The Vicious Effects of Air Pollution

Since the pandemic started we've started to see some undeniably positive changes to the world.
There's less pollution, and the skies have become clearer which is good because on June 4,
2019 Jakarta was considered to have the worst air quality in the world. Although air pollution
disturbs the beautiful scenery that we see everyday, it is not the main problem that we should
worry about. Nearly 7 million people around the world die every year because of the insufferable
air pollution and nine out of ten people currently breathe air that is not suitable with WHO’s
(World Health Organisation) guideline limits for pollutants.

So, now that we know how crucial air pollution is it's better to lay the foundation on what it is. Air
pollution can be defined as a contamination of the indoor or outdoor environments by mixtures
of toxic chemicals or compounds that change the normal characteristic of the atmosphere.
These toxic substances are usually not present in the ozone and can pose serious threats to the
air quality in addition to risking the health of many human lives.

The main detrimental effect caused by air pollution is global warming, where the temperature all
over the world increases and disrupts the earth's natural climate. It also causes respiratory
issues, heart problems and has the potential to damage early brain development in a child. Just
like humans, animals also suffer from the devastating effects of air pollution. They are forced to
move and leave their habitat due to the presence of harmful chemicals in the air. Furthermore
the toxic pollutants that settle on the surface of the water can also affect various sea animals.
The reason why air pollution exists and is still growing until this day is plenty. It mainly happens
because of human activities such as factory and industrial activities, wildfires, construction and
demolition, excessive use of private transportation, and agricultural activities that reduce air
quality. All of these activities must be diminished as soon as possible since we never know how
long our earth can last.

There are many ways of mitigating air pollution that we can all practice at home. Some
examples include, using public transport which is a sure-short way of contributing to less air
pollution as it provides with less gas and energy. Next is turning off the lights when they are not
being used. The energy that the lights take also contributes to air pollution, thus less
consumption of electricity can help reduce output of air pollution. Then we can also start
recycling and reusing, the concept is not just to conserve resources and use them judicially but
it also helps in reducing pollution emissions. Finally we should stop engaging in single use
plastic bags. The use of plastic products could be very harmful to the environment as they take
a very long time to decompose, due to their oil-based ingredients. Instead we can start
implementing paper bags as an alternative to plastic bags as they decompose more easily and
are recyclable.

To sum things up, air pollution is a global catastrophe that needs to be dealt with immediately. It
has unmeasurable destructive effects to the world and to human lives. It also needs to be said
that although air pollution is a pernicious ‘disease’ it is not incurable. If anything, the solution to it
is quite simple and apparent to the eye. Humans may have started this but, we can also end it.
Nothing is out of reach as long as we work together for a brighter future.
Made By : Aya, Lazhia, Amanda and Kalila

Reference

● Air Pollution Facts, Causes and the Effects of Pollutants in the Air

● Jakarta’s air quality kills its residents – and it’s getting worse

● Air pollution

● What Is Air Pollution

● https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-air-pollution.php

● 10 Main Causes of Air Pollution That Make Everyone Worry

● Air Pollution Facts, Causes and the Effects of Pollutants in the Air

● 10 Best Ways to Reduce Air Pollution & Live With Clean Air