Pollution... the Silent Killer


Pollution
Climate change and carbon emissions have deviated much of our attention away from an underlying immediate problem: pollution. Contributing to over 40,000 early deaths each year, this is certainly an overlooked issue. The sources range from outdoor pollution caused by vehicular emissions and factories, to poor circulation and exchange of the air indoors. Vitally then, we need to raise the awareness towards this present problem in order to make a difference for the long term.

Sources of pollution

o   Vehicular emissions – primarily CO2 & NOx

o   Industrial emissions – mainly CO2 & SOx

o   Tobacco smoke, especially in poorly ventilated areas

o   Mould and mildew in closed plus unventilated areas

o   Scents and sprays chemically reacting to produce secondary pollutants

o   Poorly maintained gas appliances

Reducing pollution
Increasing levels of awareness has led to greater consideration into the ways in which pollution can be minimised. Indeed, more expansive and wide range measures have now been proposed. In reference to vehicular pollution, a key proposition is to encourage transport via walking, cycling and public means (e.g. buses and trains). These measures lessen the net number of vehicles on the road. In turn, this will not only decrease pollution, but also promote the presence of a more active society. Secondly, the establishment of renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind, can aid with the reduction of industrial pollution. These sources provide an efficient green source of energy which is more than capable of meeting day-to-day demands.

Finally, indoor pollution can be lowered via maintaining well ventilated areas and not keeping them enclosed. Simply, this requires opening a window for a few minutes, allowing air circulation. Scents which are not chemically reactive can be purchased, reducing the risk of producing secondary pollution. In terms of gas appliances, their condition can be maintained by regular cleansing as well as ensuring that any damage is repaired.  

A final word
Clearly then, it is essential that we put forward all our efforts to eradicate this problem. By purely reading this article, you have made yourself more knowledgeable of this issue: the key underlying foundation for making a change. The well-being of our planet is in our hands. You have the power to MAKE A DIFFERENCE…

Thanks for taking the time to read this week’s blog
Universal Medicine (Gagandeep Sachdeva)            
Acknowledgements: facts and statistics have been obtained from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science_and_environment 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PTSD - A Psychodynamic Explanation

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder which you may develop after being involved in, or witnessing, traumatic events. The condition was first recognised in war veterans and has been known by a variety of names, such as 'shell shock'. PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event, or it can occur weeks, months or even years later. Its estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it's not clear exactly why some people develop the condition and others do not. There are many theories that could be used to explain this condition. Psychodynamic approaches to PTSD focus on a number of different factors that may influence or cause PTSD symptoms, such as early childhood experiences, current relationships and the things people do to protect themselves from upsetting thoughts and feelings that are the result of experiencing a traumatic event. The psychodynamic approach focuses mainly
Read more

Disparities in Global Eye Care

Vision is one of our most precious possessions. Multiple polls globally show that most people are more fearful of becoming blind than losing any other sense. (1,2) With sight being such a valuable asset, one would assume that eyecare is at the forefront of medical services across the world. Living in the developed world, we perhaps take for granted the simple and yet crucial services available to us such as regular eye tests, glasses, contact lenses and high-quality ophthalmic care - most of which can be accessed for free or at a subsidised price. However, in many parts of the world this is not the case. 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired, with 90% being from developing countries. (3) In China, for example, levels of blindness are increasing each year, however critically, rates of blindness have been reported at up to 4 times higher in the developing world as compared to more economically developed countries (4, 5). This is particularly worrying given that around 80% of
Read more

Do Contact Lenses Really “Support Your Vision”?

Image
Contact lenses have been frequently used as an alternative to glasses. Compared to the heavy-framed glasses in front of one’s eyes (optic glasses), thin plastic discs on the eye (contact lenses) help correct refractive errors in both myopic and hypermetropic users. The lens’ shape and power can be tailored to the user’s sight. A concave lens can be used to decrease myopia by reducing light refraction and increasing focal length so that the image is formed on the retina (1)  (Figure 1). Alternatively, a convex lens can be used to limit hypermetropia in an opposing mechanism to concave lenses (1) (Figure 1). Figure 1, An illustration of myopia and hyperopia and how adding lens of different shapes in front of the eye can be used to alter the refraction of light and correct each impairment in vision (10) Besides supporting sight, which both types of lenses can do, contact lenses confer some advantages that make them preferable to glasses. Unlike glasses, contact lenses are less likely to f
Read more