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New Delhi is the most populated as well as the polluted capital city in the world. The air quality is so bad that living in Delhi is equal to drinking 10 cigarettes per day. Will you want to stay in a country where being sober means you are smoking so much each day?
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Today, we have a device named flow air quality controller that measures PM 2.5. Which is a particulate matter of 2.5 microns. You can fit about 20 of these particles in the width of human air. It is a very small particle that goes very deep into your lungs. These particles are solid particles. When they are in your body they can cause a huge load of harm. These particles exist in nature but most of them in a city are made by cars, combustion, electricity, cooking. Currently, it’s measuring a very low level. We are at 19 PM 2.5.
We understand that 9 million people die a year of diseases related to air pollution.
Over a million Indians die prematurely due to air pollution. Half of the children in Delhi have abnormalities in their lungs. 50% is a huge percentage. Few people are fortunate enough to protect their children. For example, people who have a very good standard of living. They can install an air filter and keep their child inside a safe environment if they want to. But most people can not afford it. We need to think about those people who can not afford it and are dying. This is a key issue the environment is facing. It is a point where technology can be disruptive. By not creating something which includes more people, being cheaper and better for the environment.
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Challenges faced by the city
Electricity demand
72% of our electricity demand comes from coal and it is extremely polluting. A huge population will need access to energy. At the same time there’s also a demand from the prime minister, he says that we need to be a one trillion dollar economy. How will all these growths be fueled? It will be fueled in the interim until 2030 at least by coal. So there lies the challenge.
Cleaner form of mobility
Usually, poorer people use bicycles and electric rickshaws in Delhi and many other cities of India. They use a means of convenience which is environmentally friendly. But what about us? We are spending a lot of money on buying a vehicle which will pollute the environment. It is a nightmare for the people of Delhi to give up their 4 cars and move up to public transport.
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We have over 10 million cars on the Delhi roads. It is a huge challenge to convince people to move on to cleaner forms of mobility.
Certification for trucks and transport cost
Typically, India moves through trucks. The trucks carry all our essential supplies from construction to mill, vegetables. All these trucks run on diesel. Diesel emits a lot of PM 2.5 and as far as pollution is concerned 28% comes from vehicles.
All the trucks need a certificate that says “pollution under control”.
They are supposed to generate it every two years. And they don’t do it because it takes a lot of time and channels.
What these truck drivers forget is they get most harm by the emission of gases. They drive these vehicles throughout their life. The aim of technology is to bring the cost of transportation down. At the same time, it should concentrate on reducing the number of pollutants.
Social issues
It is also important to bring under consideration of the social issue. How these issues affect poor people. How their circumstances lead them to work in a hazardous situation.
Landfills
The amount of garbage produced today is more than eleven thousand tons per day. The poorest of the poor will end up there with their bare hands. They pick up some of the garbage to recycle. These poor people who don’t even have access to medical facilities are exposing themselves to hazardous air. Landfills also release methane. That is combustible and catches fire and all the people are inhaling all that.
Poverty
The people that are most affected by the pollution are the poorest. The reason behind this is because they eat, sleep and work outside. One of the big causes of air pollution is open kitchens where these poor people work. Their occupation also involves ingesting a lot of smoke. Politicians don’t see it as something getting them votes. These problems for them are bigger than for us but still at the bottom of their priority list.
Conclusion
Technology can play a huge part in combating air pollution. Few miles from the overpass there is an office building with some interesting innovations. They have some golden potholes which are also called a money plant in India. It is a very easy plant to grow and it is great at removing formaldehyde from the air. No indoor place will ever have Carbon-di-oxide less than outdoors. This is because human beings give out huge amounts of Co2. But because of plants, the Co2 levels are lower than even outdoors. It is a plant that gives oxygen at night and removes Co2 at night.
So, if you can’t have a proper filtration system for outdoor air you can put these in your room. Money plant will bring Co2 levels down in your home.
Tags: #delhi, #earth, #environment, #getgreengetgrowing, #gngagritech, #greenstories, #plasticburning, #Pollution, #waste, #wastemanagement
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