From a very young age, we have been taught about the concept of air pollution. However, the solutions for the same seem to be missing from our textbooks. A garbage fire can create a lot of air pollution.

Here’s a recap! Air pollution “refers to the release of pollutants into the air that is detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole.” (https://www.nrdc.org/stories/air-pollution-everything-you-need-know) Substances that contribute to the pollution of air are smog, soot, hazardous air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and greenhouse gases. The major contributor to air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels and the process of production. Another source of air pollution that we do not realize often is fires.

Ever witnessed a fire in real life before? If yes, what did you do about it? 99% of the people who come across Roadside Fires do not do anything about it. They tend to either just stand there and watch in admiration or leave from the site to protect themselves.

Fires release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases trap sunlight in the atmosphere, which in turn increases the temperature on earth. The increase in temperature is known as the phenomenon of global warming and global warming leads to climate change. Climate change is real. Ice glaciers melting is real. Sea levels rising is real. Temperatures increasing is real.

It’s time to do your part. Don’t just stand there and do nothing when you witness the next fire. Reach out and help. Spend time to call for help. It only takes 10-20 minutes for one person to call the fire service and wait for them to come help extinguish the fire. If it is a fire on a large scale, call for help and wait at an appropriate distance far from the fire. Make sure the people around you are not panicking and are informed about the fire service coming for help.

If the fire is small and manageable, then you can step forward and help in the situation. You can extinguish it on your own with the help of other people around you. Make sure that people stepping forward to help do not have any flammable items.

This is your chance to help the environment. Do your part and it will surely lead to the betterment of your surroundings in ways big and small. This is how we can fight air pollution and guide the environment in the right direction. You can also join us in our projects in the future as a volunteer and help us hands-on in the field. This is how we can help the environment together and move towards a better future for us, our children, and the generations to come.