IMPROVING OUR AIR QUALITY

JOANA C. DIAZ

Climate change, deforestation, and various types of pollution are just some of the factors that contribute to the destruction of our world. Air pollution, which refers to the discharge of pollutants into the atmosphere, which is harmful to both human well-being and the also earth as a whole, is one of today's issues. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes close to seven million deaths worldwide each year. Currently, nine out of ten people breathe air that contains more contaminants than the WHO's recommended levels, with those in low- and middle-income nations suffering the most. Particles that are both solid and liquid, as well as some gases, that are suspended in the air, are what produce air pollution. These gases and particles can be produced by factories, volcanoes, wildfires, dust, pollen, and vehicle and truck emissions. Aerosols are the solid and liquid vaporized particles suspended in our atmosphere. Climate change may potentially be exacerbated by this type of pollution. The effects of air pollution on a person's body can vary based on the type of pollutant, the length and intensity of exposure, as well as other factors including the particular health risks of each person and the combined effects of many pollutants or stressors. Like Smog and Soot, it can harm the lungs, especially those of kids, the elderly, and individuals who work or exercise outside. It can also irritate the eyes and throat. Hazardous air pollutants, like many air contaminants, present serious health concerns and occasionally even pose a danger of death at low concentrations. Over 200 of them are subject to legal regulation; among the most prevalent are mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzene. These are only a few examples of the different factors that contribute to air pollution, and it is clear how they harm both our environment and our health. But, some measures can be done to stop this from happening, such as planting and caring for trees, not burning your garbage, and using less energy. By this, we can have an environment that is safe to breathe in. First, plant and nurture as many trees as you can. The act of planting trees improves the ecosystem greatly and aids in the release of oxygen. Trees remove toxins and take in carbon dioxide. Moreover, trees help cool our homes and produce oxygen in the atmosphere. As we all know, burning trees or even removing them can have a great influence on the ecosystem. Therefore, we must take care of the trees that we already have and plant more. Second, don’t burn your home trash because it poses a threat to public health and the environment. If you still dispose of your trash in a burn barrel, wood stove, or fire pit, speak with your community about setting up trash removal services. You can also recycle and reuse, which helps reduce pollution emissions, also reducing air pollution in addition to resource conservation and wise resource use. Also, using recycled materials requires less energy to create new goods, and as the energy is lessened the pollution is lessened too. Lastly, use less energy because it can reduce air pollution since lighting uses energy that also contributes to it. To protect the environment, choose fluorescent lighting that uses less energy, when you are not at home, close the lights especially when you don’t use them. Choosing efficient appliances and heating systems may also be of big help. Our environment is very important, and since we are humans using this world, it is up to us how we should take care of it. We must do a good job of protecting the world, not by destroying it, but by cherishing and taking good care of it.

-oOoThe author is Science Teacher III at Nicanor David Vergara High School