Air pollution has become one of the major issues world-wide. The factors that cause air pollution are many and this in turn affects the lives of a lot of people and the environment. We are going to throw some light on the effects of air pollution on different levels.
Air pollution in brief:
When some harmful substance gets mixed up with the natural air, this is called air pollution. One of the major constituents of air pollution is carbon dioxide, carbon mono-oxide, and sulphur dioxide. All these pollutants are produced by industries and combustion engines. Talking of humans, when these pollutants get inside our body, the organs are affected severely. There are many sources of air pollutions, the main culprit is industrial and vehicular emissions. Our household cleaners and home and kitchen appliances also contribute to indoor air pollution. In the next section of this article, I am going to discuss the side effects of air pollution on the human body.
Health hazards caused by air pollution:
Some of the organs of the human body are affected the most by air pollution and these organs include the lungs, heart, brain, and skin.
- As lungs are the first organs where the air is processed inside the human body. So they are at the highest risk. When pollutants get inside the lungs, it causes tremendous damage to this organ. Asthma and other health conditions like shortness of breath are directly associated with air pollution.
- Cardiovascular health is also compromised due to air pollution. After you breathe polluted air, some of the pollutants are so fine that they dissolve in human blood. And hence the oxygen transportation efficiency is reduced. As a result of it, your heart puts extra effort into doing the same work. This is the main reason behind having cardiovascular diseases due to air pollution.
People living in the areas having poor air quality index for a long time at a higher risk of heart situations. Because of the exposure to polluted air, the internal walls of the blood vessels and results in increased blood pressure.
- Air pollution also affects the brain very badly. This is also due to dissolved pollutants in your blood. When that blood goes to your brain, brain cells are damaged and several other brain diseases are also caused by air pollution.
Healthy persons may not face these symptoms when exposed to such air but those who are already having some health issues are at greater risks. No matter whether you are healthy or you have some underlying health condition, you are going to suffer if air quality is not good in your area. To minimize such risks, these precautions will be very helpful for you:
- Wear mass whenever you go outside.
- Having an air filter in your home would be even better.
- Minimize the time that you spend outside.
- Routine check-up is advised to all those who are having some health situations so that they can track their health status and the effects of air on their health.
- Sometimes indoor air is more dangerous than outdoor air. If the Air Quality Index of your area is at alarming level then you should install the best Air Purifier to clean the indoor air.
Now that we have talked a lot about the effects of air pollution on human health, it is time that you look at the bigger picture i.e. the effects of air pollution on the environment. All the components of our environment too rely on air just like we do. So, other organisms and plants are also affected a lot due to the bad quality of air. We are shaped by our environment, so it is very necessary to know the price that the environment is paying due to our actions.
How does air pollution affect our environment?
The environment also gets affected severely by air pollution. But we are considering the most serious effects.
Acid Rain:
This is one of the major effects of air pollution on our environment. As all the crops and other things that grow on land are dependent on rainwater and when the water is contaminated, how are we going to grow organic plants? All our crops are affected a lot by acid rain because most of the polluted water is already present in the soil. Acid rain affects our environment on a very wide scale. And eating those vegetables and fruits will in turn cause problems in your digestive system.
You must be aware of the deterioration problems in monuments due to acid rain. The fields/farmlands are also deteriorating at a high pace due to acid rains.
Global Warming:
Global warming is bringing some serious troubles for people around the world. The most alarming one is the melting of glaciers. With this melting, the sea level is rising at considerable rates. And this issue can’t be tackled by one or two countries. The whole world needs to be under the same roof to get such things under control. Day by day we are getting late in taking actions while the lives of people living in coastal areas are at risk and believe me it is going to be worst if the action is not taken immediately.
As a result of global warming, aquatic life is also getting affected. There are several animal species that live on poles and now that the poles are shrinking, the survival of such animals is getting tough there.
Climate change is one of the major effects of global warming. People around the world are facing an unusual climate. The seasons around the world are getting worst day by day as a result of global warming. You must not forget the record-breaking winters of the USA and hottest-ever days in France. All these things have happened just 1-2 years ago.
Conclusion:
Most of the environmental issues that we are facing are the consequence of Global Warming. Air pollution is a very serious issue that can never be tackled if people keep on blaming the government and other agencies for it. Everyone’s participation is very necessary for fighting against this situation. We are still very much able to bring serious changes if we change our lifestyles a little bit. All these things need to be done before it is too late.