How Bad is Air Pollution?
Air pollution is putting people’s health at risk and it varies depending on age, location, underlying health conditions and several factors. There are a lot of studies showing that people who have lower socio-economic status, as well as minority populations, are exposed disproportionately to air pollution. At the same time, they are also more vulnerable to serious health impacts it brings.
Who are at Greater Risks from Air Pollution?
On the other hand, there are certain groups of individuals whose health are at bigger risks to air pollution and these include:
Individuals who are suffering from lung diseases similar to asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD and chronic bronchitis
- Young children and infants alike
- People who are exercising or working outdoors
- Adults who are over 65 years old
- Those who have cardiovascular disease
- People in poverty like those who are lacking access to health care
- People who are exposed to second-hand smoke or is smoking and;
- People who are spending great amount of their time near roadways
What are the Risks of Living close to Traffic?
Several studies showed that people who are living, working, or attending school close to a major roadway has increased severity and incidence of health issues like cardiovascular disease, asthma, preterm newborns, low birth weight, reduced lung function as well as impaired lung development among children and worst, premature death.
Areas that are within 1000 to 1600 feet from the nearest highways as well as other major roads are the ones that experience the most impact. Roughly 30 to 45 percent of people in North American cities are living within these zones.
Cleaner air through Gaming
About 10 to 15 percent of passenger vehicles are accountable for over half of the fine particle emissions from on-road cars. Being able to repair and identify or retire these high polluting automobiles will create positive impacts on both regional and local air quality.
The good thing is that nowadays, it is a lot easier to teach and educate the public, especially children on air pollution through games like for instance, Minecraft survival servers. The game can be used as a tool by organizations on showing how to possibly minimize air pollution and have a better environment.