The modern stage in the development of human society is characterized by high rates of the scientific and technological revolution. However, along with the benefits created, progress has brought our planet a disturbance in biological balance, which has caused a decrease in the quality of the living environment for all living things. An unfavorable ecological situation negatively affects the health of the person himself. Indeed, according to experts, the pollution of our environment, in terms of its negative impact, is in second place after people's lifestyles.
Signs of adverse ecology
Pollution includes the penetration into the environment of new agents of a chemical, physical, biological nature. An unfavorable environmental situation occurs, as a rule, as a result of the economic activities conducted by human society. The following signs indicate the onset of this problem:
- a sharp change in climatic conditions;
- the destruction of the ozone layer of the planet, etc.
The occurrence of all these situations not only worsens the living conditions of a person, but also threatens his health. What should be our rules of conduct in adverse environmental conditions? They are briefly described in this article.
Air pollution
Our health depends on how much air we breathe. The state of this natural resource also affects the life of the animal and plant world. Unfortunately, the active economic activity of man has led to the fact that the atmosphere of our planet is polluted with such harmful gases as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and vapors of hydrocarbons, as well as metal acids and various organic and inorganic dust.
Cities with adverse environmental conditions suffer from smog standing above industrial zones. In his cloud is a high content of pollutants. Sulfur gas is a particular danger to citizens . Once in the human body, it causes various pathologies of the respiratory system, reducing their resistance to other harmful impurities (asbestos, asphalt, ground dust, etc.).
A negative effect on our health can have a home air. And this is confirmed by scientific research. In laboratory conditions, specialists compared the air of city streets and residential premises. The result was unexpected. It turns out that the air in our rooms is 4-6 times dirtier than the street and 8-10 times more toxic than it. All this is caused by exposure to linoleum, lead white, washing powders, varnish, paints, various polymers, furniture made using synthetic adhesives, etc.
Reducing the negative impact of polluted air
The rules of safe behavior in adverse environmental conditions prevailing in our settlements, today recommend, first of all, to breathe through the nose. The fact is that the mucous membrane of this respiratory organ is covered with a large number of cilia, which, like a brush, absorb most of the harmful dust, not letting it into the lungs. In addition, in everyday life, those places where the air is particularly polluted should be avoided. So, you should not go in for jogging on city streets and walk near highways, characterized by heavy traffic. This is especially true in cases where the wind blows from the side of the track. What should be safe behavior in adverse environmental conditions if the route is simply impossible to change? In this case, superficial and shallow breaths should be taken.
The rules of safe behavior in adverse environmental conditions in polluted air should be known not only to urban residents. They are also needed by the rural population. In the days when the agrochemical processing of fields is carried out, they do not need to go outside once again. Doors and windows of houses in this period must be closed.
Safety in adverse environmental conditions should be observed in everyday life. So, for repairs it is best to buy paint, which does not contain lead. And as a cleaning agent, it is most advisable to use soda ash, borax or traditional laundry soap.
It is also worth avoiding buying furniture if it is made of pressed boards (chipboard). After all, this material contains harmful formaldehydes. What are the safety rules in adverse environmental conditions if such panels are already mounted as wall panels, flooring, etc.? Such surfaces should be covered with sealant (natural sealant). This will significantly reduce the harmful effects of formaldehyde.
What other security measures can be applied? In unfavorable environmental conditions, it should be aired more often. Just keep in mind that if an industrial zone is located near your home, then opening the window, you should take into account the direction of the blowing wind. If air flows come from the territories polluting the atmosphere, then it is better to refrain from airing. It is also recommended to have a large number of indoor plants in the house.
Water pollution
Human health depends not only on clean air. To a no lesser extent, the quality of the water used by him also affects it. According to statistics, its pollution causes 80% of pathologies associated with poor ecology.
Why did you get this problem? The fact is that today a large amount of waste from industrial and household enterprises, as well as the agro-industrial complex, is dumped into water bodies. It is this area of human activity that largely poisons rivers, seas and oceans. Waste containing alkalis and oil products, acids and ammonia, metal salts and phenols, synthetic resins, sulfur compounds, etc.
Various intestinal infections can be transmitted with contaminated water. It is especially dangerous that they can cause massive diseases. Contaminated water sometimes causes people to become infected with animal parasites (worms). Their eggs immediately enter the human body, which then turn into adult pinworms, whipworms, etc.
A serious danger to our health lies in the chemical composition of water. In conditions of technogenic pollution, a large number of impurities that are unusual for a natural liquid get into rivers and lakes, causing various pathologies in humans. Diseases also arise in connection with the presence of nitrates in water. These substances provoke the formation of methemoglobin in the blood, which prevents the normal oxidative process from occurring in the body. Particularly affected by this are babies who are preparing infant formula in water with an increased concentration of nitrates.
Reducing the negative impact of contaminated water
What are the rules for safe behavior in an unfavorable environmental situation when the fluid so necessary for our body is contaminated? In this case, experts recommend using boiled water. Then the body will be protected from the ingestion of pathogenic microbes that cause dysentery, cholera, etc., as well as from excessive amounts of calcium salts. It should be borne in mind that the water entering our house from the plumbing system is primarily chlorinated. Sometimes, for disinfection, hyperdoses of this disinfectant are taken. As a result of chlorination of water, dangerous poisons appear in it - dioxins, which can also harm our health. What should be the safety in adverse environmental conditions in this case?
To eliminate the negative impact of tap water, you need to pour into a glass dish and soak in it for three hours. Only after this, the preparation of food or tea will become safe, because most of the chlorine will come out of the liquid in the form of gas.
Another way to remove dioxins and other harmful substances is to use a filter. In this device, water passes through activated carbon and is completely purified.
Product quality
A huge impact on human health has its food. Under the conditions prevailing in the modern world, when water and atmospheric air are polluted with harmful substances, as well as universal soil chemistry, the quality of the products we use is reduced.
So, huge doses of pesticides and mineral fertilizers scattered on the fields to combat pathogens and weeds, lead to an increased content of nitrates in vegetables and fruits. Once in the body, these harmful substances react with hemoglobin. As a result of such a connection, megahemoglobin is formed. Natural hemoglobin loses its qualities and loses its ability to carry oxygen in the body. All this negatively affects a person. He develops oxygen starvation, accompanied by blueness of the skin, enlarged spleen and liver, as well as anuria. In the most severe cases, even death is possible.
Reducing the negative impact of contaminated products
What are the rules for safe behavior in adverse environmental conditions when our food can become a source of disease? First of all, they consist in thoroughly washing vegetables and fruits before eating them. This measure is simple, but quite effective. After all, most of the pesticides accumulate on the surface of these gifts of nature.
Measures in which it becomes possible to ensure safety in adverse environmental conditions include peeling vegetables and fruits. This is especially important if you do not know under what conditions these fruits were grown. It is also not recommended to eat baked potatoes in a peel. In this case, a large amount of nitrates will collect under it. For cooking vegetables, it is best to use cooking. In this case, the concentration of nitrates will decrease:
- in potatoes - by 80%;
- in cabbage and carrots - by 70%;
- in beets - by 50%.
It should be borne in mind that blanching, stewing and steaming vegetables reduces the concentration of nitrates only to a small extent.
If you strive to comply with the rules of conduct in adverse environmental conditions and want to get rid of vegetables and fruits intended for food as much as possible, it is best to cut them into small pieces before cooking. This will allow harmful substances to dissolve faster in water. It is also advisable to soak the root crops. To do this, they are poured two or three times with warm water and kept in it for 5 to 10 minutes.
Noise exposure
Austrian experts found that the population of small cities, distinguished by their silence, lives 10-12 years longer than people in the metropolis. This is affected by the absence of such a negative factor as noise. Its indicator has a limit value established by the sanitary norms fixed by the legislation. So, during the day in the residential area, the noise should not exceed 60 dB. At night, this figure drops to 40 dB. The highest value of noise, which cannot cause negative consequences for humans, is 100 dB. But on busy city streets this figure is much larger. It often reaches a value of 120-125 dB. Moreover, this problem also causes concern among ecologists. Indeed, the noise level in large Russian cities over the past ten years has grown by almost fifteen times. It consists of the rumble of aircraft and the roar of construction equipment, the sound of wheels on the railway, etc.
Noise has a negative effect on human health. At the same time, it harms not only hearing, but also increases blood pressure, causes pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, inhibits mental activity, and also causes irritability and premature fatigue.
Noise Reduction
What are the rules of conduct in adverse environmental conditions when a person is surrounded by annoying loud sounds? In factories, to eliminate noise, workers are given special headphones. They absorb sound and allow you to maintain high human performance for a long period.
What should be the behavior in this case under adverse environmental conditions at home? If the source of loud sounds is located in the next apartment, then the walls and ceiling in their rooms are preferably finished with some kind of sound-absorbing material. It can be a regular polystyrene.
If your house is located on a busy street, then you should not open windows in the room during rush hours. Also, do not spend much time in front of the TV screen and turn on the radio at full power.
Conclusion
Our planet is on the verge of an environmental crisis. And in order to prevent catastrophe, mankind is looking for all the ways to save the Earth for future generations. We all believe in the victory of reason. However, you should not remain only an outside observer. Each of us must carefully respect the environment and our health, observing the rules of conduct in adverse environmental conditions.