Narendra Bisht
According to a dreadful report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) recently, 14 of the most polluted cities in the world happen to be in India. As per the data released by the WHO, Delhi and Varanasi are among the 14 most polluted cities among the 20 most polluted cities of the world. Pollutants like sulfate, nitrate, black carbon and those emanating from coal-fired power plants are some of the key sources of pollution in India. The study also revealed that approximately seven million people die every year as a result of the poor air quality.
The report also mentions that nine out of 10 people in the world breathe polluted air. Roughly seven million people die every day as a result of indoor and outdoor air pollution. It has also been indicated that air pollution is the main cause of non-communicable diseases, such as strokes, heart diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and lung cancer, which lead to a number of deaths every year. When it comes to the PM10 level, among the 20 worst affected places, 13 are in India, with the capital Delhi ranking on top in the list.
The alarming situation underlines the fact that we need to take special care to keep away from serious air-borne diseases, especially if we have kids or elderly people at home.
Air pollution causes about 1.2 million deaths annually in India. Purely as a point of comparison, this is the size of the population of Mauritius. According to Greenpeace, unlike what most people think, “air pollution is not a problem restricted to Delhi and nearby region or even to India’s metros. It is a national problem that is costing the economy an estimated three per cent of GDP”.
Air pollution in office
The alarming levels of pollution and low level of oxygen poses a threat when you are outside but also have an impact on the indoor air quality. In a commercial context, low oxygen levels in indoor air leads to loss of concentration and memory, lethargy and fatigue. No wonder, so many corporate professionals seek frequent coffee and cigarette breaks during the course of a day! Long-term effects of oxygen deprivation include loss of immunity and vitality.
Since it is hampering the immune system, it also leads to a number of problems such as asthma, breathing problems, and allergies.
How to breathe well
Good quality air, also called mountain fresh air, is a mixture of about 21 per cent oxygen, 78 per cent nitrogen and one per cent other gases. However, in most cities, the oxygen level in air is far lower. In the outdoor setting, it is around 18 per cent, while the indoor level is even lower. This leads to a whole host of problems — some immediate and some long-term.
Wearing a mask when going out and installing a car air purifier can help you prevent outdoor pollution to an extent. However, you also need to take the right steps to prevent indoor pollution and get the optimal level of oxygen. What can an individual do to take care of their health? After all, while you drink about two litres of water a day, you inhale about 10,000 litres of air!
The solution is oxygen. It is true that oxygen does not destroy the suspended particulate matters in air and kill the viruses and pathogens in the air. But it increases your immunity to combat all kinds of air pollution. You possibly spend a good eight to 10 hours in office, say from 9 am to 6 pm. Now just think if in those hours you got to breathe pure air, that is air with 21 per cent oxygen! Imagine what it could do to your body. The natural immunity with which we are all blessed would get recharged to take on the dirt and grime that outdoor air throws at you.
Considering the fact that our indoor air is most often worse than outdoor air, our immune system gets barely any rest at all! An overworked immune system progressively gives away with the result that we soon get afflicted with all kinds of diseases.
Therefore, equipping your office space with oxygen optimisers can give your employees the best air that is important to their health, productivity and well-being! Running an oxygen optimiser for a couple of hours creates an indoor environment that leaves you feeling totally invigorated and charged just the way you felt when you breathed in pure air during your last vacation in the mountains.
