Researchers estimate the amount of people who die early from diseases caused by exposure to air pollution will more than double by 2050.

More than 3 million people die prematurely from prolonged exposure to air pollution each year, according to the World Health Organization.

A new study shows the number could more than double by 2050. Researchers predict that 6.6 million people could die early from exposure to air pollution.

The Study

Researchers found that residential energy emissions significantly contributed to air pollution.
Image: eur web

The study, published in the international journal Nature, measured outdoor emission sources in urban and rural environments. It included residential and commercial energy use, agriculture, power generation, industry, biomass burning, natural causes and land traffic.

The study identifies various causes of air pollution that lead to serious diseases. By analyzing country-specific population and health statistics from the World Health Organization, researchers were able to measure different sources of air pollution that could cause premature death.

Fuel emissions from cooking and heating in countries such as India and China had the largest impact worldwide, according to Jos Lelieveld, a leading study author and a professor at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany.

“When most people think of outdoor air pollution, they tend to think of traffic and industry having the largest impact on global premature mortality, not residential energy emissions and agriculture,” Lelieveld told CNN..

The study was conducted using atmospheric chemistry devices that took measurements on the ground and via satellite. The technology compared the amount of fine particle matter in air pollution from different emission sources globally.

“Testing for the effects of air pollution emissions in different parts of the world was a very challenging task,” Lelieveld said, “especially in many developing countries, where air quality monitoring systems are minimal.”

Major Causes Of Pollution Worldwide

In the United States, agriculture and traffic emissions mix in the atmosphere to create a dangerous brew of pollutants.
Image: Humans Are Free

The highest death rates caused by exposure to air pollution are in the Western Pacific region,  eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.

The main cause of early death in major areas of Asia, such as China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal was due to low-quality fuels used for cooking, heating and waste disposal.

Agricultural emissions are the most significant contributors in the Eastern United States, Europe, Russia, Turkey, Korea and Japan. Secondary causes are traffic and power generation emissions.

Chemicals mixing in the atmosphere create a brew that is harmful to your body. Fertilizers and animals release ammonia that fuse with traffic emissions, which contaminate the air.

The study also cites natural forms of pollution such as desert storm sands, which are prominent in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.

Risk of Disease

Air pollution causes lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses that lead to premature death.
Image: NYM

Chronic exposure to air pollution particles contributes to the risk cardiovascular issues, respiratory diseases and lung cancer, according to the WHO.

“The total number of deaths due to HIV and malaria is 2.8 million per year,” Lelieveld said. “That’s half a million less than the number of people who die from air pollution globally.”

The study uses toxicity levels to identify the source of pollution in order to improve public health. Each country is better able to address the atmosphere when they’re aware of the specific issues.

“It takes more than making the technology available. You have to convenience people to abandon traditional ways of doing things, which is not easy,” Lelieveld said. “This can be a win-win situation. Changes on the individual level can have a positive impact, not only on our health but also on climate change.”

The post Early Death From Air Pollution Predicted To Double By 2050 appeared first on Citizens Report.

Who is Monsanto?

Today, Monsanto markets itself as a “sustainable agriculture company” that produces “high-yielding conventional and biotech seeds,” “advanced traits and technologies that enable more nutritious and durable crops” and “safe and effective crop protection solutions.”

However, Monsanto’s controversial history and its association with a variety of harmful chemicals that are believed to contaminate food, affect biodiversity, alter the environment and disenfranchise small-time farmers have made it one of the most publicly distrusted industrial companies.

Modern Farmer

Founded in 1901, Monsanto is credited with producing toxic chemicals such as PCBs; Agent Orange, the herbicidal warfare chemical used during the Vietnam War; the insecticide DDT; the dairy cow hormone rGHB; and the possible cancer-causing soft drink sweetener Aspartame, according to Modern Farmer.

Reinventing itself as an agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation, Monsanto’s GMO agricultural seeds include alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, sugarbeets and wheat, as well as over 2,000 vegetable seed varieties. A sizeable amount of Americans foods include ingredients from the corporate giant.

Weeds create a problem for farmers. Monsanto’s seeds have an ability to tolerate powerful herbicides like their cheap, effective weed-killer Roundup Ready (also known as glyphosate), which seemed to solve that problem. But when the weeds became resistant to the herbicide, Monsanto further modified its seeds to endure an even stronger version of the chemical. And the cycle continues. At this point, the practices that produce the food, as well as the products themselves, have become a relevant topic of debate.

Mercola

Effects of Consumption and GMO-labeling

Providing healthy, affordable food is an international political and economic issue that has yet to be solved. But, until that solution is found, many Americans believe that it should be up to them to decide if they want to consume Monsanto’s “Franken foods.” As is mandated in certain European countries, health-conscious individuals in the states are rallying for more comprehensive, honest labeling of products.

Scientific research on the effects of consuming GMOs is somewhat divided. The Institute for Responsible Technology cites 65 Health Risks of GMOs, whereas other organizations claim that the studies are flawed and that more information is needed. Regardless, many people do not want to be a part of this science experiment, refusing to become human guinea pigs, even if the chemicals are not actually harmful.

Daily Finance

Monsanto: At Home and Abroad

Monsanto’s agricultural domination extends far beyond Western markets. The multinational corporation uses the land in developing countries to mass-produce its products, which has major implications on the health of low-income communities. To be frank, Monsanto has been accused of poisoning third world countries. However, there is a difference between the GM crops themselves and the herbicides that are sprayed on them.

In some countries, protective policies are either nonexistent or disregarded without consequence. Roundup Ready chemicals are sprayed near schools and homes, and the toxic waste and the bins that carry it are disposed of improperly. Individuals in these communities are reported to have more cases of cancer, disease and birth defects, as seen in the photo series “Argentina: The Country that Monsanto Poisoned?”

Critics claimed that Monsanto is corrupt in documentaries such as “The World According to Monsanto” and “Food, Inc.,” and people are protesting Monsanto products all over the world, specifically in countries like the United States and Mexico. But many believe that genetically modified foods are a good thing if produced and developed properly.

Radical Glasgow Blog

“I think that GMOs are good for making the crops more effective, and in addition to that, making them more nutritious and resistant to pesticides. A better food crop for people in developing countries is definitely necessary. As far as long-term effects, I’m sure more studies would have to be done on what consuming GMOS does to the human body in 50 years. For the foreseeable future, it just seems like we don’t know,” said Ben Duong, a sophomore microbiology and political science major at UF.

Monsanto is a leader of genetically modified seeds and claims that its agricultural innovations will increase production yield and nutritional value, and hopefully, put an end to world hunger. Although opponents still question the long-term effects of altering the natural composition of food, it is clear that these herbicidal chemicals need to be handled with caution, and that more research must be conducted on the long-term effects of the process in its entirety.

Health concerns are only one issue in the debate that surrounds the agribusiness giant.

To be continued.

Featured photo courtesy of:Vegan Magazine

The post Understanding Monsanto: Health Effects appeared first on Citizens Report.