Pollution Stinks

Air pollution is a worldwide concern for environmentalists and health professionals alike.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2 million people die prematurely each year from the bad air quality in their cities.  If we are not motivated to reduce air pollution for the good of the planet, this staggering number should shock us into action.  The air is shared by everyone in the world; country and state borders do not apply.  If one area of the world increases their air pollution, the wind currents carry the pollution around the world, consequently affecting other nations.  WHO has been trying since 2006, when they presented the Air Quality Guidelines, to get nations to take immediate action and decrease particulate pollution from 70 to 20 micrograms per cubic metre.  They predicted a decrease in deaths caused by pollution worldwide by 15% if these guidelines were followed, however findings from 2011 show that the number of deaths per year has increased and only a few cities meet the guidelines.  What is it going to take for countries to start regulating air pollution at safe levels?  Even with the increasing amount of premature deaths, countries are still hesitant to take action reducing the pollution contributed by motor transport, burning of biomass and coal, and small- scale manufactures.

Is there any hope?  There does seem to be an increased interest from the public in China, evident in this article by Olivia Solon entitled Pollution- detecting kites to monitor Beijing’s air quality. http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-07/23/float-pollution-kites-beijing.  While the government in China is hesitant to publish data on the country’s air quality, there is an effort by citizens to get concrete information and facts published.  Change will only occur if there is support at the lowest levels, if enough people in China and around the world demand better air quality standards in their cities and countries then governments will be more inclined to take action.  Just as with all other environmental issues, we are arriving at the ‘point of no return’, meaning that in the near future there will be a permanent layer of pollution around the earth that cannot be removed.  It starts with us, taking action at a small level that will eventually work its way up to the top.

Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

-NP