Pollution, it’s a reality of the world we all live in. Some places have it worse than others but we all deal with inhaling noxious fumes, noisy residential or work locations and even light pollution that makes it hard to sleep. Let’s focus on one of the most pressing issues that reduce the quality of life and even causes damage to agricultural crops, air pollution.
Causes of Air Pollution
There are quite a few sources of air pollution but the one that really stands out is the burning of fossil fuels. Cars, vans, buses, scooters, and bikes cause the most pollution thanks to how reliant we are on them for our daily transport needs. The combustion of fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal emits sulfur dioxide, a toxic gas. Factories, power plants, etc, also deal out large doses of toxic gases since their main power needs are met by using fossil fuels.
Agricultural practices such as the burning of fields before planting new crops cause pollution in a small location that can spread over a large area. This is one of the reasons for the smog that envelops Delhi and NCR region during certain seasons.
Construction of new office complexes, high rises, painting work, fumes from tar, etc is also another large source of toxins entering the air.
Effects of Air Pollution
Pollution doesn’t just cause a haze around our cities and towns, it can also cause severe health issues and affect the flora and fauna of our surroundings. Chronic respiratory diseases, asthma, and lung cancer are caused by inhalation of pollutants in the air that we breathe. These issues can lead to fatal consequences for all of us.
Even agricultural crops aren’t spared from the destructive effects of pollution. Reduced crop growth, thanks to ozone pollution aka smog, has led to agricultural productivity decreasing across the globe to an alarming degree.
Curbing Air Pollution
What can we do about the above issues? We’ve already gone over ways to be eco-friendly in a previous blog post. Here are a few more options that are available to all of us:
Switching to energy efficient vehicles is a great first step since one of the largest contributors to air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels for transportation.
Refrain from burning waste products in open spaces which leads to toxic elements getting into the air.
Plant your own garden or at least a few trees. Do your research about which plants help remove toxins from the air and help contribute to cleaner air. These plants can also be used indoors to make sure you breathe fresh clean air at home or at your office.
Switch out old appliances such as water heaters for solar powered ones. This way you rely less on traditional power sources and can reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
National Pollution Control Day is on December 2nd, why don’t you do your bit for the environment? Remember it can also start with you just sharing a ride with someone on the Quick Ride platform.
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