The number of deaths from air pollution is skyrocketing, almost tripling the number of traffic fatalities

Globally, it is responsible for the early deaths of approximately seven million people each year, and is now considered the greatest environmental threat to human health.

And despite Australia’s reputation for fresh, clean air, pollution is responsible for almost three times as many deaths every year as the national toll on the road network.

Air pollution is the presence of harmful substances in the atmosphere, such as carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

Many of these are made up of tiny particles that have the potential to make their way to almost every organ in the body by entering the bloodstream from our lungs.

These contaminants can build up in our bodies for a long period of time without us noticing that anything is wrong.

Ultimately, they can lead to more serious medical consequences, such as strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, asthma attacks, respiratory diseases, shorter life expectancy and even premature death.

You will probably be familiar with many of the main perpetrators, including domestic gas stoves and heaters, vehicles, industrial plants and power stations.

These offenders emit different types of pollution at different levels, but all contribute to the daily rating given to Australian air quality as ‘Good’, ‘Fair’, ‘Poor’, ‘Very Poor’ or ‘Extremely Poor’.

You can watch the live reading for Townsville on the Australian Air Quality Index to see how your neighborhood is faring.

Pollution caused by climate change

The reason many of our cars, stoves and industrial facilities are so polluting is because they rely on the combustion of fossil fuels, which releases many of these harmful substances.

For example, in our cities, petrol vehicles remain the main mode of transport, with over 90 percent of households owning at least one registered vehicle.

This means that people living in these high-traffic areas are particularly susceptible to breathing in dangerous levels of pollution.

Dangers also lurk in our homes.

For example, gas stoves emit nitrogen dioxide concentrations that are 50 to over 400 percent higher than those of their electric counterparts.

In addition to pollution, the burning of fossil fuels also causes changes in our climate.

We are now seeing warmer conditions across the country, and temperatures around Townsville are no exception.

The average autumn day is now 0.8 degrees warmer than in the early 1970s.

While this warmer weather is not responsible for lower air quality overall, it is expected to increase the likelihood of periods of high pollution.

For example, global warming is predicted to increase summer smog and create a drier landscape prone to dust storms and more frequent and intense wildfires.

We have seen first-hand the impact of forest fires on air quality in recent years.

For example, in the Black Summer fires of 2019-2020, parts of Sydney experienced air quality more than 12 times the hazardous level, and more than 23 times the hazardous threshold in Canberra.

Smoke from these fires has since been linked to more than 400 deaths and 4,500 hospitalizations and emergency room visits.

What can we do to purify the air?

The best way we can get clean air back into our lungs and help the planet is by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

This can start right away in the comfort of our own home, by making the switch from gas to electric or taking advantage of Australia’s abundant sunshine by installing solar energy on our roofs.

Monash University’s Switching On report is a great place to look at different financial aid programs you may qualify for.

Using more sustainable, active modes of transportation such as walking or cycling is also a great way to reduce our personal pollution.

Perhaps investing in a stylish EV might be in the cards.

Many electric cars – such as the MG and BYD – are now more expensive than traditional petrol cars, making them an increasingly attractive way to save precious money.

In the meantime, on those hazy days, make the most of masks and air purifiers and monitor the air quality in your environment to ensure you stay safe and healthy.

Would you like more information about how your climate is changing? Check out the final article in this series.

Dr. Christa Pudmenzky is a climate scientist at the University of Southern Queensland.

This column is part of a partnership between Monash University and News Corp to deliver hyper-local weather and climate information.