Air Pollution and Public Health - Essay Example

Air Pollution and Public Health The of public health has in the recent years decreased with increased cases of respiratory, heart and cancer cases on the rise in the United States and other countries across the world. This is particularly the case among the young and the elderly. Healthcare facilities are increasingly reporting cases of asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks and cancer. This is highly attributed to pollution particularly air pollution caused by the transportation industry. Exhaust from cars and related industries have contributed to increased levels of dangerous fumes and gases that have in turn greatly affected the state of public health. This study examines ways in which the transportation industry has contributed to poor public health through air pollution. The study will also suggest ways through which air pollution due to cars on the road can be reduced. Although medical doctors cite the possibility of suffering a heart attack after being stuck in traffic as relatively low, it is responsible for 8 percent of heart failure cases reported every year (Szabo para.2). Pollution leads to long-term health problems especially of the respiratory system and heart failure. According to doctors, fumes inhaled while in traffic lead to hardening of arteries, clogging of blood vessels, blood clot and inflammation, disturbs the heart’s natural rhythm and constricts blood vessel. Out of 700 people who came in with heart problems, doctors have revealed many of them reported to have been in traffic when asked to describe what they were doing an hour before checking in hospital. People in traffic are ten times exposed to toxic compounds because of the cars in front of them that are constantly releasing exhaust fumes. This includes people living near major roads who are more likely to suffer heart and lung diseases because of the exhaust fumes (Szabo para.6-10). In addition, exhaust from buses, cars and trucks contribute to the amount of green house gases in the atmosphere. This has led to global warming which has in turn brought about negative effects on health and the climate. Climate change due to global warming has seen temperatures rise leading to death of hundreds of people for example in Chicago due to heat wave. Further, global warming has led to return of diseases such as malaria that for a long time did not occur in United States. Droughts, hurricanes, avalanches and storms are on the rise due to global warming leading to more deaths of people around the world (Sierra Club 2). According to statistics, air pollution has contributed to 440 deaths each year in different ways. In Liberia, the well-being of the residents of Monrovia metropolitan area is threatened by air pollution. The ministry of health has recorded an increase in cancer and respiratory ailments in the past two decades. Increase in air pollution in Monrovia is attributed to the second hand cars imported into the country. Most of these vehicles are more than eight years old and significantly contribute to air pollution. Moreover, Liberia is one of the few countries in the world that still uses leaded gasoline. This has serious health repercussion on the population with increased cases of cancer. This is not helped by lack of stringent environmental laws to protect the people against the effects of air pollution due to second hand cars and leaded gasoline (Nyepon para. 3-7). Of all the cars in use today across the world, light trucks and particularly the SUV is considered the biggest contributor of green house gases in the atmosphere. It emits 47 times more air pollutants than the average car contributing more than 20 percent of the total US carbon dioxide pollution. Despite the US government move to reduce the number of fuel guzzlers on the road, the number of SUV’s on the roads has increased. This is because the SUV is treated as a light truck meaning they are not held up to strict environmental standards as other cars. Light trucks were excluded as they were used to do manual work such as carrying lumbered timber and other tasks in the farm. The SUV however is used on a daily basis for dropping and picking children from school, running grocery errands or simply for road trips. The extensive use of the SUV to conduct everyday chores has greatly increased the amount of emission in the atmosphere (Sierra Club 3). In addition, the SUV’s have contributed to the depletion of natural resources, is a threat to the wilderness and the coastline. SUV’s are fuel guzzlers thus increasing the need to dig up more oil wells needed to sustain the increased demand for gas. These wells are usually dug in the wilderness thus acting as a threat to the species inhabiting these untouched lands. The coastline is also threatened as oil companies dig well along the shore. This has in turn robbed the coastline of it beauty and led to the disappearance of aquatic life (Sierra Club 4). In view of the effects air pollution has on public health and the environment, it is the responsibility of public leaders to ensure that steps are taken to reduce air pollution. The first step would be to introduce strict environmental laws that will help reduce the amount of toxic compound emission from vehicles. In the case of Liberia for example, they should have a law that stipulates that cars manufactured before the year 2000 will not be allowed into the country (Nyepon para. 8). Secondly, government officials can come up with strategies to reduce the number of cars on the road. The city of Toronto mayor for example has a visionary goal to reduce the number of cars on the road by creating light rail lines. This will see more people using the subway and thus reducing single person cars on the road. The mayor also hopes to create roads that encourage cycling (Gray para.4-5). Such measures can be adopted at a national and even international level. Further, with advances in technology hybrid plug-in cars are now in use. Hybrid Plug-in cars use electricity and gasoline to run. The battery is rechargeable and only after the charge runs out does the car use gasoline. This will greatly reduce the amount of air pollution from gasoline by up to 30 percent. However, this has to be supported by use of clean energy. While some states rely on renewable energy such as wind and solar energy, there are states that still rely on coal for production of electricity, which significantly contributes to air pollution. Using hybrid plug-in cars without clean energy will only be counterproductive, as a higher demand for electricity will result to higher air pollution by the coal power plants. Together with encouraging plug-in cars, the government should encourage use of clean energy (Kaplan et al p.1-4). Air pollution has contributed to poor public health especially among the young and elderly. Toxic emissions from vehicles are one of the leading contributors to air pollution. Government officials working together with the public have to come up with plans to reduce the amount of air pollution and protect public health. Reducing the amount of cars on the road, using cleaner energy, enacting laws that protect the environment and using cars that do not emit toxic compounds will help restore public health. Works cited Gray, Jeff. "Exhaust pollution kills 440 each year, report finds." Globe & Mail 6 Nov. 2007: A16. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 27 Sep. 2012. Kaplan, Siena, Rob Sargent, and Brad Heavner. "Plug-in Electric Vehicles Will Reduce Air Pollution." Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Nyepon, Francis W. "Air Pollution And Public Health [opinion]." Africa News Service 26 May 2008. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 27 Sep. 2012. Sierra Club. "Sport Utility Vehicles Harm America." Cars in America. Ed. Andrea C. Nakaya. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Szabo, Liz. "Danger: Clogged arteries." USA Today 21 Oct. 2004: 09D. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 27 Sep. 2012. Read More