Everyone on earth knows that air pollution is hazardous to human health and environment. Here is an interesting way to analyze how air pollution is gradually causing so many deaths worldwide. One may even fail to count the effects of air pollution and the striking figures floating around this environmental issue.
According to Wikipedia, “Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, or biological materials that cause discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage other living organisms such as food crops, or damage the natural environment or built environment“.
Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. It occurs when the air contains a harmful amount of gases, dust, fumes and odour.
Below are 50+ Facts on Air Pollution
Fact 1: An average American breathes 2 gallons of air per minute, which means around 3400 gallons of air each day.
Fact 2: Inhaling air pollution takes away at least 1-2 years of a typical human life.
Fact 3: It has effects as small as burning eyes and itchy throat to as large as breathing problems and death.
Fact 4: Pollutants that are released into the air, as opposed to land and water pollutants, are the most harmful.
Fact 5: Rising levels of air pollution in Beijing has brought a new disease – Beijing cough.
Fact 6: Air pollution is not a recent occurrence. In 1952, the Great Smog of London killed 8000 people.
Fact 7: Deaths caused by air pollution cost the European Union €161 billion.
Fact 8: Electric vehicles produce fewer air pollutants. They stir up dirt but without producing gases.
Fact 9: Producing heavy crude oil increases the chances of air pollution by 40% than producing light crude oil.
Fact 10: According to the Lancet journal, air pollution caused by waiting in traffic increases the chances of death caused due to heart attack.
Fact 11: Toxic air pollution poses a greater threat to children due to their smaller physical size and lung capacity.
Fact 12: Air pollution and resulting deaths are increasing fastest in Asia.
Fact 13: Air pollution that causes smog affects dolphins and makes them suffer from black lung diseases.
Fact 14: 70% of the air pollution caused in Chinese cities is due to tailpipes.
Fact 15: 5,000 premature deaths in Southern California are caused due to pollution from diesel trucks.
Fact 16: Travels at Grand Canyon are unable to see the other side due to air pollution, which is 1000 miles away.
Fact 17: The most hazardous pollutants are released from the air and less from the water and land together.
Fact 18: The best ways to reduce air pollution are by walking and riding a bicycle.
Fact 19: A single bus carries passengers who are likely to drive 40 cars.
Fact 20: 28% of Americans believe they are most affected by air pollution caused by vehicles.
Fact 21: Air pollution in China can travel up to Central Valley of California.
Fact 22: Outdoor air pollution ranks among the top ten killers on earth.
Fact 23: 65% of the deaths in Asia and 25% of deaths in India is due to air pollution.
Fact 24: Around 2 million cars in Manila and the Philippines cause 80% of air pollution.
Fact 25: Air pollution in India is estimated to cause 527, 700 deaths every year.
Fact 26: The number of people who die in America every year due to air pollution is above 50,000.
Fact 27: 80% of lung diseases is caused due to pollution from other cars, buses, trucks and other vehicles.
Fact 28: It is estimated that 750,000 people die in china prematurely due to air pollution.
Fact 29: Research by MIT proves that around 13,000 British citizens die due to air pollution from vehicles and power plants.
Fact 30: Air pollution in California kills 25,000 people per year and costs $200 million worth of medical expenses.
Fact 31: 300,000 in China die every year due to heart disease and lung cancer caused by air pollution.
Fact 32: People in many cities wear masks continually to save themselves from air pollution.
Fact 33: Sitting inside a car exposes a person to huge amounts of air pollutants. While sitting a car, a person is exposed to 8 times more pollutants than a cyclist who is riding past it.
Fact 34: In the last 4 years alone, the United Kingdom has seen a staggering 26 times increase in the use of electric vehicles.
Fact 35: By 2050, 6 million people will die per year due to air pollution.
Fact 36: During a heavy traffic jam, pollutants outside can seep into your car, making the air inside your car 10 times more polluted than typical city air.
Fact 37: According to the California Department of Education, Asthma is a leading cause of school absenteeism.
Fact 38: Indoor air pollution is 2-5 times worse than the air outdoors.
Fact 39: People who live near high traffic roads face a greater risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma and bronchitis as these places contain more concentrated levels of air pollution.
Fact 40: Switching to more efficient and cleaner fuels from solid fuels(wood, biomass) can help you to reduce indoor air pollution.
Fact 41: The US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has been authorized through the Clean Air Act to regulate the amount of emissions made in order to protect public health.
Fact 42: Children’s IQ could also turn out to be deteriorated with excess exposure to air pollutants.
Fact 43: In many parts of the United States, air pollution has reduced the distance of visibility by almost 70%. This is alarmingly dangerous because, with such reduced rates of visibility, it is quite natural that the number of road accidents too would increase alarmingly.
Fact 44: The tiniest of the airborne particles in the air can enter our lungs through our bloodstream and can cause several fatal diseases.
Fact 45: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, also known as PAH, are released from the vehicular exhausts. When human beings are exposed to excessive quantities of the same, it can adversely affect their liver and can also permanently damage the same.
Fact 46: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAH can also cause Attention Deficiency Disorder in children. It could also worsen up any possible symptoms of ADHD.
Fact 47: According to the 2014 reports of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), carbon dioxide accounts for a total of 81 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions, while methane accounts for approximately 11 percent.
Fact 48: Pollens also add to the contributing factors to air pollution. In fact, it is one of the sources that have the most allergens and triggers allergic reactions in many.
Fact 49: The climate change that is caused due to air pollution results in the change of the season of pollination. This, in turn, harms the ecological balance of the earth.
Fact 50: NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air program estimates that they can make an HFC phase-down that would help curtail about 80 billion tons of carbon dioxide over the period of the next 35 years.
Fact 51: Deforestation is one of the major causes of air pollution too. With a decreased number of plants and trees to absorb the harmful carbon dioxide emissions for the purpose of photosynthesis, the extent of air pollution increases manifold.
Fact 52: Air pollution is the biggest cause of death in the United Kingdom. In fact, it is one of the major causes that kill people worldwide.
Fact 53: A study claims that a child who has been born today might not be able to breathe proper fresh air until they turn about 8 years old.
Fact 54: Annually, air pollution causes approximately 36,000 premature deaths in the United Kingdom alone.
Fact 55: Pollution caused by the fine particles suspended in air results in about 29,000 premature deaths annually.
Fact 56: The air pollution situation is so bad now that in London alone, 9000 deaths are caused annually just because of some invisible air pollution.
Fact 57: In the whole of Europe, it is claimed that among some other cities, London has the filthiest air.
We can do a lot more to contribute to human happiness by following many little steps. Riding a cycle, using public transport, burning less coal on barbeque are like small steps to create a healthy, prosperous environment for future generations and ourselves.
Imagine our little acts can do so much like saving thousands of people who die due to cancer, heart attack or other airborne diseases. The figures are definitely striking.
So let your action do some act of heroism and make this world a pollution-free, healthier, safer place to live in!