Depending on where you’re from, smog probably means different things to you. In cities in the more developed countries of the world smog has rather become a thing of the past. It’s still experienced on the very worst days but these are rare and almost newsworthy occurrences. Smog is not something you’ll see every day in most modern cities.
Smog is a build up of exhaust fumes and pollution which hangs above heavily industrialised or densely populated areas. In the UK we most associate smog with the Victorian era. In this time period, just after the industrial revolution, smog hung over London like a vast man-made cloud. People treated it like a strange weather type with the thickest smog known as ‘pea soup’. This was before they realised how dangerous it is to breathe in the fumes from industry for long periods of times.
It’s now known that extended exposure to smoggy conditions can lead to permanent damage to the lungs and premature death. The most worrying thing about this fact is that a lot of cities in the world today have heavy smog conditions. One of these cities in the capital of China, Beijing. Though Chinese authorities eagerly claim that this smog is harmless and falls within accepted safety ranges, this might not be the case. Breathing in any chemicals for long periods of time will do unforeseen damage. It can bring about asthma in children and permanently stunt lung capacity.
Smoggy conditions are certainly much more dangerous for children than they are for adults but this doesn’t mean that adults are safe. In London in the past several years around 4,000 deaths a year have been attributed to the poor air quality which smog is known to cause. Beyond not going outside on the days when the smog is worst there’s little which can be done to avoid smog if you live in a city afflicted with it. Avoid high-traffic areas and places heavy with industry where you can.
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How Much Do You Know About The Danger Of Smog?
