How to take care of yourself in Delhi's pollution?

With the evolution of modern lifestyles, we have contaminated our environment to the point that taking deep breaths in the air is no longer safe. Air pollution is everywhere, and it’s high time we do something about it. National Pollution Control Day, an initiative by the Indian government, is observed annually in India on December 2 to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the unfortunate 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.

This unfortunate event occurred at midnight of December 2 and the wee hours of December 3, when a highly deadly methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas was leaked from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide facility in Bhopal. The gas soon spread in and around the factory, killing at least 3787 people in a single day. Notably, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy is regarded as the world's biggest industrial catastrophe to date.

Significance of National Pollution Control Day

You must be wondering why is National Pollution Control Day celebrated. National Pollution Control Day is observed to raise awareness of the need for pollution control measures and methods to avoid industrial pollution caused by human irresponsibility. The primary goals of National Pollution Control Day are as follows. Its purpose is to raise public awareness about rising air pollution and educate people on controlling and managing industrial catastrophes.

According to the National Health Portal of India, air pollution kills over 7 million people yearly. It further claims that the situation is so bad that nine out of 10 people worldwide cannot access clean air. Notably, toxins in the air might sneak through the body's protective barriers and harm your brain, lungs, and heart. Air pollution is to blame for the ozone layer's depletion. This demonstrates the severity of air pollution.

Keep reading this blog if you want some air pollution safety tips!

How To Be Safe In Delhi Pollution

As many as nine Indian cities are among the top ten most polluted in the world, with Particulate Matter(PM) levels reaching 200 in certain areas. Delhi is one of the world's most polluted cities. Although Delhi's air quality has improved slightly in recent years, it is still more than 18 times higher than the WHO recommended limit.

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Construction, automotive emissions, garbage burning, road dust, power plants, industry, and homes are the primary contributors to Delhi's air pollution. Air pollution in Delhi is at its worst during the winter when agricultural burning contributes to the city's most polluted months. Understandably, the dirty air causes everyone to cough, hurts their throats, and even transmits viral infections. So, we’ll provide some air pollution safety tips and tell you how to be safe from pollution.

Wear A Mask

The recent Covid-19 pandemic has taught us the importance of wearing a mask. Wearing a mask is one of the simplest and most effective strategies to minimise air pollution since it reduces the amount of harmful PM2.5 pollution breathed in by at least 95%. However, wearing a mask doesn’t mean you can wear surgical or cotton masks. You should wear properly fitted N99 or 95 masks while you step out.

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Avoid Morning Walk

We agree that a morning walk is necessary for a healthy body, but a morning walk in Delhi can be dangerous for you as there’s a possibility that you can breathe toxic air. Late-night arrival of heavy trucks into the NCR means that the early air is no longer fresh. As a result, instead of going for outside activities like morning walks and exercises, you can indulge in mild exercise indoors.

Buy An Air Purifier

Technological advancements have now made tackling this deadly air situation possible; thus, an air purifier is the need of the hour. Air purifiers with HEPA filters may perform miracles when enhancing indoor air quality. These innovative home solutions can remove up to 99% of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and hazardous gases from an environment. So, acquire an air purifier for your house to ensure good air quality for your and your family's health. You can read our blog here if you’re confused about which air purifier to buy. 

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Stay Indoor

We know that staying indoors isn’t a practical pollution control measure, but try to remain indoors to avoid smog. Also, while indoors, do not smoke and adequately ventilate your home. But make sure to open the windows for ventialsation around noon when the pollution level stabilises.

Plant Indoor Plants

While you can't clean the entire sky, you can clean the air you breathe within. Adding plants to your area is an inexpensive approach to naturally filter out hazardous compounds like benzene and formaldehyde from your house. Because plants recycle carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, they aid in our breathing by reducing pollutant levels. You can add indoor plants that purify the air, such as Ivy, Aloe Vera, and Spider plants, to your home and workplace.

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Regularly Take A Steam

If you want to keep your lungs healthy, then every day in the evening, try taking steam with a few drops of eucalyptus oil to relax your airways and assist your body in eliminating hazardous particle compounds. Also, a steam bath is one of the effective pollution control measures.

Eat Healthily

Last but not least is eating healthily. No one is unaware that healthy eating can prevent everything harmful from affecting us. A healthy diet will help you combat the negative impacts of pollution by maintaining your immunity. Drinking the nutritious combination of herbal ginger and tulsi tea once or twice a day is highly beneficial for reducing the effects of pollution. You can also eat fruits with vitamin C, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. You can replace jaggery with sugar to remove all the toxins from your lungs.

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Also, always be aware of the air quality near you to be safe. We hope you diligently undertake the above-mentioned national pollution control day activities and be safe from the air pollution surrounding you. If you’ve more tips on how to be safe from pollution, feel free to share them in the comment section!