Environment plays an important role in leading a healthy life. So, maintaining a healthy environment is crucial for people to enhance their quality of life. Also, people can reduce the risk of fatal diseases.
But, nowadays, huge environmental issues have risen to new levels, affecting people’s health dangerously. If people continue to pollute and over-use resources, environmental problems will be higher than today.
However, this article contains 5 massive environmental issues that affect people’s health.
1. Air Pollution
The primary sources of air pollution come from car exhaust, industrial resources, construction dust, cookstove fumes and more. Those air pollution sources affect people’s lungs & lower respiratory infections that may cause death.
Besides, many natural air pollutants can cause human health concerns, such as pollen and mould is linked to asthma and allergies.
According to WHO, 29% of all global deaths come from lung disease, 24% from stroke, and 17% from lower respiratory infections.
2. Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of forests or trees which provide oxygen, food, water, and medicine to the people. Nowadays, illegal tree logging, and destroying natural wildlife are increasing day by day which reduces oxygen supply and increases greenhouse gas emissions at a vulnerable rate. As a result, some fatal diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases affect people.
Also, deforestation increases the risk of pandemics. We know that the Ebola virus and Covid-19 come from animals living in tropical forests. Destroying tropical forests can cause more dangerous diseases closer to people.
According to Frontiers in Veterinary Science, some studies show that the malaria epidemic originated because of deforestation in South America.
3. Poor Water Quality
Safe and pure water is one of the most important sources for public health. It is either used for drinking and recreational purposes or food production and domestic purposes. But, nowadays increasing water contamination is an alarming environmental issue. There are lots of sources that water contaminants, such as
- Industry and Agriculture
- Human and Animal Waste
- Natural Resources
- Treatment and Distribution
According to WHO, almost 2 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with feces, which causes several infections by fecal-oral transmissions, such as typhoid, cholera, polio, hepatitis, diarrhea and many other infections.
4. Climate Change and Natural Disasters
In this world, every year millions of people are experiencing the negative impact of climate change and natural disasters including floods, heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and hurricanes. As a result, those disasters affect people’s both mental and physical health. According to the Lancet Planetary Health, globally, over 5 million deaths are associated with hot and cold temperatures.
Also, flooding is the most common natural disaster which causes injuries and waterborne diseases. According to Clinical Infectious Diseases, over ten million people have been affected and less than 1000 people killed by floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
However, Climate change is a major environmental issue which is difficult to measure. This contributes to hunger, homelessness, and disruptions of education and the economy which deeply affect public health
5. Soil Pollution
Soil Pollution refers to the contamination of soil with toxic substances. It is a serious environmental concern with negative impacts on public health. These impacts can affect the human body in several ways, like a direct effect on the skin or an effect through the breathing of contaminated soil dust.
Short-term health concerns are
- Headaches & Vomiting
- Pain in the Chest & Coughing
- Irritation of skin & eyes
- Weakness and Fatigue
Long-term health concerns are
- Permanent damage to the nervous system
- Damage to key organs of the human body, like the kidney & the liver
- Higher risk of cancer
- Increase long-term depression
However, Every year over 12 million people globally die only because of living or working in unhealthy environments. In my view, finding out where and how individuals are exposed to environmental pollutants requires tracking them. Also, laws and policies may reduce different environmental issues that help to prevent many serious health problems and deaths.
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Writer
Md. Sazid Alam
Intern
Content Writing Department
YSSE