Ever wondered how can you reduce air pollution?
Every year millions of people die due to a number of health issues caused by different kinds of air pollution. Air pollution alone has killed around 7 million people from exposure to fine air particles (particulate matter 2.5).
The air that you’re breathing contains harmful toxins that can be the real cause of your frequent hospital visits. Air pollution is a real thing that is happening right at this moment. The main cause of air pollution can be from your daily activities. Here are some ways listed down that can help you reduce air pollution.
Easy actions you can take to reduce air pollution:
1. Walk or ride a bike whenever possible
Use of car and motorbike only increases fuel emission which causes air pollution. Vehicular pollution is the main source of outdoor air pollution. Hence, it is best to walk or use your bike whenever it is convenient for you. Also, walking and biking is a healthy way to improve physical activity and vitality.
2. Turn off the lights when you leave a room
The electric energy which is used to light your home, school and offices consumes a lot of energy. This energy is generated from the power plants which combusts fossil fuels, releasing harmful gas in the air. Hence, it is highly important to keep in mind to always conserve energy.
3. Do a home audit
It is important to have a routine check-up of all the electric appliances in your home or office. Have a service repair person come in and get any issues fixed including mold growth or water seepage that are the prime reason to indoor air pollution.
4. Recycle and reuse items
Courtesy: Itsy Bitsy
Inhabit the use of recycling and reuse items. Encourage your loved ones to buy products that are recycled material. Ban plastic and synthetic items as they contain a harmful toxin that can result in different kinds of health issues.
5. Consistently practice tree planting
Trees purify bad air from our environment. For a sustainable future, it is very important to plant more trees and plant that will help in reducing carbon footprints.
6. Use organic products
Synthetic products such as air fresheners and deodorants contain a high amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Particulate matter (PM). Use of organic and natural products reduce air pollution for a sustainable lifestyle.
7. Regularly maintain your car
Well maintained car produces less fuel emission compared to the vehicles which produce harmful emission in the air. Breathing in fossil fuel emission can cause different kinds of respiratory issues including lung cancer.
8. Purchase and opt for green electricity at all times
Favour in buying electric energy products and services from green and renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar and hydropower since they lessen tons of fossil fuel emission.
9. Drive Smart
Limit the use of your private vehicle to reduce air pollution. Wasting fuel and vehicular emission contributes to environmental pollution. Also, never overload your vehicle as it leads to more fuel consumption.
10. Stop junk mail subscription
Did you know nearly 4 billion trees or 35 per cent of the total trees cut around the world are used in paper industries on every continent? That equates to about 2.47 million trees cut down every day.
Think about the junk subscription you have been ordering every day!
11. Keep a regular check on the HVAC system
It is very important to keep a regular check on the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system commonly known as the HVAC system for efficient services.
12. Quit smoking
Quitting smoking not only reduces air pollution but also improves indoor air quality.
13. Only use Energy Star appliances
Consider opting electronic appliances which are Energy Star certified as they meet energy saving requirements.
14. Restrict the use of gasoline machine
Instead of using propellant based machines, opt for push-power button/electric machines. Though, they are not long-term solutions to control the rising air pollution.
15. Do not use harmful chemicals
Since some of the products have a high concentration of chemicals, they tend to increase the pollution level. Avoiding such products can reduce air pollution in the surrounding area.
To help reduce air pollution, encourage your friends and family to:
- Carpool with colleagues or friends
- When buying a new car, choose the lowest-polluting car
- Use public transport
- Replace air conditioning with a fan
- Use recycled materials
- Use water-based paints and cleaning products
- Opt for natural gas instead of charcoal
- Utilize solar and wind energy
Do you know the air you breathe? Check the indoor and outdoor air quality with www.aqi.in. Download our app available in the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.
