BLOG

Hello everyone! I read an article recently published by the Guardian titled “Billions of air pollution particles found in hearts of city dwellers”. In the article, the publisher talks about how air pollution through vehicle emissions produce nano particles that are very harmful to people who live in cities. Additionally, the article refers to a research study that was conducted found that the nano particles that are released cause damage to the hearts and brains of the people living in these heavily concentrated cities. Not only that, but the article explains that kids are also shown to be affected drastically, the youngest affected being three, bringing concern because these particles are damaging the cells of young kids resulting in damages to the heart and brains causing issues in growth. Furthermore, from this article, one can realize that living in overpopulated areas such as big cities causes people to be more exposed to intoxicants. The result of overpopulation is causing the air to become heavily polluted and one solution that is being suggested is to drive less, but the idea of overpopulation is not something that is being brought to the forefront as it should. Thus, the results of overpopulation is being evident through the struggles of these cities.

Deforestation has become a crucial factor in many countries economies. Countries such as Brazil has been subject to criticism for the endangerment of forests in pursuit of land for development. One such forest is the Atlantic forest, which at one point had an area of one million km², to which has only been reduced to a mere 35,000 km². Due to the government’s relentless desire to pave away land for cities and farms, animal species in these areas have declined over the years. Bird species, such as toucans, aracaris, are nearing extinction with the loss of their habitats. Not only has animal species been affected, but with the near complete loss of this one forest, with NASA’s report on tropical forests, we can expect an excess of 1.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide within our atmosphere.

While past pressures from outside countries have allowed for a trending decline in the rate of deforestation, the installation of Bolsonaro as president has allowed for a returning increase in deforestation from recent reports. From satellite images, it was determined that more than 1250 km² has been cut down in first 19 days of July this year, a figure that is up more than 100 percent of last July’s figures of 600 km². This rise would also see a rise in the amount of species of animals that would disappear and unabsorbed carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.