Virginia is home to a variety of creatures -- from everyday cardinals in your backyard to rarely-seen black bears in the Blue ...

But the Blue Ridge Mountains no longer look as vibrant as they once did. Through pollution, humans have added additional particles into the atmosphere of the region, worsening visibility overall.

People take in the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from atop Grandfather Mountain near Linville, N.C., Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, as autumn arrives in the highlands. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) ...