protect the environment.
- The video shares the story of a specific town's experience with air pollution. Students could use this as inspiration to research how their community has been affected by air pollution.
- Biology and health classes could investigate the negative health effects of air pollution using the story of Donora as an example.
- Other stories of air pollution in specific areas include this video about the Bronx and this lesson about Illinois.
- Other resources related to air pollution include the map World's Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index and the lesson Comparing Air Quality Index and Cities: Finding Patterns in Data.
This 7-minute video presents the history of air pollution regulations in the United States, starting with a major pollution event in Donora, PA that killed 20 people. It walks through the history of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Clean Air Act and highlights additional strategies that can be used to further reduce air pollution. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
