We wish air pollution was only limited to the awareness posters that children make on every environment day. Unfortunately, these young minds remain unaware of the life-altering effects which air pollution is causing in their lives.
Air Pollution and its Effect on Children.
Air toxicity remains an ever-growing concern all over the world. While we talk of its impact on climate and the vulnerable population, there is an urgent need to address the effects of toxic air on school-going children. Still, in their budding years, children deserve a fair chance at life. Sadly, in this context, most schools and parents have not yet realised the magnitude of risk children are at.
Dr. Maria Neira, Director, Department of public health, environmental and social determinants of health, at WHO has stated that ” Air pollution is stunting our children’s growth, affecting their health in more ways than we had suspected. But there are many straightforward ways to reduce emissions of dangerous pollutants.”
Children face an increased risk from air pollution since their lungs are still growing. Children spend 6-7 hours of their day in school on a daily basis. Therefore a significant portion of their day is spent being exposed to toxic air pollutants.
Why are Children at Greater Risk?
- Their lungs are still growing
- The occurrence of respiratory infections is higher in children than in adults
- They spend most of their time outdoors
Air Pollution can Impact Young Brains
Air pollution can have a direct impact on the brain of a growing child. In school-going children, prolonged exposure to air pollution will manifest itself through the following symptoms:
- Impaired working memory
- Inflammation in the brain
- Poor verbal intelligence
- Reduced attention span
- Poor problem-solving skills
All of these symptoms may not be easily noticed and they may be mistaken as simple laziness. However, educators and parents need to examine this issue closely and take the necessary steps to protect children in schools.
What Role do Air Purifiers Play in Schools?
Air purifiers can be used for safeguarding the school premises and making the school-going experience a lot safer for children. Air purifiers with germ-destroying technology will not only help in curbing air pollution but be instrumental in protecting children against pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. This becomes especially important as schools all over the country have opened nationwide. They are running in full swing and at full capacity. Therefore eliminating any residual risk of infection becomes the responsibility of every educational institution.
Keeping this issue in mind, Mr. Sanjay Shukla- Director of Springer Public School, Allahabad decided to take the right step in order to protect his students. Mr. Shukla installed AiRTH purifiers on the premises of his school keeping in mind, the growing threat of air pollution that our children are exposed to on a daily basis.
” Children are the future of our Nation. Hence they must be protected” says Mr. Shukla.
AiRTH in Collaboration with Springer Public School:
AiRTH is the brainchild of IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur. The germ-destroying filters used in AiRTH purifiers also help in preventing recontamination in the environment hence providing all-around protection from the Covid virus. AiRTH also acts as a shield in terms of protecting from air pollutants. With the immune strength of 1000 air-purifying plants, AiRTH creates the safe space that is needed for young minds to flourish.
Springer Public School in Allahabad is a fine one in its league. This is why it was stated that providing a healthy and safe environment for their students is the top priority of the school. It was observed that after installing the purifiers at multiple places on the premises, the students were more energized and active. Impressed by these results, the school is looking forward to incorporating AiRTH purifiers in every classroom.
Team AiRTH also appreciates the vigilance and concern that the school has shown regarding the well-being of children. It is the need of the hour to use technology in a way that helps the upcoming generation do its best.
