BARCELONA -- Who is safe from air pollution? No one is. The United Nations are sending another warming on the celebration of World Environment Day. They say that 9 out of 10 people on the planet are breathing polluted air and that these 9 people can live at any given part of the world.
This fact has led to a significant increase in the global health crisis. In fact, the problem of air pollution has already caused 7 million deaths every year, according to the recent report released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The burning of fossil fuels both for industrial practices and transportation services is the world's biggest contributor to air pollution. The warming of the planet is also a result of the continuous burning of fossil fuels. Talking about these two problems together and how to put an end to them could benefit humanity in so many levels, making the public's health a priority.
How much do you know about climate change and how it is linked to the growing problem of air pollution? Here are some facts about air pollution as the world celebrates World Environment Day. This may serve as a reminder of how such problems impact humanity:
About 800 people are killed every hour, which means 1 person dies every 13 minutes due to health complications worsened by exposure to air pollution. These figures account for more than three times the number of people who die due to tuberculosis, malaria and even AIDS.
Black carbon produced by inefficient cooking stoves and ovens is also a big contributor to the problem of air pollution. The presence of soot in the atmosphere only makes the conditions much worse.
The burning of wood, biomass and fossil fuels to provide the electrical energy needed for both homes and commercial use is the biggest contributor to air pollution around the world. Diesel generators not to mention coal-fired power plants all make the air quality much less for human consumption.
More than 90% of the children worldwide are exposed to an environment that is filled with air pollution. The WHO released their guidelines to help parents keep their kids from such exposure as it leads to 15 children dying of respiratory tract infections since 2016.
About 25% of the air pollutants in the city are contributed by traffic. Fine particulate matter in the atmosphere only makes the air dirtier.
In World Environment Day, it may be enough to educate people on where air pollution is coming from. Maybe, it would help them realize that the little things that they do could also cause harm to the rest of humanity.
