How dangerous is air pollution?

By: Anvitha Yalamanchili

Did you know that air pollution kills almost seven million people each year, and that close to 780 million people worlwide don’t have access to clean drinking water because of water pollution? 

Air pollution affects all parts of the body, from the brain to a growing baby in a mother’s womb. Two million tons of agriculture, industrial, and sewage waste get released into our water everyday; contaminated drinking water causes 88 percent of deaths from diarrheal diseases. So what do you do?

How does recycling prevent exposure to air and water pollution?

Recycling is really helpful in preventing air pollution; it reduces mining and drilling, which produce air pollution. By saving energy, recyling reduces the air pollution caused by with burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil, which contributes to the largest amount of energy generated. 

By reducing air and water pollution and saving energy, recyling offers an important environmental benefit: it reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons, that contribute to global climate change. 

 

Links to the websites with this info: https://lbre.stanford.edu/pssistanford-recycling/frequently-asked-questions/frequently-asked-questions-benefits-recycling

https://sites.google.com/a/gsbi.org/gvc1402/we-care/healthy-clean-air#:~:text=Recycling%20reduces%20mining%20and%20drilling,largest%20amount%20of%20energy%20generated.

https://www.freewayinsurance.com/blog/uncategorized/10-ways-to-recycle-and-go-green/

https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/03/mining-companies-polluted-western-waters-now-taxpayers-have-to-pay-for-the-clean-up/

https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/the-fashion-industry-emits-more-carbon-than-international-flights-and-maritime-shipping-combined-here-are-the-biggest-ways-it-impacts-the-planet-/articleshow/71640863.cms

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-factory-farms-and-environment#:~:text=Factory%20farming%20accounts%20for%2037,move%20up%20the%20food%20chain