Air Pollution the most devastating killer on the earth

Annually 5.5 million people across the globe are dying not because of the dangerous diseases like cancer and HIV. It is the air pollution that is leading to heavy death toll and India and China are leading among them where more than 50% of the air pollution deaths taking place in these countries.

Power plants, manufacturing units, vehicle emissions and burning coal and wood are the leading polluters that release carbon, lead and monoxide that release small particles into the air that is dangerous to public health

According to a study taken up by the University of British Columbia research, the measures taken at present by the governments are not sufficient to combat the rate of pollution as the existing pollution levels are enough to cause premature deaths in the next couple of decades.

Air pollution is the fourth leading cause for deaths globally and the leading environmental risk factor for disease. Aggressive measures reducing the pollution drastically are the need of the hour as per the study.

We need a collective effort in empowering poor and marginalized people and communities in order to minimize the risks of air pollution by creating awareness on eco-friendly energy usages. Apart from creating awareness, it is essential to provide access to such energy sources so that the quality of living of the poor and the marginal sections will be improved.

Increased Asthma Risk for Children Born to Women Exposed to Air Pollution

Pregnant women’s exposure to Asthma affects the baby in the womb and such babies may likely to develop asthma before they turn 5 years old, says a research at the University of British Columbia, UK. 

According to Hind Sbihi, research associate in the School of Population and Public Health at UCB, Pregnant women living in the metro cities are particularly affected due to emissions from the vehicular traffic. 

  

The study observed over 65, 000 children in the Vancouver, one of the largest metro cities. Researchers monitored the children below the age of 10 years that are diagnosed asthmatic and have closely assessed the health of the mothers, particularly whether or not they are exposed to vehicular pollution and if so the amount of black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, and nitric oxide intake.

The study revealed the link between the mother’s exposure to polluted air and Asthmatic developments in the new born before they turn 5 years; 25% of children whose mothers lived on the highways had increased risk of developing Asthma at formative years. The risk is particularly high with the increase in nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide levels. Children born with low birth weight and children born to older mother are also at a very high risk of getting affected due to this pollution and may develop asthmatic, the study concluded.  

How the earth may look like in the next 10000 years?

In the absence of any technology that could absorb the emitted carbon into the atmosphere since 1750s and with no clear cut energy policy on earth, what could be the future of the earth in the next 10000 years?

According to a research at Boston College in Massachusetts, USA, the co-author Jeremy Shakun put it forward the research findings. The study observes that our present actions would certainly have grave consequences in store for the civilizations in future as they would blame the past generations for every single development on earth.

The study predicts that at the rate of 10 gigatons of current carbon emission per year, which is expected to grow further as many developing countries on the earth are blindly following the development path of the developed countries. We are not only devastating the natural flora, fauna and greenery, leading to extinction of biodiversity, the alarming carbon emissions are here to pose  major threat for the humanity.

Ever since the beginning of the Industrialization by 1750s, we have already emitted 580 billion metric tons, or gigatons of carbon in the atmosphere and it take longer period to get absorbed by the natural process. By next 100000 years, Carbon levels are expected to rise further by 5,120 gigatons if the current emission levels remain as it is.

It would grave threats to the humanity as 70% of the glaciers outside Antarctica and Greenland disappear due to 7◦ C rise in the temperature, leading to four meters of rise in sea levels. If the thermal expansion of the oceans further adds to this rising sea levels, it is expected to reach 25 meters rise in sea levels leading to a clean sweep of 1.3 billion populations living in the coastal areas of the globe.

Baker’s Solution to treat Glaucoma

Can a baker that bakes bread and pancake able to provide a better solution to treat Glaucoma? The answer appears ‘yes’ as per the scientists at the University College London (UCL). The baker prepares the barter using flour, egg and milk as recipes and places the mix on a circular shaped dish bakes it in the oven by heating it to certain temperature so that the fluid part like the milk and the egg evaporate to give a perfect shape to the pancake.

The scientists of UCL have observed as many as 14 types pancakes prepared across the countries of the globe and have come to an understanding on how to treat Glaucoma, an eye disease that damages optic nerve, leading to vision loss.

The scientists are of the opinion that spongy, tasty, smooth and perfect shape of the pancake can be achieved only when the ingredients in the mix are of exact ratio and the temperature is adjusted perfectly to bake it.

Similarly, the scientists need to work on a mathematical equation that could evaporate the fluids and avoid the pressure these fluids exerting within the eyes, damaging optic nerve.

Surgeons should find a route to flush-out the fluids by carefully cutting the flexible sheets of sclera, says Peng Khaw, from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Scientists, engineers and mathematicians are busy working on the exact solution.

We wish them all the best so that millions that are losing vision due to Glaucoma can sleigh with relief. 

Is Government Missing in the Green Growth?

Whenever we utter the word ‘Green’, people are smart enough to guess what could it be? Obviously, it would be something related to climate change as it has become a buzz word throughout the world today, thanks to manmade destruction to the planet earth.

Why lot of fuss?

Planet earth is the only place so far in the entire universe that could give shelter to the living organism as it is blessed with land, water, oxygen and vegetation necessary for the human and the organism to survive. Temperature, rainfall and the atmospheric conditions in other planets have not so far given any assurance for the survival of organism. We need microbes, carbon dioxide and the other gases also in equal proportion to achieve a healthy balance among the living organism. Farming, mining, and other human interventions were not successful so far in any other planets.

What is Green growth?

Ever since human intervention started in a large scale on the earth, we are losing natural vegetation, flora and fauna and reminiscences of toxic wastes on the earth, causing enormous damage to the earth, making it a planet deplorable for the human survival. In order to wipe out our sins, nations across the globe are spending a part of their earnings to repair these damages by taking measures to safeguard the earth. Unfortunately, there is no substantial growth in the funding for revamping the greenery on the earth that could absorb gases harmful to the earth.

Countries across the earth are not setting considerable budget to address the climate change issues is major allegation.  Many young researchers are depending on the government grants for their research and there is no considerable growth in it over the decades. For example, USA’s spending on earth & environmental research was at its height during the year 2003, touching $4.73 billion mark. There was a steady decline in government spending ever since that time. The government spending for the year 2015 was $4/8 billion and the figure remained stable for the past two decades reflects the reality.

Private initiatives are on rise in this regard, posing a ray of hope for the many. Columbia University in New York in collaboration with corporate philanthropists could mobilize has invested US$3.1 million to set up a new center to boost climate change research. University of Chicago and the Delhi government have come together to launch a unique programme called “The Urban Labs Innovation Challenge”, addressing air, water and the other challenges of climate change, involving communities as participants.

Although the Public Private Partnership (PPP) is an encouraging sign in this direction, government must remain the major patron of scientific research related to climate change. Corporate spending is a welcoming gesture as they have the social responsibility towards the society. However, the scenario is further grim in the global south related government spending on environment and the global north, which is a giant carbon emitter, has to shoulder this responsibility as well. 

Global Medical Emergency on Zika

In the wake of ‘Zika’ virus creating havoc in Latin American countries, World Health Organization (WHO) declares Zika as global emergency. This gesture reflects the seriousness of the situation as Brazil is worst hit by the disease, as there are already 4000 registered cases by the end of 2015.

 Zika was first appeared in Brazil by May 2015 and the virus quickly spread to as many as 20 countries within Americas. This virus is basically affecting pregnant women, resulting abnormal child birth. Children born of mother affected due to ‘Zika’ are born with abnormally small heads with damaged brains. Doctors are of the view that this is a clear evidence of ‘Microcephaly’ a congenital disease associated with abnormally small head, with signs of incomplete brain development. Researchers are not able to crack the mysterious link of the the Zika virus with that of Microcephaly till date.

Causes and consequences:

The initial understanding about the spread of this killer virus was through Aedes mosquito bites, which acts as carriers of ‘Zika’ virus. Most of the ‘Zika’ affected do not show any symptoms and the minor symptoms if any can be seen in the form of mild fever, headache, joint pains, eyes turning red, and rashes for a week.

Zika virus remains active for a week in the blood and it spread from person to person through blood transmission, and sex.

Although the disease appeared during 1947 in Uganda, scientists could successfully prevent its spread for decades. Brazil firmly believes 2014 World Cup Tournaments as the root cause of this disease, as foot ball fans in tens and thousands have visited this country from across the globe.

Important Measures to prevent Zika

Although there is no clear vaccine to prevent this epidemic, the spread of the disease can be prevented by taking necessary measures including safe sexual practices, use of condoms, taking all necessary measures in case of blood transfusions during emergency and measures that can stop the breed of mosquitoes freely. Pregnant women must particularly stay very careful and should not visit the affected countries. 

Although Bharat Biotech Ltd, a Hyderabad based Indian company declared that it has got the breakthrough in the form of earliest vaccine to prevent this disease, it is still at the nascent stage of trials and it may take 2 years or more to be available for the general consumption.

Is Mammography an effective device to detect Breast Cancer?

New findings on the eve of World Cancer Day on 4^th February

Mammography emerged as a popular diagnostic technique to diagnose breast cancer throughout the world as it gained popularity with the awareness levels. This has been used as tool to detect women of all age groups so far, even for the early detection of cancer as there are chances of curing it effectively, if detected early.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a World Health Organization (WHO) agency that works exclusively on cancer, there are certain important revelations. According to IARC Handbook on Breast Cancer Screening 2016, Breast Cancer mortality and morbidity rates are low among the women in the age group of 50-59 and the women below 49 and above 70 are vulnerable to this threat. Hence the report suggested mammography suitable only for the women in the age group of 50-59 only, as there are many side effects of over doing mammography among the general public. 

According to Dr. Surendra Shastri, heading the preventive oncology unit of Tata Memorial Hospital, also heads the WHO Collaborating Division for Cancer Prevention revealed the latest information related to breast cancer in an article published in ‘New England Journal of Medicine’.

Till date Mammography is the only effective tool that could detect cancer precisely, as there are several many evidences to prove this. However, Mammogram is advisable only at the advanced stages not for the mere detection. The article outlines the side effects of mammogram; saying that excessive exposure to radiation itself would induce cancer and it is not advisable for the women below 50 years. Women that are in the post-menopause however can undergo this test as it was proved effective for them. Asymptomatic women below the 50 years of age must rely on breast self-examination and undergo a clinical breast examination once a year to detect the presence of any tumor.

Is India equipped to protect Wetlands?

Wetlands play a crucial role in fighting climate change, apart from providing enough water sources for drinking and farming. It checks floods, nurture fisheries, regulates carbon levels, raises ground water levels, protects coastal regions and conserves biodiversity by remaining habitat for rare flora and fauna. February 2^nd has been observed as World Wetland Day, commemorating the international treaty on wetlands globally, enacted in the year 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.

Although India is blessed with abundant water bodies and declared that it is committed to adhere to Ramsar’s  treaty, India lacks concrete policy in conserving the rich natural resources due to lack of planning and co-ordination among various government agencies working in this direction.

State governments in India have established wetland management bodies but they do not meet at least once in a year to sort out a plan of action on wetland management in respective states. India is losing its wetlands at an alarming rate of 38% annually. It has been confronting with series of natural calamities like floods every year, killing tens and thousands of its people and damaging public properties.

National Wetland Rules-2010 was announced under the Environment Protection Act 1986 and the National Wetland Authority was formed in 2012. The authority did not meet ever since its inception and the authority was not renewed when it’s present term get exhausted.

Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change has asked the respective state governments to identify vulnerable wetlands in the respective states. Although the states have identified them and publicly notified them, no measures have been initiated to protect them.

State government authorities are shifting the blame on the central authorities, saying that the delay is due to change in certain government policies and the states are awaiting new regulations. According to the new policy, National Lake Conservation Program (NLCP) and National Wetlands Conservation Program have been merged as National Program on Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) and it was announced in the year 2013. Yet, it failed to formulate guidelines till date, providing clear direction and road map on how to achieve the balance. “Although government is spending millions under various government schemes, nothing substantial has been achieved in terms of effective regulation of wetlands in the country”, observed   Koustav Chatterjee, working for  NGO ‘ Green Vigil’.