Air Care

Worldwide, the stinky problem of pollution has grown. More and more factories, cars, and trucks add their bad breath to the air. But the battle against air pollution is also growing. Many U.S. cities still have dirty air. So most states are ma­king tougher laws against air pollution. And scien­tists are looking for ways to make factories and cars run cleaner.

Cleaner Rain?

Chemicals called sul­fates puff out of coal-bur­ning factories around the world. When the sulfates mix with clouds, acid rain falls and harms lakes, rivers and plants - and the crea­tures that need them. Also, the wind blows the air around. So, sulfates from one place can fall as acid rain many miles away. The good news is that many countries are working hard to end acid rain. Scientists are figuring out ways to make coal burn more cleanly. And in many parts of North America, the amount of sulfates in the air has dropped. So less acid rain is falling!

Dirty Water?

Nearly half of the lakes in North America are pol­luted. Often, companies dump chemical wastes into water. But scientists are finding a solution to this problem, too. Some rivers have been made much cleaner. And there are big plans to clean up the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, the Mississippi River, and other bodies of water.