Health Matters; (Air Pollution)
Over the years, our physical universe has been suffering from air pollution, which results mostly from the burning of fossil fuels into the atmosphere by industrial activities and automobiles. These deplete the ozone layer, which results in our physical universe being warmer than normal (Global warming). In this post, I will be focusing on the sources of air pollution, how it affects human health, the symptoms of inhaling polluted air, and how we can contribute to curbing air pollution.
What are the main sources of air pollution in our environment?
The Air we breathe can be polluted through different activities, and I am listing such activities below;
Most times, the wind blows dust into the atmosphere or air, which pollutes it for humans or makes the air not good for inhaling at that moment. This source of air pollution is known as the Natural Source of Air Pollution.
The Second Source of Air Pollution in our environment is various human activities, such as;
(1)The cars, lorries, trucks, trains, etc.; we drive release carbon(II)oxide into the atmosphere or air, which results in air pollution. This is because when fuel burns in the engine of cars, the supply of air is limited, and the combustion becomes incomplete, therefore releasing carbon(II)oxide into the air, and we all know this gas is not for humans to inhale.
(2)The machines we use in power plants, oil refineries, and factories release CO [carbon(II)oxide] into the atmosphere or air, and this large amount of CO from activities like these doesn't just pollute the air but deplete our ozone layer.The third Source of Air Pollution is through chemical activities. The air is polluted when we purify water (water purification process), sewage plants, and our swimming pools.
How does air pollution affect human health, especially vulnerable groups like children and the elderly?
When we are exposed to air pollution, whether it is for a short time or a very long time, it can wreak havoc on our health. The following are the possible sicknesses we may suffer from exposure to air pollution;
Our respiratory system may be infected if we are exposed to air pollution, and when we contract respiratory infection, it makes us have difficulty breathing. This is especially dangerous to children and the older ones or the elderly.
If we are exposed to air pollution for a long time, we may suffer from heart disease. As we know, heart disease is dangerous for children and the elderly.
If elderly people are exposed to air pollution, they may sadly suffer from stroke. Our being exposed to air pollution may damage our lungs, and this is not good for children and the elderly.
If we are exposed to air pollution for a long time, we may sadly suffer neurological ailments such as dementia and cognitive impairment. We should try to keep our children and elderly from this because it's especially dangerous for them.
If we allow our children to be exposed to air pollution for a long time, they may contract asthma, cancer, and chronic ailments such as cardiovascular ailments.
What are some common symptoms or health issues caused by exposure to polluted air?
We may know if an ailment we suffer results from exposure to air pollution through the symptoms we may experience, and the following are some of its symptoms;
A person who is exposed to air pollution, and suffering ailment resulting from air pollution may experience Eye Irritation.
A person who is exposed to air pollution may experience Wheezing or difficulty breathing if the pollutants infect his lung or other parts of respiration.
A person who is exposed to air pollution may experience Shortness of breath when he engages in physical activities such as running.
A person who is exposed to air pollution may experience Aggravation of asthma, heart disease, and lung disease he already had.
The above symptoms depend on the sensitivity of each person and the level of air pollutants he is exposed to.
How can individuals contribute to reducing air pollution in their daily lives?
We can contribute to reducing air pollution as individuals. I can contribute to reducing air pollution, if;
I reduce my driving and walk instead, use a bike when possible, and then combine my errands to reduce the number of times I drive.
I cook in a well-ventilated environment to enable complete combustion. I try as much as I can to maintain my cooking appliances so they won't burn fuel incompletely.
I use household chemicals in ways that don't evaporate.
Industries should also contribute to reducing air pollution by enabling complete combustion processes.
How does air pollution vary between urban and rural areas?
Air pollution is higher in Urban areas because almost everyone drives a car, and there are trucks in urban areas that combust Fuel incompletely. In urban areas, we have industries such as refineries and food processing industries that burn fossil fuels into the air, and notably, we don't have sufficient trees in the Urban areas that can inhale the carbon(II)oxide released by industrial activities, and produce sufficient oxygen for humans. While in the rural areas, the majority don't drive cars, and trucks are limited. There are limited industries, if any, in the rural areas, and as such, the burning of fossil fuels is limited in the rural areas. Most importantly, there are sufficient trees in the rural areas that inhale the little carbon(II)oxide in the rural areas and give out sufficient oxygen for humans.
I invite @beevicsam, @iddy, and @jes88 to participate.
Cc: @sahmie