What Can You do to Curb Air Pollution?

Introduction

Air Pollution has been the talk of the town ever since reports started floating that a hundred thousand Indian children dying of air pollution every year. The statistics, according to a study conducted, posits an emergency situation globally, particularly in India. A recent comment on the quality of air in South east Asia by one of the political leaders of the world’s biggest economy also sparked debate over the measures taken to reduce air pollution in the country. While there are numerous factors contributing to the poor air quality in the country, there are different ways, within an individual capacity, to help curb air pollution.

Recent study conducted by Greenpeace Foundation has revealed startling insights and observations about the air quality in the Indian Subcontinent. Gurugram is the most polluted city in the world while Delhi, home to nearly 2 million people, is the most polluted capital in the world and ranks 11th globally. Not so surprisingly, 17 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India.

The Government & You

The Government of India has been working relentlessly to curb air pollution by introducing green norms to be strictly followed by the development authorities across the country. Much has been done and much more needs to be implemented to counter the damage that has already been caused. A civic sense also needs to be inculcated to provide a healthy living for the citizens. It is through this collaborative effort by the Government and we, as individuals, that we can reach our goal to provide a healthy atmosphere to live in. Clean air and environment free of (utopian as it may sound at the moment) pollution is a human right that needs our utmost attention.

A New Beginning?

World Environment Day recently observed attracted great minds from across the country coming together and bringing in new insights to help achieve the UN goals of sustainable development. The world of startups which has attracted much required attention from the government has been marching towards developing sustainable solutions to make India future-ready. While startups have been doing their jobs, big industry players have also been getting involved by taking up green initiatives.

What Can You Do

It is time that we take charge and contribute as much as we can to reduce air pollution. Here are some simple ways to help –

1. Controlling Air Conditioner Usage – Timely switching off appliances like ACs will help reduce air pollution. CFCs emitted causes negative impact on the environment causing global warming. Effort should be made to restrict the temperature not lower than 25 deg Celsius.
2. Carpooling – As and when possible, effort should be made to carpool to reduce excessive use of fuel.
3. Preventing Usage of Firewood – One of the biggest sources of air pollution is household activities. There are still numerous households present in the country still using the traditional method of cooking using firewood.
4. Public Transport – Usage of public transport maximization is one of the ways you could contribute to curbing pollution caused due to burning fuel. Major cities in the country already have infrastructure developed for public transport while progress in this sector is going on in leaps and bounds.
5. WALK! – Do you really need to drive a kilometer away to the superstore or could you rather walk?
6. Vehicle Maintenance – Ensure that your vehicle is properly serviced and maintained since poor maintenance requires more fuel. Ensure that the tyres are inflated at all times.
7. Avoid Burning Trash – Instead adopt environment-friendly approach of composting waste or making optimum use of the waste disposal system set up by the civic authorities.

Every action from an individual could help us achieve the greater goal of not only securing our future but also creating an impact today.