Some time ago, watching TV I was informed about the air pollution in a city I currently live. I have started thinking about what it means and what consequences takes. Have you ever thought that the air you breath can make you die?
As you know, the air consists of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and noble gas. However, in the air there are many compounds which cause the pollution and are harmful for our health.
What are the main sources of pollution? Undoubtly, too many cars without the emission control devices (called DIESEL) but also too many cars in general, which produces exhaust fumes. Therefore, we can say that we people cause a danger for us. How many of us heat houses using heating appiliances for solid and liquid fuels (wood and coal)? Many tenement-houses in big cities are heated this way. There are also some people who decide to heat their appartment using whatever they can like old clothes or rubbish. This irresponsible behaviour has an impact on the quality of the air. I am sure that you do not know that smoking is also one of the most important factors which causes pollution.
Have you ever heard about stations which measure the quality of the air? There are white machines, similar to big rectangular boxes, full of electronic systems inside, which use an aerial to measure. In Poland in nearly every middle or big city there is almost one. A station measures a level of compounds like ozone, atmospheric particulates (PM10 and PM2,5(, nitrogen dioxide, benzene and sulphur dioxide. Under these strange names there are hidden compounds harmful for our health. They penetrate deeply into the lungs, exacerbating the organ. These are important factors which provoke allergies, asthma, pulmonary, larynx and throat tumors.
How can we defend us from their impact? First of all, we should be aware of a real danger. If we ignore measurments, the pollution will increase continually. Secondly, we should consider that we are all the people who should care about the common ambient. Sometimes it is better to leave your car at the car park and choose the public transport. Couldn't be better to move out from an appartment you are not able to maintain than heating it using rubbish? We should be sensible for other people who live next to us!
How can we check the level of pollution in our cities?
Today the Internet is the best source of information. The Environmental Protection Inspectorates of every Voivodship public warnings about exceeded levels of harmful compounds. There are also a few smartphone applications which indicate the statistics.
Remeber that a hundred percent on the scale indicates the exceeded level of one factor. In the winter, many statistics are exceeded, especially when the winters are quite hot and it winds rarely.
It is you who should care about your own and your children's health!
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