The World Heath Organization estimates that 25 percent of all deaths in the developing world are directly attributable to environmental factor . 1 Some researchers estimate that exposure to pollution causes 40 percent of deaths annually-2 Pollution is Regarded as a Major (and quickly emerging) Factor in Disease People affected by pollution problems are much more susceptible to contracting other diseases.
Others have impaired urological development, damaged immune systems, and long-term health problems. Women and Children are Especially at Risk, Children are Most Susceptible Children are physiologically different and more vulnerable than adults. In some cases they have higher exposures since they eat, drink and breathe more per kilogram of body weight than adults and tend to ingest a lot more dirt and house dust than adults from their crawling around and playing outside. While children only make up 10 percent of the world’s population, over 40 percent of the global burden of disease falls on them.
Indeed, more than three million children under age five die annually from environmental factors. Death is Not the Only Toll of Exposure to Pollutants Pollution causes chronic illness, neurological damage and shortened lifespan. For instance, the presence of lead in children lowers I. Q. By an estimated 4-7 points for each increase of 10 pig/del. 3 Our database identifies populations around the globe with blood lead levels ranging from 50 -100 pig/del, up to 10 times the WHO reference levels for protection against neurological damage. Pollution is Worst in the Developing World
The world’s worst polluted places are in the developing world. Similar conditions no longer exist in the U. S. , Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia today. In wealthier countries, there are sufficient legal, political, cultural and economic disincentives for polluters to allow their activities to affect human health on a massive scale. Unfortunately, many of these tactics do not work in developing countries that are trying to increase their industrialization and make themselves economically com appetite for manufacturing and processing.
Pollution Contributes to Global Warming Toxic emission from industry and other sources may contain greenhouse gases. Therefore some sources of pollution contribute to global warming. Unlike global warming, where the negative effects are evolutionary and solutions elusive, the effects of pollution are immediate and deadly, and the solutions are well-known and available. Pollution: A Global Killer, a Solvable Problem The understanding and the technology for remediation of all types of pollution sites is well established in the industrialized world, where life- heartening toxic pollution has almost been eliminated.
All that is needed to eliminate pollution worldwide is resources and commitment. Everyday Pollution Solutions Your Guide to Going Green 1 | Use cast iron pans instead of nonstick. Read about Teflon health concerns. | 2 | To avoid chemicals leaching into food, go easy on processed, canned or fast foods and never microwave plastic. Read about Biosphere A, a toxic food-can lining ingredient associated with birth defects. | 3 | Buy organic, or eat vegetables and fruit from the “Clean 15” list. Find out more about the “Dirty Dozen. | 4 | Pregnant women should use dizzied salt to combat chemical interference from the thyroid. Read about rocket fuel’s effect on the thyroid. | 5 | Seal outdoor wooden structures. Order a test kit to find out if your wooden deck, picnic table, or palates is leaching arsenic. I 6 | Leave your shoes at the door. This cuts down on dust-bound pollutants in the home. | 7 | Avoid perfume, cologne and products with added fragrance. Search for personal care products that are fragrance-free, or check the rodents you’re already using. 8 | Buy products with natural fibers, like cotton and wool, that are naturally fire resistant. Use our list of products and manufacturers to avoid the chemical flame retardant BED. 1 9 Eat low- mercury fish like tailpipe & Pollock, rather than high-mercury choices like tuna & swordfish. Check our Safe Fish List to see which fish to avoid and what’s safe to eat. 10 | Filter your water for drinking and cooking. How does your tap water stack up? Search our tap water database to see what you’re drinking. | 11
Learn your personal body burden. Take a step-by- step tour of your home to learn the toxic truth about how household products contribute to your body burden of industrial chemicals. I Top of Form What does pollution cause to people and the environment? Pollution causes server environmental hazards such as acid rain, which is a result of air pollution, global warming which is caused by carbon emissions and also non bio-degradable wastes like plastics which choke the land and cause toxins to infiltrate into the soil, which later destroys crops.