How to deal with air pollution – Air pollution, has now become a global problem. Of course, we also have to do various ways to overcome air pollution. Moreover, as we all know, clean air mixed with pollutants is very dangerous for the health of the human body.
Various things can cause air pollution, especially in the activities we do every day. This can happen because of various activities that humans carry out using tools that are capable of emitting smoke and dirty air, thus making the existing clean air polluted.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the level of air pollution in the world is very worrying.
At least, there are 98% of cities that have a population of over 100,000 people with low or medium incomes, do not have air that is able to meet the air quality standards set by WHO. But, for high-income countries, the percentage drops to 52%.
Therefore, we can see that air pollution can indeed occur anywhere, especially in cities where residents have low incomes because of the various activities they carry out.
Based on research conducted using tools from Greenpeace Southeast Asia and IQAir AirVisual, since 2020, air pollution has claimed 6,100 lives in Jakarta, and in 2021 it has claimed 5,200 lives.
In fact, did you know that not long ago, the air quality in Jakarta was the second worst in the world.
Launching from the IQAir website, the air quality in Jakarta on June 17 2022 showed a number above 100 with a concentration of PM 2.5. This certainly shows that the air quality in Jakarta is very bad and also dangerous for health.
Air pollution occurs due to the release of various chemicals into the atmosphere. Pollutants in the form of chemicals or compounds in the air that occur unnaturally can reduce air quality and are very dangerous for living things in the atmosphere.
Air pollution conditions can cause harm to all living things, especially humans. Air pollution can cause difficulty breathing and even cause various damage to nature as a whole.
So, what exactly is the meaning of air pollution? What are the causes and effects? Check out the following explanation, OK!
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica , air pollution is the release of various gases, finely divided solids or liquid aerosols into the atmosphere which are dispersed at rates that exceed the natural capacity of the environment to remove, absorb or dissolve.
According to National Geographic , air pollution is a mixture of particles and gases that can reach dangerous concentrations both outdoors and indoors. Pollutants that cause pollution include smoke, methane, soot, carbon dioxide, pollen, mold, and so on.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the definition of air pollution is a mixture of natural and man-made substances that occur in the air. Usually separated into two categories, namely indoor air pollution and outdoor air pollution.
According to the Decree of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia No.1407 of 2002 concerning guidelines for controlling the effects of air pollution, it states that air pollution is a decrease in air quality to a certain level which can cause ambient air to be unable to fulfill its function, due to the presence of energy or substances from other components that enter into the air. ambient air as a result of human activities.
The definition of air pollution according to the expert, namely Chambers, air pollution is the addition of a material or physical or chemical substrate into the normal air environment in a certain amount, so that it can be detected by humans or can be counted and also measured, and has a negative effect on humans, animals , vegetation, and materia.
Ways to Overcome Air Pollution
How to deal with air pollution can be done if humans can work together in carrying out actions to handle pollution or contamination. Some of the things we can do as a way to deal with air pollution include:
1. Reducing Emissions
The smoke that comes out of the vehicle is a major source of air pollution. Therefore, we need to reduce the habit of using vehicles and can switch to using public transportation. In addition, avoid starting the vehicle engine too often while waiting for a long time.
2. Choose Environmentally Friendly and Energy Saving Products
Starting to use energy-efficient equipment and power-efficient electronic devices can be one of our ways to save costs and protect the environment from air pollution. Don’t forget to always turn off the electric power when we are not using the device.
3. Not Burning Garbage
Lots of people think that by burning trash, they can reduce the amount of waste. In fact, doing so is actually harmful to health and the environment. When we burn trash, it can produce carbon monoxide (CO). If we breathe the air, it is very dangerous for health. In addition, the smoke from burning waste is also capable of producing toxic gases.
4. Avoiding Excessive Chemical Use
The way to prevent further air pollution is to reduce the excessive use of chemicals, especially in household cleaning fluids. You can switch to using environmentally friendly home cleaning liquid products according to your needs.
5. Reducing the Use of Plastic Bags
The use of plastic bags is also dangerous for the environment. This is because plastic waste takes a very long time to decompose. Therefore, make sure you reduce the use of plastic bags every time you shop to prevent air pollution.
6. Reuse and Recycle
In addition to reducing excessive use of chemical goods, we also need to apply the concept of reuse and recycle . You can start by separating recyclable and non-recyclable waste. This can reduce air, soil and water pollution emissions.
7. Farming
One of the problems that are often faced by big cities is the lack of land and green plants that can produce oxygen. Therefore, we can overcome air pollution by starting to grow crops at home. Because, the existence of green plants will be very helpful in filtering dirty air and being able to provide fresher clean air.
Air Pollution Process
Reporting from the NASA website, basically air pollution is caused by solid and liquid particles and certain gases suspended in the air. Solid and liquid particles suspended in the air are called aerosols.
These particles can come from various sources. Many aerosols enter the atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, wood and petroleum.
Most of the particulate and aerosol gases originate directly from these sources. However, some are formed through chemical reactions that occur in the air.
Aerosols can also come from other places, such as dust, plant pollen, forest fires, factories, vehicle exhaust, and even volcanic ash that erupts. Aerosols can also affect the way incoming light hits the earth.
Some aerosols reflect sunlight, while others absorb sunlight, depending on the color of the particles.
Factors Causing Air Pollution
Air pollution that occurs is caused by several factors, both occurring due to natural factors, as well as human factors. Here are some causes of air pollution:
1. Air Pollution Due to Natural Factors
Air pollution due to natural factors is an activity that occurs naturally without any intervention from humans or related to activities carried out by humans. Air pollution that occurs naturally through the following processes:
- The process of decomposition of organic waste that emits a foul odor into the air.
- Gas, smoke, volcanic ash ejected from a volcano when it erupts.
- Forest fires that occur naturally.
- Gas and dust flying into the air due to strong winds.
2. Air Pollution Due to Human Factors
The human factor is the most dominant factor in producing air pollution through the various activities they carry out. Pollution caused by human activities include:
- The existence of heating process activities resulting from the processing of food ingredients, such as fish and meat which can produce dust, smoke, and odors which if done continuously can pollute the environment.
- Then, there is an infrastructure development process that can generate dust and smoke in an area. Moreover, if the construction takes a long time, it can cause air pollution.
- Then, the chemical process as we can see in the fertilization process or the fertilization process which is the process of fusion of two gametes. This fertilization process is capable of producing dust, steam, and also gases which can cause air pollution.
- The next activity is the smoke from transportation. Transportation fumes are one of the biggest contributors to air pollution. This is what we most often encounter, where many motorists produce smoke every day, which can create air pollution.
- Various mining and quarrying activities that are carried out, are capable of producing dust and also emissions that can cause air pollution.
- The last activity is the burning activity. The existence of various combustion activities such as forest fires, burning of waste, or steel smelting activities related to the use of fire can produce gas, smoke, and vapor which can cause air pollution.
Causes of Air Pollution Based on Activity
1. Mining Activities
Mining activities can produce various chemicals and dust which are eventually released into the air, this is because the mining process is usually carried out to extract minerals under the earth using tools that use fuel to move it.
2. Use of excess electricity
In Indonesia, in making electricity they still rely on fuel in the form of coal. Therefore, the more electricity users, the more coal waste is discharged into the air, which can cause air pollution.
3. Waste from Household Activities
Various household activities often produce waste, such as paper, plastic, and so on. Although burning waste is considered an effective measure to reduce waste, in fact it can actually cause air pollution. Garbage from household activities is then disposed of and burned, then produces smoke which can cause air pollution.
Types of Air Pollution
The National Institute of Environment Health Sciences divides the categories of air pollution into two types, namely:
1. Outdoor Air Pollution
Outdoor air pollution is exposure to pollution that occurs outside the built environment, such as:
- Fine particles produced by burning fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum to produce energy.
- Gases that are dangerous, such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, chemical vapors, and so on.
- Tobacco smoke.
- Ground-level ozone, a form of reactive oxygen and a major component of urban smog.
2. Indoor Air Pollution
Indoor air pollution is exposure to particles from carbon dioxide and other pollutants carried by indoor air or from dust. Outside air pollution can enter the room by opening doors, windows, and ventilation. Examples of indoor air pollution, namely:
- Building materials in the form of asbestos, lead, formaldehyde, and others.
- Gases such as carbon monoxide, radon.
- Mold as well as pollen
- Indoor and outdoor allergens such as rats and cockroaches.
What Are the Impacts of Air Pollution?
The occurrence of air pollution will certainly cause various negative side effects for health, including:
- Triggers damage to respiratory cells, and makes the respiratory system worse.
- Disturbing the passage of oxygen in the blood due to the large amount of carbon monoxide. This can trigger the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Puts more pressure on the lungs and heart, where these organs have to work very extra.
- Can shorten life span.
- Danger for pregnant women, because it can trigger inflammation, miscarriage, as well as asthma for the baby.
- Lowering can even eliminate the function of the main body organs, namely the lungs.
- Increase the potential for various diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, cancer, and emphysema.
- More susceptible to infection, especially at the age of children.
For certain circles it can increase the occurrence of potential diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease.
Who Can Be Affected by Air Pollution?
Of course, everyone can be affected by bad air pollution, both children and adults. The following are categories that are most vulnerable to the effects of air pollution.
- People who have heart disease, congestive heart failure, asthma sufferers, coronary artery disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Pregnant women.
- Older people.
- Children, both those who are still toddlers and children who are under 15 years of age.
- People who work outdoors, including athletes, office workers and other professionals.
Sinaumed’s, that’s a brief explanation about air pollution and how to deal with air pollution that can be done. Don’t take for granted the quality of the air you breathe everyday, okay, #FriendsWithoutLimits. Because air is an important element that can affect your health and determine the quality of life now and in the future.
To understand more about how to deal with air pollution , you can read books that provide related material at sinaumedia.com so that you have #MoreWithReading information.
Author: Nurul Ismi Humairoh
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