THE MENACE OF AIR POLLUTION AND FINDING A PANACEA

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. This can be said as the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. According to environmental pollution centers, Air pollution can be defined as the presence of toxic chemicals or compounds (including those of biological origin) in the air, at levels that pose a health risk. In an even broader sense, air pollution means the presence of chemicals or compounds in the air which are usually not present and which lower the quality of the air or cause detrimental changes to the quality of life (such as the damaging of the ozone layer or causing global warming). A large number of contaminants may pollute the air in a large variety of forms. Almost any toxic chemical could make its way into the atmosphere to pollute the air that we breathe. Aerosol particles (clouds of liquid and solid particles in a gas) that are found in the air may also contain pollutants. The chemical compounds that lower the air quality are usually referred to as air pollutants. These compounds may be found in the air in two major forms:

• in a gaseous form (as gases),
• in a solid form (as particulate matter suspended in the air).

Air pollution is probably one of the most serious environmental problems confronting our civilization today. Most often, it is caused by human activities such as mining, construction, transportation, industrial work, agriculture, smelting, etc. However, natural processes such as volcanic eruptions and wildfires may also pollute the air, but their occurrence is rare and they usually have a local effect, unlike human activities that are ubiquitous causes of air pollution and contribute to the global pollution of the air every single day. Air pollution has serious effects on the human health. Depending on the level of exposure and the type of pollutant inhaled, these effects can vary, ranging from simple symptoms like coughing and the irritation of the respiratory tract to acute conditions like asthma and chronic lung diseases. Skin problems and irritations can develop due to prolonged exposure to several air pollutants, and a variety of cancer forms may develop after inhaling air contaminants. Air pollutants that have serious negative effects on the human health can be classified as toxic and non-toxic.

Solutions to effect of air pollution

Use the Public Mode of Transportation: We should encourage people to use more and more public modes of transportation to reduce pollution. Also, try to make use of carpooling. If you and your colleagues come from the same locality and have the same timings, you can explore this option to save energy and money.

Better Household Practices: We should discard fireplaces and/or wooden stoves used for heating homes. Use gas logs in place of wood. Also, eliminate the use of gas-powered lawn and gardening equipment. Avoid setting fire to garbage, dry leaves, or other materials in your yard, and lighting bonfires in the open. Try to mulch or compost your yard waste. Use cleaning products and paints that are environmentally friendly.

Conserve Energy: We should switch off fans and lights when you are going out. A large number of fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity. You can save the environment from degradation by reducing the number of fossil fuels to be burned.

Understand the Concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: We should not throw away items that are of no use to you. Instead, reuse them for some other purpose. For example, you can use old jars to store cereals or pulses.

Emphasis on Clean Energy Resources: Use of Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal is on the rise these days. Governments of various countries have been providing grants to consumers who are interested in installing solar panels for their homes. Undoubtedly, this can go a long way to curb air pollution.

Use Energy-Efficient Devices: CFL lights consume less electricity than their counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lead to lower electricity bills, and also help you to reduce pollution by consuming less energy.

Conclusion

To ensure a safer environment, we all need to come together and make it happen. Making it happen includes partnership, collaboration and support from all and sundry.

REFERENCES

Conserve Energy Future: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-air-pollution.php

https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/air/