Indoor & Outdoor Pollution - 11 Ways To Keep Yourself Safe!

Infamous for pollution, Delhi comes in the list of the top 10 most polluted cities on Earth. So, you need to take care of yourself as well as everyone you love. The environment is hazardous.

Where a satisfactory PM 2.5 (Fine Particles) count is between 50-100 micrograms per cubic meter, Delhiites are living in an average of 300-450 pollution level, which comes under the severe condition. Uneasy breathing, eye irritation, coughs and headaches are a few examples of living in such a polluted environment. Not only outdoors, but the indoor environment is also not good either.

According to a survey, breathing in such a polluted environment is somewhat similar about smoking 20 cigarettes a day. So, even if you are not a smoker, you are having 20 cigarettes without touching one. Air pollution is even more dangerous to kids and elders. No matter if they stay at home, school, some park, etc., the pollution level is near about similar and dangerous.

Industrial waste, crackers, chemicals, dust, wood burning, paints, household cleaning chemicals, etc., are the reasons for outdoor and indoor pollution.

While the condition is severe, there are 11 simple ways to reduce the risk and clean the environment around you:

1. Avoid Morning Walks: Morning walk is good for health but not in the dense smoggy environment. It is observed that the climate is most hazardous in the morning time. You can enjoy the morning sleep in your bed and can go for a walk during the evening or some other time when smog is minimal.
2. Good Quality Anti-Pollution Mask: While going outside, always wear good quality anti-pollution/anti-smog mask. Ordinary clothes or medical masks are useless. They are not able to filter out tiny particulate matters (PM). Use a mask that has filters for PM 2.5.
3. Jaggery Consumption: Jaggery is very good for detoxing your lungs and gut. You can eat jaggery everyday. Use it in tea, coffee, milk and with any other meals as a replacement of sugar.
4. Healthy Food Consumption: Consume healthy foods. Foods rich in Vitamin C (Broccoli, Spinach, Turnip Greens, etc.), omega 3 (Soybeans, Walnuts, Flaxseeds, etc.), and magnesium (seafood, black beans, etc.) are useful to reduce the impact of bad environment on health.
5. House Ventilation: An exhaust system in a house can be helpful to clean the indoor air. Install chimney in kitchen and exhaust fans in the bathroom or storeroom to get rid of bad air. Keep windows and doors closed in the early morning. Allow fresh air circulation from 3 PM to 5 PM.
6. Avoid Chemical Based Cleaners: Air fresheners, floor cleaners, scented candles, etc., contain chemicals and these increase indoor pollution. Avoid using them. Instead, use natural products for cleaning and scenting purposes.
7. Stop Smoking: This is obvious if you want a healthy life and care for you and everyone you like and love.
8. Avoid Construction Works: Construction work increases particulate matter in the environment. drilling, painting, etc., should be avoided wherever and whenever possible to prevent output door pollution.
9. Air Purifying Appliances and Plants: Air purifiers are must nowadays to control indoor pollution. It’s good to children, aged people and everyone else at home.
10. Use Water Spray While Dusting: Yes! Dusting releases small particles in the air, even when you use vacuum cleaners. To avoid this, you can use a few water sprays on carpets and on other things before you start dusting. This will make the dust settle down and prevent it from releasing into the air.
11. Use Public Transport: Using public transport would be a great help to control air pollution. So, try to use buses, metro, or carpooling for travelling wherever possible.

All the 11 tips mentioned above are to safeguard you from pollution, both indoor and outdoor. We need to decrease carbon footprints so that this article becomes irrelevant in the future. For short distances, use bicycles. Don't burn plastic, crackers or anything unnecessary. Be aware of this serious condition and also help others understand it and encourage them to decrease their carbon footprint, so that the future gets better.

This is our city and we are responsible for its past, present, and future.