Through industrialization, we have experienced
booming economies, advancements in society and
the advent of new technologies and products we
use everyday. However, with this also comes pollution
and environmental toxins, which pose serious health
concerns for humans.
One significant discovery resulting from industrialization
is the use of aluminum. While it is considered
a miracle component that is cheap and easy to
get, it can also be harmful and deadly. Just a
few years after manufacturers started using aluminum
in products, consumers began displaying symptoms
of overexposure, which were sometimes fatal. As
a result, the United States Government implemented
a series of manufacturing guidelines to prevent
such overexposure.
Through industrial manufacturing, there are several
environmental toxins that are released the air.
One of the most common is carbon monoxide. While
manufacturing is not the only cause of carbon
monoxide pollution, it does contribute a significant
portion of it. Carbon monoxide is dangerous because
it depletes the ozone layer, allowing ultra violet
(UV) rays from the sun to hit the earth’s
surface without filtration. Exposure to these
unfiltered UV rays can lead to disorders such
as cancer.
Other environmental toxins resulting from manufacturing
processes include sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbon
and nitrogen oxide. Like carbon monoxide, these
toxins also deplete the ozone layer and are major
contributors to smog – smoke and fog in
the air. Smog leads to poor visibility especially
in winter and can cause cardiovascular diseases,
asthma, throat and lung inflammation, and cancer.
In addition to air pollution, manufacturing processes
can also result in water pollution. Many times,
industrial plants are situated near water sources
so they can draw water for their production processes.
In most cases, these plants do not take much care
beyond using the water, which results in the polluted
water making its way back into the lake or river
from where it came.
Over several years, environmental toxins can
buildup in humans and can be extremely harmful.
The effects on the body can vary, depending on
the environment and level of toxic exposure.
So how do we prevent these environmental toxins
from affecting our health? The first step is becoming
aware of our level of exposure. While it’s
often difficult to reduce exposure, especially
for those that are geographically situated close
to manufacturing plants, taking a few simple steps
can prevent high level of exposure. Here are several
ideas to help get you started:
- Filter all drinking water
- Install a carbon monoxide detector on every
level of your home
- Become a proactive consumer and purchase
products that are packaged in environmentally-safe
packaging
- Buy and consume unprocessed foods or organic
foods, free of pesticides and antibiotics
- Get plenty of exercise to remain in healthy
condition
- Take a hair
analysis test to determine the level of
toxins in your body
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