Aahnaf Newaz and Hasan Ali

Lichens can be used as environmental indicators as they can only grow in places with clean air. They can’t grow in a place where the air is polluted with sulfur dioxide, therefore they can show us which areas are more polluted than others. Some types of lichens (Leafy and Crusty) can grow in places where there is pollution, however it has to be at a low amount. Bushy lichens are the only types of lichens that need really clean air. Lichens are unlikely to grow in places near roads as they are used by a lot of cars that release sulfur dioxide. The near roads the level of sulfur dioxide will high and so the air will be polluted. Yellow colored lichens are extremely unlikely to grow in places near roads as they need clean air to grow. Green and red lichens can grow in places near roads as long as the level of sulfur dioxide is low.

Fossil fuels are one major reason to why SO2 and CO2 is released in to the atmosphere. The way we can remove SO2 and CO2 from the atmosphere is by using several different methods such as solar panels to reduce the amount of fossils fuels being burnt for power. We can also use wind turbines which will generate electricity which means we would not need to use any fossil fuels which would reduce the SO2 in the air. The reason why would know it will be working is because Lichens would grow and when they do the color of their organism will be either green or yellow, yellow meaning the air is clean and if it is green then the air is slightly polluted. So by building these things in the countryside or on buildings(solar panels) you can reduce the amount of CO2 and SO2 in the air keeping it less polluted.