In 2011, Naper Settlement repaved the Chapel Parking Lot with smog-eating pavers. Smog is created when sunlight reacts with air pollution from cars, factories, and power plants. The reaction between sunlight and these pollutants produces ground-level ozone, which can reduce lung function, damage plant life, and turn the sky a brown, gray color. Today, more than 4 in 10 Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of smog. Smog-eating pavers absorb the dangerous chemicals in smog and convert them into less hazardous chemicals, purifying the air and reducing the harmful effects of smog.