Since Donald Trump pulled USA out of the Paris Climate Agreement, its been rankling that maybe some of us are not aware of what is happening in the world. And although brighter minds than us must be trying to talk some sense into the fat heads, we might as well touch this topic a little bit for younger minds who have to live with this situation that WE ALL have created collectively.

 

 

By now, we are all aware of the terms ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’ because these once non-existent concerns are now at the forefront of environmental issues that we face today. The largest contribution to these factors is human activities and this is just because the ratio of humans to any other species is much greater.

 

Because of this, humans require more space and resources which results in a lot of destruction. Forests are cleared to make room for agricultural land, industries and also for urbanization. This results not only in the accumulation of a lot of waste, but also in several different kinds of pollution – Air, water and soil being the most severely affected.

 

 

For those of us who are living under a metaphoric (or literal) rock, Paris Climate Agreement ensures that all involved countries realise the danger of global warming and strive to achieve the global target of keeping global average temperatures from rising 2°C (in comparison to temperatures before industrial revolution) by the end of the century. Because if we go over 2 degrees and which is entirely possible due to rampant industrialisation, pollution, we face rising sea levels, extreme changes in weather patterns, food and water crises, basically a race towards The End of the World.

 

Air pollution, caused by global emissions due to massive growths in developed countries, is definitely a huge factor. The Paris deal seeks to control the emissions and curb the rising temperatures.

 

Now for people, who are living even deeper in the ground, Air pollution is the presence or introduction of a foreign substance in air that decreases its quality makes it unsuitable for us to breathe in it. It may result in diseases, even death. This foreign substance causes a physical, chemical or biological alteration in the air and basically causes a lot of damage to the earth and the creatures on it.

 

Air pollution can be of different types on basis of the sources of pollutants – like primary pollutants which include Sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide; or secondary pollutants that are formed as a result of the mixing of primary ones. Pollutants are also categorised on the basis of whether they are indoors or outdoors. The main cause, however, for all pollutants comes back to human activities.

 

The first main reason for air pollution can be traced to the excessive burning of FOSSIL FUELS.

Man in his daily activities, requires transport by means of cars, bikes, trucks, jeeps, etc. which contribute to air pollution through addition of gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and Sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil fuels like coal and petroleum. These, along with other combustibles are used in factories and industries to carry out processes that further result in the emission of harmful gases along with other chemicals, hydrocarbons and chemicals that are very harmful to the air.

 

 

Other major causes for air pollution include the excessive use of INSECTICIDES, PESTICIDES AND FERTILISERS in agricultural processes. This releases ammonia and other chemicals into the air that are extremely harmful.

 

MINING is another factor. The large, heavy equipment and use of dynamite results in the thrust of dust particles and chemicals into the air, and often leads to poor health in workers as well as those who accommodate the surrounding areas.

 

Household cleaning products, paints, detergents all release harmful chemicals into the air and activities like combustion and production of dust results in another major air pollutant – Suspended Particulate Matter or SPM. This causes irregularities in the air and contributes to a lot of breathing problems.

 

Activities in nature can also cause air pollution, but not in as escalated levels as man-made causes. Natural causes of air pollution include volcanic eruptions, carrying of pollutants and dust from affected areas, smoke, etc.

 

 

 

Air pollution leads to a lot of complications in the human body, like causing respiratory spasms, disorders like asthma, pneumonia and other breathing problems, and in some cases, even cancer and death by either direct or indirect and long term effects. It’s not just human beings that are affected by this, even plants and animals are in the line of fire.

 

Apart from affecting our health, air pollution also affects the over-all health of our planet.

The increased levels of CFCs, HCFCs, CO, CO2, SO2 and dust particles in the atmosphere have resulted in the depletion of the ozone layer and the “Greenhouse Effect”.

This means a lot of excess heat from the sun that enters the earth’s atmosphere, is trapped, thereby increasing the overall temperature of the earth. This is referred to as ‘climate change’ or “Global Warming”; as a result of which the polar ice caps are melting and the oceans and temperatures are rising. This in turn has affected a lot of the flora and fauna, resulting in a rapid increase in the number of endangered species.

 

 

Some of the other results of chemicals released into the atmosphere include acid rain – harmful to plants/ crops, animals and humans; as well as Eutrophication – a process that takes place over water surfaces where the high nitrogen levels in the air cause a layer of algae to form. This prevents oxygen or sunlight from permeating the water surface, resulting in poor health of the flora and fauna in the water-body.

 

 

 

Even as a certain world leader has decided that climate change is just fake news, artists, scientists and entrepreneurs from across the globe are coming up with innovative ways to prove pollution and are in fact, paving way for new technologies that might reduce the amount of particulate matter in the air. Majority of countries are slowly making way to become dependent on renewable energy and closing the fossil fuel industry. The California Senate recently passed a bill mandating 100% renewable energy by 2045. China aims to meet 80% of the country’s total power output through renewable energy. Chile, Kenya, Brazil, Taiwan and Egypt are surging towards the forefront in the clean energy. In India, “a solar mega-project aimed at expanding India’s solar capacity from the current 3 megawatts (MW) to a reported 20 gigawatts (GW) by 2020 and 200 GW by 2050, will form the centerpiece of a National Climate Change Strategy. With worldwide installed solar-generation capacity totalling just 16.5 GW, and India’s power generation capacity at 150 GW, the plan is notable for its scale and ambition.” (WorldWatch)

 

Activities are happening at country, city and local level.

To spread awareness on the air pollution, in December 2015, a Chinese artist by the name of Nut Brother roamed around the streets of Beijing for three months with an industrial vacuum cleaner sucking in smog. By the end of three months, he had collected enough particle to create a Smog-Brick.

 

2011 saw The Smog Tasting Project, where egg foams for meringues are used to harvest air pollution. Egg foams are up to 90% air, and whipping the eggs causes particulate matter to be trapped in the batter. The resultant meringues actually taste differently depending on the air quality. As per Nicola Twilley, co-creator of the project. “The LA one has an ozone-y, bleach-type note, whereas the London one is a little sulphurous, like the smell of a struck match.” Don’t know about you guys, but we don’t wanna even try the Beijing one! No sir.

 

Dutch artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde created the world’s largest smog vacuum cleaner, a 23 feet tall tower in Rotterdam. The Smog Free Tower uses patented ion technology to produce smog free air in public space, allowing people to breathe and experience clean air for free. Its positive ionisation technology cleans 30.000 m3 per hour, runs on green wind energy and uses no more electricity than a waterboiler (1170 watts)!

 

 

An innovator from India, Anirudh Sharma, has launched a project called Kaalink, where handheld devices harvest the black smoke from cars mufflers or chimneys, capture the carbon and with a simple chemical process turns it into high-quality raw material to make ink. For every six miles the car travels, enough carbon is produced to generate two cartridges of ink.

 

 

Air pollution today, is the largest contributing factor among all other forms of pollution, to the slow and sad demise of our planet. It is such a big deal, but it needs very simple changes we can make in our daily lives; to bring it to a manageable level and maybe even achieve redemption.

Here is a list of NGOs that you can also read into or be a part of to fight and prevent air pollution:

 

1) Coalition for Clean Air (CCA)

2) Sierra Club

3) Union of Concerned Scientists

4) Earth Justice

5) German VCD (German Sustainable Transport Association)

 

It may be too late to reverse the terrible effects we have had on our planet, but it is never too late to mend our ways, and do all that we can to help.

 

 If you still don’t believe us, please feel free to browse through this map of death

 

 

Spread the word. Do your bit today, so your kids can LIVE TOMORROW.