Understanding the impact of air pollution on our fitness and that of our little champs

France passed a new law that mandates car advertisements to dissuade people from using more cars. This regulation is implemented with the aim of curbing global warming. French car commercials have to display messages encouraging alternate means of transport. For example, ‘Consider carpooling,’ ‘For day-to-day use, take public transportation,’ and ‘For short trips, opt for walking or cycling.’

This ruling will impact over all media, including print, TV, radio, and Internet...

Environmental organizations, civil-society groups, faith-based institutions, academicians, and community-based organizations are calling on the government for effective and sustainable environmental protection during the anniversary of the passage of the Clean Air Act into law on June 23. The Act bans incinerators for waste disposal, making the Philippines the first nation in the world to ban incinerators outright. 

We keep reading or hearing about air pollution and its deadly effect on our health and environment. More recently, we have also been hearing this new abbreviation being mentioned quite regularly: AQI – or Air Quality Index.

As the name suggests, AQI is nothing but a report on the quality of air that we are breathing in a particular place – it informs us and the authorities how polluted the air is, so that a decision can be taken on the measures to control the pollution level...

Every winter Delhi is engulfed by smog. Air quality drops to a very poor or severe category. The 2020-21 winter also coincided with opening up from the COVID-19 lockdown. While economic activity has still not reached its peak, air pollution in Delhi was only marginally better than the previous year. The number of smog episodes was lower than the previous two years. However, the seasonal average was higher than the previous two years...

Delhi made bus rides free for women in October 2019 and it has been a mixed experience so far. Since the initiative was launched, women ridership has gone up from 30 per cent to 45 per cent but it has also left the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) worried about its mounting losses. The cash-strapped bus operator feels the losses will translate into poor bus service. This is worrying since 15 per cent of bus trips get cancelled every day due to poor maintenance. While the Delhi government plans to extend free bus services to students and senior citizens, many are wondering if the city can afford to make public transport free.

Every winter, air quality in Delhi becomes critically dangerous. Here is a list of dos and don'ts to help you stay safe

Crammed school vans with children seated on the top of the compressed natural gas (cng) cylinder is a big safety hazard. Keeping any luggage or load on the cylinder can damage its pipe, hose, valve and other parts and it increases the risk of an exlposion

Germany has launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered train in September 2018 because diesel-operated trains cause a lot of pollution. Built by French train maker Alstom, two trains painted in bright blue colour now operate on a 1.6km stretch in northern Germany. Hydrogen trains are eco-friendly because they are equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity through a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, a process that leaves steam and water as the only emissions. Excess energy is stored in ion lithium batteries on board.

World Health Organization has issued a strong warning about the effects of air pollution on children. On October 29, 2018, it released a report called Air Pollution and Child Health. It states that in 2016, 600,000 children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air. What is worse is that 93% of the world's children under the age of 15 (1.8 billion) are exposed to high levels of PM 2.5 which are superfine air pollutants. Worst are those living in developing countries where 98 per cent of all children are exposed to very unhealthy air. 

Most of us love fireworks during Diwali. But these bright and colourful crackers have a dark side It's the toxic metals that give fireworks the beautiful colours we find magical The red colour of a firecracker comes from Strontium, a metal that causes bone growth problems in children Barium, which gives fireworks the green colour, is harmful to the nervous system, the heart and can cause tremors, weakness, anxiety, shortness of breath and paralysis. 

We have a right to breathe clean air, but is there any clean air left

As the alarm went off, Divya hid under her pillow to steal a little more sleep before she gets ready for school. She had trouble sleeping throughout the night and kept coughing. She dragged herself out of the bed and splashed water in her eyes. Unable to see clearly, she stared hard at the mirror and splashed some more water only to realise there was a layer of haze around her.