Air Pollution Control Day: These are a few simple ways by which you can help the environment

Dec 2, 2021

By: Vaamanaa Sethi

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Air pollution is not a “today's problem”, the world has been battling with it for the last few decades.

The root cause of it is human activity, which is degrading the environment everyday.

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Air Pollution Control Day

The day is celebrated in India every year on December 2 in memory of the people who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas tragedy, which occured in 1984. The industrial accident occurred when methyl isocyanate leaked on the night of December 2 and killed thousands of people.

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These are some simple steps, which you can take...

...to help the environment to heal, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) —

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Avoid driving during rush hour

During traffic hours, you’re more likely to inhale the toxic pollutants because the number of vehicles on the road is comparatively more. One should prefer driving before or after traffic hours.

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Walking or cycling to work

Switching to walking or cycling for more of our shorter journeys will help protect biodiversity. It creates less noise, less air pollution, and results in fewer emissions that are warming the atmosphere.

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Compost your waste

According to WHO, reducing food waste or composting also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that affect climate change. Food loss and waste generate an estimated 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions while using land and water resources increasingly put pressure on biodiversity.

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Recycle your waste

Recycling reduces the need for extracting (mining, quarrying and logging), refining and processing raw materials. All of these create substantial air and water pollution. As recycling saves energy it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which helps to tackle climate change.

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Don’t burn your waste

Burning not only emits toxic pollutants in air, but is also an expensive process. It is a significant source of dangerous carcinogens like dioxins and furans, and black carbon, a short-lived climate pollutant that contributes to climate change.

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Turn off lights and fans when not in use

Turning the lights off when you leave your room is necessary to help save electricity and lower your utility bills and can help save money by reducing your electricity bills, extending the life of your light bulbs, and buying bulbs less often.

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Check air pollution level daily

Checking pollution levels before leaving your home will help you get away from toxic air pollutants. One should avoid stepping out if the pollution level outside is high.

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Use clean energy to cook

Exposure to smoke from cooking fires causes 3.8 million premature deaths each year, mostly in low and middle-income countries, says WHO.

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On Air Pollution Control Day 2021, you may want to know these facts about air pollution