Eco Ignite #3 - AQI

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Indian education in school tries to teach basic concepts across various subjects atleast upto Class X, but one of the most important metric of today's world is ignored - AQI a.k.a Air quality Index, the poison we've forced ourselves to consume.


In Eco Ignite #3, We'll be learning the very basics of AQI:-


The Air Quality Index is a number used by agencies to communicate to the public how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. Think of AQI as a scale that runs from 0 to 500. The lower the number, the better the air quality; the higher the number, the worse the air quality. It is determined by the presence of pollutants in the air. These pollutants can come from various sources, such as vehicles, industries, natural events (like wildfires and dust storms), and even household activities.


Here's how the AQI scale is categorized:


0-50: Good (Green)

51-100: Moderate (Yellow)

101-150: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Orange)

151-200: Unhealthy (Red)

201-300: Very Unhealthy (Purple)

301-500: Hazardous (Maroon)


How Does Air Pollution Affect Health?

1. Respiratory Issues: Polluted air can make breathing difficult and cause or worsen conditions like asthma and bronchitis.

2. Cardiovascular Problems: Poor air quality can lead to heart diseases and increase the risk of heart attacks.

3. Impact on Children: Children's lungs are still developing, making them more vulnerable to air pollution, which can cause long-term health issues.

4. Elderly and Vulnerable Groups: The elderly and those with preexisting health conditions are more susceptible to the adverse effects of poor air quality.


Here are some countries ranked based on Average AQI (2023):-

Bangladesh - 161

India - 84

Pakistan - 79

UAE - 71

Nepal - 55

Srilanka - 33

US - 19

UK - 16

(Source: AQI.IN)


Delhi - 102

Beijing, China - 34

Washington DC, USA - 11.7

(Source: IQAIR)


The way water purifiers became a necessity in an Indian household because of water pollution - Are Air Purifiers next?


The concept was not taught in school but solutions were, those of air pollution:-

1. Reduce Consumption and Consumers -> Reduce Pollution

2. Plant more trees -> Trees absorb pollution and release oxygen


Most of us will ignore this or forget this after a few minutes, but AQI will still affect you, even more if you are in North India, and even more in Winters, and even more in years to come.


Pic: The most polluted cities in the world in 2023 (Source: IQAIR)

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