“The first thing that comes to our mind when we think of Air pollution is Delhi. But why are we only talking about just Delhi? Why isn’t anyone shedding light on the fact that other cities like Mumbai aren’t far behind. After all, it is the fifth most polluted city! Shocking right. We don’t need the declaration of a public health emergency to act, or do we?” ~ Sonakshi
Every one knows air pollution is a health hazard. We have been putting pressure on the government to come up with a solution just like China has. Sonakshi Rao has researched companies in India that are coming up with innovative solutions to combat air pollution especially in urban areas. Here’s what she found
Nanoclean: A nasal filter that sticks to your nose and prevents the entry of pollutants! A company called Nanoclean creates nasal filters and home appliances for a purer air to breathe at an affordable cost. Nasofilters, is a nasal filter that sticks to your nose and prevents the entry of pollutants (PM2.5) in your body. And guess what? it’s nearly invisible. The 2017 startup has a great product line up including AC filters, nasal filters. There is a minimal pressure drop while using Nasofilters, so you do not experience any breathing discomfort.
Gravikylabs: Another innovative invention is by the company Gravikylabs, which helps in turning carbon emissions from industry into Inks before it reaches the atmosphere. It can be fit in automobiles so as to reduce emission. Here’s a video showing how it works!
A helmet! Shellios designed a helmet which provides clean air to your breathing area, helping reduce your exposure to toxic pollutants by more than 80%. Due to the highly polluted air in cities today, urban riders do face a lot of problems, which could potentially harm them but may go undetected for a long time.
What about Urban Mobility: Next is a company called Yulu which is making use of technology so as to curb pollution. The company has a fleet of 8500 bicycles and 2500 electric bikes. Yulu has 2 types of cycles 1) mechanical and 2) electric. By using their app on your mobile phone, you can unlock the cycle and use. It is Micro-mobility solutions that help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. They are empowering Indian city dwellers to bring about a paradigm shift by making urban commute efficient and eco-friendly. A great way leading to sustainable development!
Sonakshi says “Last year, when winter began, a hundred stories about Delhi’s air pollution came into lime light. That’s when I started reading more and more about it and there came a point where I found out that air pollution has severe consequences , right from breathing problems like Asthma to mental disorders like anxiety, depression. When I dig into the statistics of this problem, I was blown by the fact that 3-4 lakh people die in India due to air pollution. That’s when I realised that air pollution isn’t a problem confined just to Delhi but to the whole of India. Being a Mumbaikar, it started to bother me that the pollution over here is way above average levels. And diseases caused by air pollution can go undetected for long periods before one realises it’s severity. That’s when it struck me that air pollution is a big crisis and if we don’t act now, it’ll be too late to act.”
There are various campaigns that are being run to combat air pollution by students who are inspired by climate change activist Great Thunberg.