Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental health risks in existence right now. We have all faced it in some form or the other wherever we go, whether it is in the big cities or anywhere else. In cities like New Delhi, it can get so out of control that the residents risk losing at least nine years of their life expectancy living there. In fact, this isn’t just a national problem and exists everywhere on the planet. It can be man-made or caused by natural reasons, yet the effect remains the same.
For years prominent innovators from every corner of the world have tried to solve this issue with little to no effect. They may not have effectively succeeded in solving this problem but it is not their science that is at fault. In fact, we believe that science can fix problems like air pollution, as long as there is a way to measure the situation.
Currently, one of the biggest issues we need to take care of is getting accurate measurements, as the famous saying goes, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t fix it”. New technology may show up with cleaner alternatives in other aspects of greener living, but without a proper understanding of what needs to be fixed and how, there would be no way for us to solve the issue of air pollution. As such, it is necessary to have an accurate measurement of the problem and the scope we have to go towards fixing it.
Data Gathering Through Modern Technology
Various scientific tools have already been used to monitor air quality across regions. Even so, no one has been able to find any data with acceptable accuracy. To change this, we can involve a combination of different scientific techniques. We can improve monitoring using multimodal input sources, through combinations like satellite, meteorological as well as data collected through sensors. We can build an even accurate model in real-time, about what people are breathing across regions, by using data from different aspects for measurements, such as:
Public Health – b>Utilising government data on air quality, we can locate the sources and hotspots of air pollution. This way, controlling pollution levels can become manageable while improving the health of everyone near the hotspots. Air quality data does more by allowing us to understand the proper causes, which allows us to appropriately use resources towards solving air pollution.
Smarter Devices – Using data collection, it is possible to ensure that devices like domestic air purifiers are smartly used. This can prevent the wastage of energy and can save on costs.
Transportation – By making use of finer details and the accuracy of the data, it becomes easier to predict occurrences where businesses are affected by air pollution. Such data can be used by airlines, for instance, to plan flights beforehand and avoid delays. The same could be applicable for railways and public transport to avoid accidents.
Such data monitoring and application of data sciences can open numerous possibilities when it comes to solving environmental issues like air pollution. There can be many other applications for the same. Sometimes innovations provide the best solutions, and sometimes we need to refine older methods to work best for our needs. Only then, we will be able to efficiently utilise technology to help against such environmental problems like air pollution.