Air pollution! Need I say anymore?
posted in Pollution |
According to a recent report published by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), the planet’s ability to support life and human habitation is now threatened by the accelerated rate of modern development.
This study includes around 1,360 experts from 95 nations revealed that two third of the ecosystem that sustains life have been polluted. They also predict that there is an increased risk of abrupt collapse in nature that could lead to disease outbreak.
The crux of the four-year research effort says that, “human activity is putting strain on the natural functions of the earth such that the ability of the planet’s ecosystem to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted”.
New Delhi in India is perphaps a perfect example of the degradation of air. According to findings, breathing air in such a place is equivalent to smoking 70 packs of cigarettes.In USA, over seven billion pounds of toxic chemicals are released directly into the environment. One of the air pollutants is carbon dioxide.
In a normal biological system, vegetation takes this gas in and produces oxygen for animals and people to breathe. But the situation has changed and there is way too much carbon dioxide in the air to be processed naturally.Carbon dioxide is mainly emitted by the burning of coal, gas and oil.
Other primary sources of it are power plants and cars. Its high concentrations in the air isconsidered toxic and can in turn affect the breathing pattern. In extreme cases it can also cause unconsciousness and even death.
The commonly known CFC’s (Chlorofluorocarbons) generally used as coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners or in fire fighting equipment, can rise into the upper atmosphere and react with the layer of the ozone layer protecting the planet from the sun.
This reaction depletes the ozone layer and allowing more ultra violet–light to reach the earth. This situation can affect a man’s immune system, causes eye defects, skin cancer and damage to crops. One of the vital organ of the body of a human that seems to be affected by pollution is the lung or the respiratory organ.
As I was writing this blog, there are so many questions that were ringing in my head! Now that we see such grave situation where we cannot even breathe some fresh air, what are we going to do? where are these situations going to lead us to? Who is responsible for them? I know this can make us all feel dismal, but I also believe there is hope if all of us stand up for nature and help it rejuvenate itself.