(Theme Report) Human happiness, DNA and Air Pollution.by Shirin Shukhratova | 23-11-2021 20:33 |
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 According to the World Health Organization, nine out of ten people in the world breathe polluted air and about seven million people die each year from diseases developed due to poor ecology. The majority of such cases are registered in the third world countries, mainly in Africa and Asia. At the same time, in many large European cities, the permissible norms of pollution are exceeded several times over. WHAT CAUSES AIR POLLUTION? One of the main reasons for the deterioration of air quality is cars. In the center of large cities, the concentration of harmful ammonia in the air exceeds the permissible level by almost three times. Diesel-engine buses emit 1,400 tons of hydrocarbons and about 1,600 tons of nitrogen. A person breathes in about nine kilograms of air per day and many toxic substances are deposited in the lungs. IMPACT ON HUMAN DNA Canadian researchers at the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Diseases at the University of British Columbia have studied the effects of inhaled pollution on human health. According to their research, just two hours of inhaling toxic air is enough to cause changes in the body at the genetic level. Pollution does not change the DNA itself, but it can add foreign chemical elements to the gene sequence. Scientists believe this is a reversible process, but there isn't enough supporting research yet. AIR AND HAPPINESS A study conducted by MIT staff in 144 cities in China through the China Future City Lab program found a relationship between air pollution levels and human mood. The theoretical analysis was based on posts on the social network Sina Weibo. Professor Siki Zheng argues that social media best reflects people's real feelings in the present moment. He noted that lowered moods, apathy and depressive thoughts increase in direct proportion to spikes in air pollution. WHAT CAN WE DO? Of course we can't change the air pollution situation overnight, but we can help to improve. For example, walk and ride the subway periodically instead of the car (the condition of which is important to monitor to reduce gasoline consumption). Conscious consumption, sorting waste and saving water and electricity can also help contribute to the environment. In nature, harmful substances are destroyed during photosynthesis and after a thunderstorm, when the amount of ozone in the atmosphere increases. To improve the air quality in the apartment, it is worth growing flowers, which will increase the oxygen level in the house. Systematic wet cleaning, special air cleaners with removable filters, ionizers and regular ventilation, especially after the use of household chemicals, will help to purify indoor air.
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