Statistics and problems

2.4 million people die each year as a result of air pollution, of which only 1.5 million deaths are attributable to air pollution in indoor, purportedly clean air. This is the annual report of the WHO, the World Health Organization, on air quality in the world, pollution and its consequences on humans. Such shocking facts put the world in front of a global challenge, such as environmental pollution which is mostly caused by the increase of carbon dioxide CO2.

Carbon dioxide has been identified as the most powerful air pollutant in the world and therefore causes the highest number of lung cancer deaths. The air we breathe every day is polluted by a substantial, invisible compound that causes lung cancer. Thus, according to the annual statistics of the WHO, 223,000 people in 2010 died as a result of this disease. In addition, a high number of diseases are directly related to air pollution, such as: heart diseases, lung diseases, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, respiratory allergies, headaches, migraines, etc.

Faced with these alarming global indicators, let’s do a simple analysis of our environmental situation to better understand who is the main cause of air pollution in our country and what is the current situation. Should we be concerned and take immediate initiatives or is the problem incoherent?!

Although we are one of the smallest countries in the Balkans, in terms of area and number, we have the highest coefficient of environmental pollution, and this is due to a total all-encompassing chaos, which identifies us best from many other countries of the world. The problems are mainly related to the road infrastructure, there are endless unpaved roads, uncontrolled construction activities, the rapid increase in the number of vehicles during these last years, diesel generators and above all, the lack of green spaces and the day by day destruction of the existing ones. So, although in the face of ecological challenges, environmental plans are being talked about and concretized in favor of the addition of parks or green spaces, we still continue to act in the opposite direction. We are in an oblique progression with nature, ourselves and the world because we are still continuing to attack nature, and the Albanian citizen is apparently continuing to suffer the consequences of a national transition that is not ending

To make it concrete, according to the Institute of Public Health, in Tirana alone, every resident in one year of his life inhales 7 kg of dust particles, especially harmful to the lungs, while a traffic policeman or a street vendor, who spends most of the day on city streets, absorbs 10 kg of invisible dust particles. And it is no coincidence that this layer of human society constitutes the highest number of patients diagnosed with pulmonary problems. Last year alone, 500 people were diagnosed with such lung problems, and we are only talking about Tirana. One can imagine how the numbers would change if we were to do an inclusion at the national level.

What can we do?

Of course, the problem is everyone’s, and to find a more efficient solution, a strong cooperation at the level of health, governmental and civic structures is needed. First of all, let’s start by educating the public about the health and quality of the air we breathe every day to be aware of our role in nature, and at the same time we can demand a higher intervention in reducing the factors that cause air pollution. air.

According to projections made by the Environmental Protection Agency in the US, it has been proven that if there is an improvement in the quality of car fuels, there will be 12,000 fewer premature deaths, 15,000 fewer strokes, and 6,000 fewer less children with asthma problems. Countries like the USA probably allow themselves the luxury of talking about bigger problems that affect some relevant institutions, but we as a people, as citizens, have other problems that may seem simpler but that in themselves constitute the daily challenge of each individual with himself. Problems that are mostly not talked about than talked about. And if it is not spoken, we will never have the consciousness of their existence, and further we cannot pretend to solve something, whose presence lies in silence! We live with pollution every day, we feel the consequences in our lives and yet we don’t speak up. While the whole world is “boiling” in front of these environmental indicators!

Where is the impasse, are you saying that we are already used to the problem and are allowing ourselves to be killed in silence or maybe we have no one to talk to?!! And even if we didn’t have anyone to talk to, we will still talk to ourselves, we will educate ourselves with the evidence of environmental problems and we can begin to unlearn the passive silence that we were unconsciously accustomed to until now. .

We can start small to achieve more!

Let’s just start talking about the problem, understand the importance of environmental education and its role in society. Let’s be aware that we too can change. Let’s not continue to be the cause of shortening our life expectancy in the unconscious.

Today is the moment to talk about what no one wanted to talk about before and what is still not being talked about, let’s not waste any more time because… Life is too short to wait too long!

Reference:
https://telegrafi.com/tag/mjedisi/
https://consciousplanet.org/