Air Pollution The Silent Killer!
Pollution is currently responsible for millions of death and destruction of entire ecosystems worldwide. In recent times, the Earth’s atmosphere has seen the highest increase in temperature and carbon emissions ever recorded in the history of our planet. The ever increasing pollution is like a cancerous tumor that is surely and silently killing us and all our fellow species.
Air pollution And Its Devastating Increase!
Air pollution is the most devastating and single biggest environmental health risk according to a report by the World Health Organization. It is caused by any kind of contamination to the atmosphere by excessive carbon dioxide and other harmful gases.
At present, 90 percent of the humans living in cities are inhaling high doses of poisonous polluted air every day. Seven million of us fall victim to this silent and lethal killer each year. Air pollution causes heart diseases resulting in a high number of strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, lung cancer and acute lower respiratory infections in children. These are some of the major diseases that air pollution causes. The harsh truth is that even children are succumbing to the diseases caused by air pollution.
Air pollution has increased in unimaginable magnitudes especially in developing regions with a growing population. India and China perfectly fits into this description and fittingly has the highest levels of urban air pollution ever recorded in human history. Out of the ten most polluted cities, six cities are found in India.
The main reasons for this increase in air pollution are :
- Drastic in increase in population.
- Massive amounts of deforestation and illegal mining.
- Large scale industries using fossil fuels.
- Large number of vehicles, leading to high carbon emissions.
- Urbanization.
- Lack of Pollution acts and reforms.
How is Air Pollution affecting our future generations?
According to the current increase in Air pollution observed over the past few decades, our future generations would have to cope with :
- Major shortage of clean water.
- More respiratory and heart related diseases.
- Harsher environment and more extreme climate changes.
- Decreased life expectancy.
- Higher sea levels.
The increase in sea levels is threatening to submerge many islands and coastal regions and the alarming truth is that future generations from these islands are in risk of losing their homes. The whole scenario just gets worse, especially for our future generations, lets pray there are many more to come.
At least for the sake of our future generations, we should create necessary preventive methods and form proper goals. At present we are almost reaching a critical point from where there is only one result, our destruction. The below few points may not seem much, but every single act counts.
The few things that every individual should keep in mind:
- Avoid using your car unnecessarily.
- Use water and electricity wisely.
- Prevent littering.
- Recycle and encourage recycling.
- Prevent the usage of plastic
- Educating people about pollution.
- Creating awareness from a very early age.
- Better waste management.
- Use public transportation more frequently.
- Using bio friendly fuels, solar energy, wind energy and other non exhaustible energy sources.
The Most Polluted Places in the World:
Particulate matter (PM) is the term used to describe the solid or liquid particles dispersed in our atmosphere. In other words Particulate Matter (PM) is a measurement of the Air pollution of countries and their urban jungles.
Here are some of the most polluted countries with their respective PM measurements:
1. Pakistan: Average PM Pollution — 101 micrograms/m3
2. Qatar: Average PM Pollution — 92 micrograms/m3
3. Afghanistan: Average PM Pollution — 84 micrograms/m3
4. Bangladesh: Average PM Pollution — 79 micrograms/m3
5. Iran: Average PM Pollution — 76 micrograms/m3
6. Egypt: Average PM Pollution — 74 micrograms/m3
7. Mongolia: Average PM Pollution — 64 micrograms/m3
8. U.A.E: Average PM Pollution — 61 micrograms/m3
9. India: Average PM Pollution — 59 micrograms/m3
10. Bahrain: Average PM Pollution — 57 micrograms/m3
Here are some of the most hazardous and polluted cities in the world:
1. New Delhi, India
2. Patna, India
3. Gwalior, India
4. Raipur, India
5. Karachi, Pakistan
6. Peshawar, Pakistan
7. Rawalpindi, Pakistan
8. Khoramabad, Iran
9. Ahmedabad, India
10. Lucknnow, India
At present we are way past our 11th hour and this probably is our last chance. Without a proper and dedicated attitude towards preventing pollution and preserving Earth, the world as we know it would cease to exist. We humans are responsible for this chaos and we alone are responsible to repair our mistakes.
