Air Quality

Air pollution is a major health hazard contributing to nearly 2 million premature deaths, annually. A number of diseases including respiratory disorders (asthma, lung cancer) and heart disease are touted to be a result of air pollution. A quantitative relationship can be derived between the pollution levels and specific health outcomes (increased mortality or morbidity).

Developing countries bear more than half the burden of disease due to air pollution. This is due to a rapidly increasing population, increase in traffic, growth of industries and lack of knowledge of the risks from smoking or the silent phenomenon of indoor pollution. In addition, developing countries often do not have the know-how or the resources to control air pollution while maintaining the pace of economic growth. Without a deeper understanding of how our actions impact our environment and our future, it is inevitable that the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and global warming may have catastrophic consequences.

Steps to minimize air pollution

The control of air pollution is possible through actions taken at public, national and international levels in relation to:

• Burning of fossil fuels for cooking, heating and commuting
• Stringent monitoring of vehicular pollution control and industrial emissions
• Improving housing and ventilation
• Provision and popularization of the use of more efficient appliances

Innovative community solutions to breathe free

Thinking out of the box to ensure a balance between development and environmental sustainability, that is both effective at grassroots level and economically feasible is needed. Individual and community level actions can help improve the environment and lessen the effects of air pollution. After all, the best legacy for our children would be a clean, livable environment; technology and environment can mutually co-exist with a little thoughtfulness on our part. Community groups in association with local NGOs may enable some of the suggestions here:

• Windmills for pumping groundwater instead of the traditional diesel powered generators
• Solar lanterns instead of kerosene fueled ones
• Increase the green cover in localitie
• Use bicycles where it is feasible to do so
• Build pedestrian pathways in neighborhoods to encourage walking
• Get regular pollution checks done for vehicles and limit the number of cars per household
• Prevent the open burning of garbage, leaves, plastic, rubber and other synthetic materials
• Think of innovative ways to avoid usage of polluting substances by insisting on: paper/cloth bags instead of plastic ones while shopping or trying not to buy products with several layers of packaging

TERMS

Air Pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials in the atmosphere that may have harmful effects on human health or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment.

Ambient air quality is the level of air quality with an adequate margin of safety, to protect public health, vegetation and property.