Since 1974, World Environment Day has been observed by the UN member-states to raise awareness about the threats to our environment. The theme for 2019 is #BeatAirPollution. The host nation is China which has made great strides in improving its air quality.
Beyond the stop-gap measures that included shutting down polluting industries, such as those manufacturing Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), ahead of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 to more concrete efforts in the long term such as shutting down coal power plants, installing massive air purification towers and monitoring air quality real time in multiple locations and increasing forest cover, China has made great strides to "Beat Air Pollution."
The documentary Under the Dome by Chinese journalist Chai Jing went a long way in highlighting the issue in China and effecting action to curb air pollution. Yet, today the air pollution problem has become more insidious - Chinese use of greenhouse gases called chloro-floro-carbons (CFCs) is not only adding to global warming it also is causing the erosion of the Ozone Layer that protects us from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. A local act having global implications. Air pollution has no boundaries. Smogs regularly cross state and national boundaries.
India as per latest reports has seven of the top ten cities with the worst air quality. But poor air quality is an urban human condition that's everywhere. Add to this indoor air quality is much worse. In this category rural households with smoky traditional stoves that burn on solid fuel are worse off.
The situation can be improved by adding plants and avoiding smoke generating items indoors as well as improving tree cover outdoors and petitioning policy changes that check activity that causes air pollution:
- Vehicles that run on fossil fuels
- burning of waste especially plastic waste
- burning crop residue
- forest fires
- Unchecked constructions that don't follow environmental norms
- Thermal Power Plants
- Tree-felling
- Deforestation
- Industries that emit polluting gases because they don't follow environmental norms
- use of CFCs in violation of Montreal Protocol.
Below are the holy trifecta of indoor air purifiers according to Delhi resident Kamal Meattle famed for his TEDTalk "How to Grow Fresh Air."
Polluted air is linked to premature death, lung disease, autism and cancer not to mention that air pollution lowers IQ, decreases productivity, costs the economy billions, affects mental health and even increased crime rates. Air pollution drastically reduces quality of life and life expectancy itself and must be a priority issue of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) of the Government of India and all governments.
Beyond the stop-gap measures that included shutting down polluting industries, such as those manufacturing Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), ahead of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 to more concrete efforts in the long term such as shutting down coal power plants, installing massive air purification towers and monitoring air quality real time in multiple locations and increasing forest cover, China has made great strides to "Beat Air Pollution."
The documentary Under the Dome by Chinese journalist Chai Jing went a long way in highlighting the issue in China and effecting action to curb air pollution. Yet, today the air pollution problem has become more insidious - Chinese use of greenhouse gases called chloro-floro-carbons (CFCs) is not only adding to global warming it also is causing the erosion of the Ozone Layer that protects us from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. A local act having global implications. Air pollution has no boundaries. Smogs regularly cross state and national boundaries.
Source: https://www.oneindia.com/infographics/india-houses-7-out-of-10-top-polluting-cities-the-world-2860123.html - March 5, 2019.
India as per latest reports has seven of the top ten cities with the worst air quality. But poor air quality is an urban human condition that's everywhere. Add to this indoor air quality is much worse. In this category rural households with smoky traditional stoves that burn on solid fuel are worse off.
The situation can be improved by adding plants and avoiding smoke generating items indoors as well as improving tree cover outdoors and petitioning policy changes that check activity that causes air pollution:
- Vehicles that run on fossil fuels
- burning of waste especially plastic waste
- burning crop residue
- forest fires
- Unchecked constructions that don't follow environmental norms
- Thermal Power Plants
- Tree-felling
- Deforestation
- Industries that emit polluting gases because they don't follow environmental norms
- use of CFCs in violation of Montreal Protocol.
Below are the holy trifecta of indoor air purifiers according to Delhi resident Kamal Meattle famed for his TEDTalk "How to Grow Fresh Air."
Polluted air is linked to premature death, lung disease, autism and cancer not to mention that air pollution lowers IQ, decreases productivity, costs the economy billions, affects mental health and even increased crime rates. Air pollution drastically reduces quality of life and life expectancy itself and must be a priority issue of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) of the Government of India and all governments.
