How to Prevent Air Pollution

Prevent Air Pollution

We all come across these slogans which say , 'Go Green', or 'Recycle' to breathe in clean air... but what are we actually doing about it? Well, you can learn how to prevent air pollution and contribute your bit to make the earth a healthier and cleaner place to live in.

Let us all be very honest! I mean the fact that the issue of pollution control needs immediate attention is something that we all are well aware of... but are we 'seriously' doing anything about it? I mean would you go cycling to work instead of taking your car? If someone told you that there is a high alert and even a little amount of smoke in your surroundings would make you choke to death, I bet you wouldn't even think of driving anything that emits smoke, isn't it? See, we humans wait till the end to make things better, but why wait till the time it's too late? You would be surprised to know that according to the World Health Organization Report in 2004, air pollution was the sole reason behind the premature deaths of 100,000 people in Europe! Speaking of the United States, the Environmental Defense reports that there are 70% increased chances of developing cancer by inhaling the diesel exhausts present in the air pollution. Wouldn't you stop driving of you knew that you can be at a risk too? The reason why I am listing out these statistics is because I want to tell you all that air pollution is way too serious an issue than we presume it to be. And if we don't contribute in our own way to prevent air pollution, then we all may have to just sit and repent. So how to prevent air pollution? What can be done about it? All this will be discussed as this article proceeds further.

Tips on How to Help Prevent Air Pollution

Well, let us look at it this way. If you need to go to the store to pick up some grocery, and it is just a 10 minutes walk from your house, but you feel too lazy and decide to drive down. That 'small' decision of driving instead of walking just lead to more air pollution... and although it didn't matter to you, it did add to the rise in air pollution. On the other hand, if you make it a point of not taking your car out when it comes to going to a nearby place, don't you think it would obviously reduce the air pollution to some extent? What I am trying to say is that how every little step adds to air pollution, every little step would also contribute in reducing air pollution. Mentioned below are some more tips to prevent air pollution. Have a look...

More Cycling, Less Driving!
Not only is it a great way to become more fit, it also would contribute in a great way when it comes to reducing and preventing air pollution. The logic is very simple, less cars out on the road means less smoke coming out of the vehicle, which eventually means less air pollution. You can also walk down to nearby places, or you can go for a carpool. These small yet simple steps will definitely prevent the increase pace of pollution at a high rate.

Drive with these Tips
I mean no matter what we read or how much our conscious tells us, we can't stop driving completely! But then there are some simple tips that we can follow while driving a car, which can actually help a little when it comes to preventing air pollution. These would include steps like obeying the speed limit, replacing your car's air filter on time, accelerating gradually, keeping your tires inflated properly, servicing your vehicle on time, go for hybrid cars or cars that are designed to emit low pollution.

Avoid VOCs
VOC stands for 'Volatile Organic Compounds' and they are the gases that are emitted from certain materials, be it solid or liquids, which we use in our daily life. These materials include spray paints, pesticides, glues, permanent markers, copiers, printers, cleaning supplies and so on. Instead of going for materials that contain VOCs, go for products that contain are water based or have low levels of VOCs.

Don't Waste, Learn to Recycle
Recycling is one of the best ways to reduce air pollution as well. This is because to make new products, it takes energy. I mean we all are aware of the pollution caused by the factories that manufacture various products for our consumption. Recycling more means producing less and conserving more energy. Therefore the next time you throw away the newspapers or plastic bottles, think about it again!

Learn to Save Energy
In the last point, the whole point to recycle is to save energy so that less amount of pollution comes out from the factories and the waste materials. Simple steps like using less natural gas, gasoline and electricity can actually save a lot of fossil fuels. In order to save electricity, you can take small steps like using fans instead of air conditioners, turn off electrical appliances when you leave a room, replace your incandescent lights with fluorescent lights, use solar energy, use a microwave for heating up small meals than burning the gas stove, purchase energy saving appliances and so on.

Spread the Word
Spreading the word apart from doing what is needed is also important. Talk to your close ones about it. Set yourself as an example and show them how you are contributing your bit to prevent air pollution. It is important for everyone to realize that it is high time to take a conscious step to make things better before it is too late. We all know what is happening in Japan these days, people can't even breathe with all the air pollution due to the nuclear plant leakage. And the way things are going on now, the rise in the pollution levels in the air can make things very difficult for all of us. Therefore it is important to practice and preach!

As mentioned earlier, even small and minute things matter, when it comes to preventing air pollution. No matter where you live, air is that one element that will always be around you. So, if you think that staying at home will keep you safe no matter how polluted it is outside, you are under the wrong impression! As a matter of fact, if you go through the air pollution statistics, you would know that air pollution is the leading cause of many air borne diseases like bronchitis, asthma, non fatal heart attacks, and other respiratory conditions leading to premature deaths all across the globe. I hope this article on how to prevent air pollution proved to be of help in terms of 'the need to act' NOW!

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