Nowadays, Karachi is experiencing smog on a daily basis. For ages, we karachiites thought that smog is more of a Lahore problem. But November 2018 rolled around to prove us wrong once and for all. Ladies and gentlemen, Karachi smog is a reality now.
Smog usually happens when industrial or agricultural waste is incinerated without proper environment safety measures. Then there is the ever-increasing number of vehicles in the city that are also part of this equation and there is absolutely no check on penalizing smoke-emitting vehicles.
Before now, we’d only ever heard of smog in highly polluted cities like Beijing and Delhi. Seems like Karachi is fast climbing up that list!
‘Air’mageddon is Upon Us And It’s Really Bad For The Health!
Smog is made up of a combination of air pollutants that can cause serious harm to people and our environment as well. It can cause and worsen many health problems including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, and other respiratory issues. Exposure to smog and environmental pollution can also cause eye irritation and lead to reduced resistance to flu, colds and lung infections. The ozone in smog can inhibit growth in plants and damage plants, crops and even entire forests!
With pollution levels at an all-time high in Karachi, we are inhaling more toxins than ever before thanks to all that smog. And that’s why we need a lifestyle overhaul ASAP!
Your Quick Guide To Karachi Smog Essentials
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and if you’re a Karachiite feeling weirded out by the lack of sunshine and the slow creeping of smoke particles into your lungs, here are some quick and effective steps you can take – until the situation improves:
Get A Pollution Mask
Masks can filter out 90% of the air pollution, keeping the dust particles from getting to your lungs.
Remember, air pollution is a silent killer, as breathing it in, is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. This makes a good pollution mask a necessary investment. Pollution masks have ratings of their own. If you spend most of your time outside, you will need the P95 and R95 air masks that can filter out oil-based pollutants as well. Anything with a rating above N90 is good.
Buy An Air Purifier & Clean Those ACs
Automobile emissions and industrial waste gases are threatening Karachi’s air quality, and there isn’t much any of us can do about it at the moment. What we CAN do however is keep the air inside our homes clean.
Staying indoors is always the safest bet when there is smog outside. But here is the ugly truth… You aren’t even safe inside your home. According to studies, indoor air pollution caused by volatile organic compounds found in smog is way more harmful than outdoor pollution. Solution? Invest in an efficient air purifier with HEPA filter and a Molecular Sieve Media. But since these purifiers can be quite expensive, just take the time to ensure that the inbuilt air purifier in your AC is clean enough to deal with Karachi smog.
Go Green in the Kitchen & Everywhere Else
Increase your intake of vegetables and add more calcium, vitamins A, B, C and E, protein, iron and Zinc to your diet. Also, make sure you are drinking enough water.
Add more plants to your home to make the air cleaner and reduce the effects of Karachi smog. Plants like Aloe Vera, Ivy, and the Spider Plant are all great for your home at this time, as they suck up a lot of carbon – and a lot of pollutants – from the air. Just make sure you take proper care of them.
Show Extra TLC To Your Skin & Hair
The toxic air can take a toll on the skin and hair… and the upcoming winters are not going to help ease the situation much! Invest in a good sunscreen, a body scrub, and a face cream. Make sure that these products suit your skin type. Get a good, protective hair serum and deep conditioner for the hair as well.
Wash your face and hands everytime you enter the house. Get a steam bath every few days to open up clogged pores and draw out any impurities that may have settled in the lungs and soft tissue.
- Drink More Water and Tea
Water is life. That’s why you should increase your intake of water, green tea, and other antioxidants. Even coffee and tea are pretty good for the purpose. This will boost immunity and reduce the carbon footprint in your body. This also includes drinks with plenty of Vitamin C, such as cranberry and pomegranate juices. Drinking plenty of water also helps wash out pollutants from your nose, throat, and lungs (and keep you hydrated – how’s that for a bonus).
As we wait for Mother Nature to work her magic and clean up the environmental mess that is Karachi smog, make sure you follow these guidelines to improve your immediate situation. Also, try not to contribute to the already worsening condition, i.e. check your vehicle for emissions if there are any and don’t use firecrackers this New Year’s Eve.
Good luck!