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Air pollution is one of the major killers and a threat that affects everything around the world. According to usatoday.com nearly 7 million people die each year from air pollution. We live and breathe in polluted air which puts our health and life in a very high risk. It is comparable to other diseases that cause many deaths like HIV or malaria. If we care about the environment, why haven’t we done anything yet? Do we still have time to fix things for our planet? These are some of the questions that remain unanswered and makes the air pollution a tremendous concern for countries around the world. There is no easy solution and this requires a well and long term plan with an immediate action. It needs a very cautious and well-organized objective. Utilizing proper tools and combining the efforts of everyone can make the difference.
It came to my attention when I realized that air quality is associated with so many things surrounding us. Air pollution negatively impacts our lives and to better understand it, we need to analyze the damages and realize that this major threat can destroy our planet.
Air pollutant is a serious global complication and remains a public concern worldwide that requires immediate action. The first major problem air pollution causes is related to human health. Poisonous gases are the cause of many respiratory problems like asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory distress.. Air pollutants can create inflammation and reduce lungs functionality resulting in asthma, shortness of breath or other pulmonary problems. As stated in an article published to NCBI, “A study from Japan in 2014 of 10,069 children aged 6-9 years found TRAP associated with development of asthma”
Air pollutants can also create other health problems including heart and skin diseases, as well as birth defects. Different ages of people react differently to pollutants but the most vulnerable and sensitive to these toxic substances are children or older adults because their immune system is weaker. As we can see, air pollution is a root of a variety of short and long term health problems.
Similarly to human health, another effect triggered by air pollution is global warming. In the last decades, it has become one of the most significant concerns worldwide. Temperatures are rising at the fastest rate. Toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and can even last for years which lead to hotter temperatures. Primarily,global warming is generated by carbon dioxide spreaded in the atmosphere and built up over time. As reported to nrdc.org, in the United States, use of fuels as the primary source to make electricity produces about two billion tons of CO2 every year. The evidence leads us to the conclusion that particles like carbon dioxide correlated to poor air quality is one of the main originators of global warming.
Health and global warming are not the only risks caused by different toxic chemicals associated with air pollution. Likewise, indoor pollution is another significant problem that we are facing today. We spent the majority of our time indoors especially at home. Thus, air pollution related to indoor activities can expose us to a variety of risks that can affect our health and the environment. Some indoor activities that deteriorate the air quality are cleaning, cooking or heating systems whose risks are rapidly expanding due to the rise in the population, therefore, causing more pollution. Improper use or maintenance of home appliances can clog the indoor-filtration system and release substances that affect the air quality. Cleaning products can also kill organic environmental compounds contributing to poor outdoor air quality.
Evidently, from smog around the cities to smoke inside the home, air pollution is a massive threat. There is evidence that indicates air pollution is accountable for many short or long term term health problems. According to an article written by Eleanor Bird and medically reviewed by Dr. Mary Cooke, Medicalnewstoday, hospitalization admission for neurological conditions due to air pollution exposure have rapidly increased. The study was conducted to over 63 million people in the United States. Some of the neurological conditions correlated to this exposure include Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. “Specifically, for every 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air increase in annual fine particulate matter concentrations, there was a 13% increased risk for hospital admissions” The study took place nationwide using the data collected from different zip codes between 2000-2016 for over 63 million people to investigate the correlation between the particles that cause the pollution and the neurological diseases. Likewise, scientists have shown that even people at young age living in residential areas with high levels of pollution are presenting markers of disorders of the nervous system.
Air pollution is not only associated with health disorders or diseases as it was previously mentioned, it is responsible and a major factor that affects global warming. It is hard to believe that tiny particles like aerosol which is one of the many substances released into the atmosphere can have a significant effect on global warming. The last seven years are recorded as the hottest years, especially the 2016 and 2020 are the warmest years on record. NASA opened up about its concerns related to the rise of the temperatures and provided some evidence indicating that ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are shrinking and greenhouse gases are accountable for this rapid change. “Experiment shows that Greenland lost an average of 279 billion tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2019, while Antarctica lost about 148 billion tons of ice per year”, Greenhouse gases are the main cause of the polar ice melting at a dangerous rate. It is one of the different compounds built up of pollution from a variety of human activities released in the atmosphere in the form of particles like aerosol which are liable for global warming and its consequences.
Lastly, I would like to emphasize the vastness of the bad outcomes caused by indoor pollution. As previously stated, air pollution is another serious matter associated with health diseases or a cause of deaths. “DANGERS OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION” written by Jane Brody and published in New York Times, provides some evidence pointing out that indoor pollutants are causes of respiratory distress or other conditions which can affect our health in the long term. “A Harvard study showed that children living in homes with gas stoves had a significant reduction in lung function. A British study revealed an increase in colds and bronchitis among children whose homes had gas ovens. Nitrogen dioxide has been implicated in long term respiratory problems, and possibly heart disease and cancer” Nitrogen dioxide or carbon monoxide are some of the irritating chemical air pollutants found in homes with gas released in the air when substances are burnt which affect the respiratory system in long term or even can cause deaths.
The consequences of air pollution are alarming and creating severe conditions globally and requires immediate action. As it was emphasized earlier how air pollution can affect human health, an excessive number of deaths is becoming a real threat for the world.
“Outdoor Air Pollution”, an article published by Hannah Richie and Max Roser in https:ourworldindata.org, provides data by a global study that was conducted. The results show that air pollution is one the leading factors for deaths. “3.4 million people died prematurely in 2017 as a result of outdoor air pollution” (Outdoor Air Pollution). The number of premature deaths attributed to air pollution is rapidly growing and is becoming a real threat worldwide. However, the number of premature deaths due to poor air quality is not the only problem across the world.
Furthermore, global warming caused by pollutants in the atmosphere is accelerated resulting in rising sea levels. John Upton urges the world in the article published in climatecentral.org how carbon dioxide is the main cause of the sea level rise. “The global mean water level in the ocean rose by 0.14 inches (3.6 millimeters) per year from 2006–2015, which was 2.5 times the average rate of 0.06 inches (1.4 millimeters) per year throughout most of the twentieth century”. Comparing the natural and human influences on these changes explains that carbon dioxide is one of the main factors of these dangerous sea levels that are reaching a critical point for the planet.
In addition, indoor pollution has been linked to short and long term diseases especially for certain groups of age. Indoor activities like cooking, cleaning or usage of different appliances can release very harmful chemicals that can cause long term health problems. The World Health Organization has published some key facts how indoor pollution affects health. Death rates due to exposure to toxic chemicals caused by indoor pollutants have significantly changed. “Each year, close to 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to household air pollution from inefficient cooking practices using polluting stoves paired with solid fuels and kerosene” Toxic substances emitted by using household appliances are harmful and lead to higher premature mortality rates.
Air pollution is a very serious problem that impacts and can harm the whole planet. Without substantial plan change, the risk can remain unchanged and maybe permanent. There are even simple steps that everyone can take every day to improve this issue. Renewable energy is one of the most efficient ways to reduce the size of this problem significantly. Union of Concerned Scientists published an updated report on Dec 20th, 2017 providing the benefits of renewable energy use. Solar, wind or other sources of clean energy can improve and boost the air quality and potentially reverse the outcomes and the damage that these substances have already caused. “For example, a 2009 UCS analysis found that a 25 percent by 2025 national renewable electricity standard would lower power plant CO2 emissions 277 million metric tons annually by 2025”. Overall, renewable energy can enable many areas to meet better standards for health and air quality.
In addition, riding a bike or walking instead of driving is another way of contributing to less air pollution. The Guardian, one of the most well-known newspapers worldwide, had published one of their articles providing the importance to the air quality of cycling and walking.. London and Amsterdam are two of many safest cities in the world to bike or walk.
Lastly but not least importantly, buying economic and efficient appliances, vehicles and lighting is another way to improve the air quality and save the planet. Lately, there has been a huge implementation of electric vehicles which can reduce the emission levels. According to some data posted to California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, California is one of the biggest states in the world where people drive more than a billion miles per day and air pollution due to greenhouse gases is significantly high. “Currently, nearly one-third of electricity in California comes from renewable sources like wind and solar, and we have a commitment to increase clean energy use to 50 percent by 2030”. Dangerous gases and chemicals emitted from vehicles are resulting in high levels of pollution that are harmful for health and environment.
In conclusion, air pollution is a major concern that is occupying every country worldwide. Everyone has the responsibility to make everything possible to prevent the negative effects of the poor air quality. It should be an immediate need for governments’ sensibility to take action and implement different policies that will minimize the magnitude of this problem. Although there have been global initiatives like the Paris Agreement to alarm and address the consequences of one of the largest threats for human health and the global environment, the risk of public health and future of the earth is present and substantial. The air we breathe is full of poisonous substances that may harm the planet. It is everyone’s responsibility to take good care and avoid doing things that can pollute the air. Awareness is a good start to make this change. It is our obligation to protect the future generations and each individual should contribute and put every effort to make this happen.
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