Q1.
Can you list some alternatives for reducing air pollution?
Answer
Bhoomi and Surya could smell the difference the moment they reached the city — very few trees, and smoke from the vehicles. Here is what can be done about it.
| Alternative | How it reduces air pollution |
|---|---|
| Electric vehicles | They do not release any smoke at all, as Amma explains in the story |
| CNG buses, autos and cars | CNG is a cleaner fuel than petrol or diesel |
| Public transport, cycling and walking | One bus replaces forty cars’ worth of smoke |
| Solar and wind electricity | No coal burnt, so no smoke from the power plant |
| LPG, natural gas or a solar cooker at home | Far less smoke than coal, firewood or dung cakes |
| Planting more trees | Trees take in carbon dioxide, trap dust and cool the air |
| Stop burning garbage and crop stubble | Compost the waste instead of setting it on fire |
| Cover construction sites and sprinkle water | Keeps dust from rising into the air |
| Filters and chimneys in factories | Trap smoke and ash before they reach the open air |
Why the village air felt better: the village has many trees and few vehicles, so the air is fresh and cooler. A city has the opposite — that is not bad luck, it is the result of choices, and different choices can change it back.