Air its Importance
Air is essential for organisms to live. Organisms do not produce energy in the absence of air.So organisms can't live.
Air its uses:
- To help living things to live and grow.
- Air helps to control temperature on the earth.
- To propagate sound.
- To help combustion.
- To help the dispersal of plant seeds.
You know that smoke come out when fuels burn, when vehicles move and when some industries are being run.
We see vehicles moving on the roads. When vehicles, herds of cattle or a large number of people move, we see dust rising from the road or path.
The smoke from vehicles and factories contain carbon-monoxide, carbon-dioxide and other gases which we cannot see. Coal mines, cement, granite factories, refrigerators and also sprayers produce dust and poisonous gases. Such dust and gases pollute the air in that place.
Air contains about 20% Oxygen and78% Nitrogen. It also contains water vapour, hydrogen, carbon-dioxide, methane and inert gases. Besides these, some poisonous gases like Carbon-dioxide, Sulphur-dioxide, nitrogen-dioxide, and Nitric Oxide are also found in the air. Of course dust, smoke and other things are also present in the air. All these harmful and unnecessary things present in the air are called pollutants . They pollute air we breathe. The presence of harmful gases and substances in the air results in air pollution. It is very dangerous if their quantity increases. Because of air pollution trees, houses and historical buildings are turning black. By burning fossil fuels like petrol sulphur-related gases are released and it results in acid rains. Because of chloro-flouro carbon gas released by refrigerators and air-conditioners, the also increases the temperature of our earth.
The Diseases we get if we breathe polluted air:
- Laziness
- Headache
- Mental worry
- Lung diseases
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Eye diseases
- Skin diseases
- Digestive disorders etc., are caused by breathing polluted air. The poisonous carbon-monoxide mixes with the hemoglobin in our blood and forms carboxy hemoglobin which is very harmful to our body.
We can prevent air pollution by talking the following steps:
- The residential areas and drainages must be kept clean. Garbage must be removed as it gets piled up.
- Trees must be planted in houses and along roads. Social forestry must be in villages. We must see that forest area is not reduced by stopping deforestation.
- Smokeless ovens must be used.
- Use of petrol, diesel and kerosene must be reduced. Solar energy must replace all these fossil fuels. Stop smoking. Avoid using plastic bags.
- Avoid the use of chemical pesticide and use natural pesticides.
- Use natural manures instead of chemical fertilizers.
- Use public transport vehicles like buses or trains instead of motorcycles, scooters and cars.
- If you are to go to near by places, use a bicycle.
Do You Know?
It is said that 1/3 of oxygen present in the air comes from the rain forests along the Amazon River!
Because we cut down trees in forests, oxygen is lost and carbon-dioxide increases. This causes an increase in temperature.
