BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION

I.                    INTRODUTION

Epifanio De los Santos Avenue commonly known as EDSA is a limited-access freeway road in Manila. It is also considered as one of the busiest road in the metropolis. EDSA is a network of roads and bridges that connects different cities and places, that is why it is the longest and the most congested highway in Metro Manila. It is 23.8 kilometers in length.

EDSA is also one of the most famous road here in the country because of the historical event that happened here; People Power EDSA Revolution. Before it became EDSA there are a lot of names also that was given to this highway like “North-South Circumferential Road” and “Highway 54”.

It is also considered as one of the busiest and polluted road in the metropolis. The main reason of this is the abundant number of jeepneys, trucks, busses and personal vehicles. This also causes the inevitable traffic congestions and the extreme air pollution in the area.

II.                  VIDEO/PHOTO DOCUMENTATION

       


        

 

III.                EXPERIENCE

It isn't surprising that EDSA is one of the most polluted cities in our country. Come to think about it, we all breathe this polluted air and people seldom think of its effects on our health. According to research, there are approximately 2,000 buses and 300,000 buses travelling EDSA each day. In that case, EDSA is always over capacity. The environment there is pretty much congested; with buses, cars, MRT and people.

Coming from DLSU-D, which has been the forefront of sustainability and environment protection through the years, EDSA is about 5 times more polluted than Dasmarinas. There have been incidents that residents increased in cases of asthma, cancer and lung diseases. Here are several reasons why.

There are too many vehicles, especially buses which seem to travel the EDSA route daily. These vehicles emit unwanted smoke which adds danger to the air that we breathe. Whether you have a public or private vehicle, commuting in EDSA can be the cause of sickness and headaches. Instead of seeing trees and roadside greens, people see billboards, establishments and other businesses. They cover the whole scenery of a present and clear sky. EDSA is clogged with vehicles that contribute to air pollution which is killing us slowly. EDSA would have been better if there were trees that help lessen air pollution.

Although, these trees are not enough to keep the environment in EDSA clean. People have to contribute and cooperate so that there will be less pollution in the area. In little ways, we could help save the environment. We could help the future generation to have a better place for them to live and enjoy.

IV.                CONCLUSION

Therefore, we conclude that EDSA is the most polluted area. People who live in polluted areas have shorter life spans than those who live in cleaner areas. Every breath you take is dangerous to your health. Based on a study done by the UP College of Public Health, the incidence of intense coughing with phlegm, wheezing and heavy breathing has been observed among 32 percent of jeepney drivers, 16 percent of aircon bus drivers, and 14 percent among commuters.

 Thus, individuals who are directly exposed to smoke-belching vehicles for a longer period have a higher health risk.

What causes air pollution? Dirty cars, dirty air, particularly smoke belching. These pollutants cause lung irritation and weaken the body's resistances against respiratory infections.

How can smoke belching be prevented or reduced?

-Avoid driving too fast

- Avoid overloading your vehicle

- Have a regular oil change.

- Avoid leaving the vehicle in idle mode for a long time.

- Clean the vehicle’s air filter regularly.

- Encourage citizens to report smoke-belchers

How to reduce pollution? What can we do?

There are so many things we can do to reduce the impact on our environment. If we all use know how to conserve and use energy, transport and other goods and services more carefully, we can reduce harmful emissions to our air, land and water. Every simple chance has the power to make a difference, and help protect our environment for a clean and sustainable future.

1.       Commute smart by walking or riding to work or the shops instead of driving. Emission      from motor vehicle is still the most dominant factor of air pollution.

 2       Choose a fuel-efficient vehicle next time you are replacing your car.

 3.      Save energy by turning off the appliances when not in use. Not only will you save money on your electricity bill, you will be reducing emissions from coal-fired electricity plants.

 4.       Buy energy -efficient appliances. Checking the energy rating label when buying new or second hand electrical appliances will be a big help.

 5.       Use environmental friendly cleaning products. Excessive algal growth and increased in nutrient loads in river can be because of Phosphorus in. Never pour chemicals or fertilizers down the drain as they get washed into storm water drains and into rivers or the ocean.

These are just a few small changes you can make to reduce impact on the environment. The bad news is EDSA won’t get better till 2015 if we just sit around and do nothing. The good news is for us to find ways to reduce air pollution.

"Let’s All Act to Clean the Air!

Let’s fight against Air Pollution!"