Tag: pollution

  • Pakistan launches first electric rickshaw

    Pakistan launches first electric rickshaw

    It’s time to bid goodbye to those rickshaws which produce poisonous gases or make noise because Pakistan is introducing electric rickshaws. These new electric rickshaws will run on batteries and will be completely manufactured in Pakistan.

    According to manufacturers, this new mode of transport will soon be seen on roads.

    “But for that to happen, it’s very important that the government endorses these vehicles. If this rickshaw will be successful in the country and its demand increases, many other vehicles will be converted soon”, an industrialist said.

    The three-wheelers were launched at the event ‘Showcasing Pakistan’s First Fully-Electric Three-Wheel Vehicle’ that was inaugurated by PM’s Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam.

    The adviser said, “By the end of this year the electric vehicle policy will be fully launched in the country. The policy will boost the concept of pollution-free vehicles in the country”.

    The electric vehicles do not emit smoke or make noise pollution and cut fuel cost as well, Aslam added.

  • Worst air quality: Lahore tops global list as Pakistan beats India, again

    Lahore on Thursday once again topped the global list of cities with poor air quality as monitors showed an average “hazardous” Air Quality Index (AQI) of 335.

    According to Newsweek Pakistan, residents of the capital of the country’s most populous province woke up again to the sight of a haze covering the city, with residents complaining of sore throats, itchy eyes and other ailments linked to inhaling toxic material through the smog that has increasingly become a regular fixture.

    While the average AQI for the entire city stood at 335 around noon, parts of the city with individual air quality monitors showed the figure rising as high as 763, which posits a PM2.5 of nearly 900 ug/m3 — the equivalent of smoking nearly 40 cigarettes.

    While smog is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan, it has taken on greater urgency this year amid ever worsening air quality that is particularly unhealthy for children, the elderly and the infirm. In 2007, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered authorities to prepare a smog response action plan to overcome the health crisis. The Punjab Environment Protection Council, however, adopted a plan that utilised a modified AQI classification system, which claims a PM2.5 rating of 60 is “satisfactory” even though US AQI adopted by much of the world declares it “unhealthy”.

    PM2.5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter that has a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, so small that they can only be detected with an electron microscope. These fine particles, which can come from various sources including power plants, motor vehicle emissions, and agricultural burning, last longer in the air than heavier particles. This increases chances of them being inhaled by humans and animals, where they can bypass the nose and throat and penetrate deep into the lungs. The air pollution worsens during winter, emerging as smog, due to temperature inversion, which produces a layer of warm air that traps air pollutants.

    Meanwhile, schools on Friday will once again remain closed across the city due to smog. Both public and private schools in Gujranwala and Faisalabad will also remain shut.

    The Punjab School Education Department has issued a notification in this regard as well.

  • Air purifiers that are effective and available

    Air purifiers that are effective and available

    As smog levels rise across Pakistan and Lahore reaches hazardous levels, air purifiers are selling out across the country. The biggest debate: do they actually work?

    According to research, air purifiers do work and have benefits. The demand for air purifiers is increasing worldwide and in 2022, there will be a 10.2 billion dollar global market for air purifiers.

    Air purifiers filter out harmful particles, kill germs and removes volatile organic compounds that can harm the lungs, liver or kidneys.

    In Pakistan, most air purifiers are now out of stock as Karachi and Lahore are facing the brunt of the air pollution. The Current brings you a daily smog level check at 7AM on Instagram and Facebook for your city and what’s really worrying is that Lahore has hit hazardous levels and Karachi is at very unhealthy – and about to get worse.

    Wearing smog masks can help protect you against air pollution and air purifiers are also a great investment. They aren’t cheap but worth it in the long run.

    Here are three air purifiers that are currently in stock on Pakistani websites and have been tried and tested by customers

    1. Smart Air Cannon Air Purifier

    Available here this small but powerful air purifier is effective for a room sized 323 square feet. It was effective in removing pollution particles and comes with a one year warranty. It is cheapest air purifier that is currently available, at 18,000 rupees.

    2. Beurer LR 200 Air Purifier

    Available here Beurer is a tried and tested company, with a popular humidifier range. The air purifier is sleek but according to reviews, it’s difficult to clean the filter. It is for 27,500 rupees and also has a one year warranty.

    3. Hextio Air Purifier

    At 60,000 Rupees the Hextio is available here. It has automatic settings where it detects air pollution and increases the level of the fan. It also has a two year warranty.

  • How Prince Harry is saving the environment

    How Prince Harry is saving the environment

    The World Economic Forum has estimated that currently there is 50 million tons of plastic in the world’s oceans which is alarming because plastic can take centuries to degrade. Hence, popular personalities across the world are making efforts to combat this problem and are encouraging people to go plastic-free and adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

    Prince Harry is one of them. UK media outlets, quoting the Prince’s close friend Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras, have reported that the Duke of Sussex is making conscious efforts to cut down on his plastic use and actually requests hotels he stays in to use minimum plastic.

    Recalling a time he and Harry stayed a night at a hotel before a game, Figueras said, “He talked to a person at the hotel and said, ‘This morning I got my coffee and I saw that you have a plastic thing on the coffee. And then I also sent my shirt and I got my shirt in a big plastic bag.”

    Looks like Harry is borrowing a page from wife Meghan’s book. The Duchess follows an eco-friendly lifestyle and in fact, a lot of her fashion is also sustainable.

    Not only the Prince but Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced a ban on single-use plastics in Canada. The leader of the state said that Canada will ban single-use plastics as early as 2021 and the specific items to be banned will be determined based on a science-based review, but the government is considering items such as water bottles, plastic bags and straws.

    Trudeau asserted that the issue of plastic pollution is a “global challenge” and that everyone should play an active role in combating it.

    Moreso, even our neighbours are taking the initiative to end plastic pollution. A village in the east India state of Assam, where people are too poor to pay school fees, is educating children free of cost as long as they bring 25 recyclable plastic items.

    Pakistanis are also making efforts to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, albeit on a micro-level. Here are some tips from The Green Gang Pakistan on how to use less plastic: