Diseases caused by bad environment. Notifications

The cause of every fourth death of a person on Earth is a polluted environment. Such data was published in a new voluminous report World Health Organization .

This is the first significant document since 2006 containing information on environmental risks to human health, according to The Guardian.

According to the international organization, adverse environmental factors cause more than 100 of the most dangerous diseases in the world, which annually kill 12.6 million people. All this makes up 23% of all deaths that occur in the world.

Two-thirds of these (820 million) are caused by non-contact diseases such as cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease, which have increased substantially over the past 10 years.

While deaths from infectious diseases, including diarrhea and malaria, have declined since 2006, diseases caused by outdoor and indoor air pollution, climate change and exposure to synthetic chemicals have risen significantly.

The two biggest "environmental" killers are heart attacks and strokes (2.5 million a year), heart disease (2.3 million) and cancer (1.7 million), respiratory disease (1.4 million) and diarrhea (846 thousand). By comparison, cars on the roads kill 1.7 million people every year.

“A healthy environment is the foundation for public health. If countries don't take action to create a safe environment where people work and live, millions will get sick and die too young,” said Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO.

The WHO report says that many deaths are linked to poverty and rapid urbanization amid deteriorating air quality - both outdoors and indoors. So, according to a recent research international team of scientists, dirty air alone kills 5.5 million people every year around the world.

“Air quality is deteriorating in many low- and middle-income cities. Further air pollution will cause an increase in non-contact diseases, but children under 5 years of age also suffer more from respiratory infections,” the report says.

“Modern risks, in particular, pervasive air pollution, uncontrolled and dangerous use of chemicals, are booming, while control over these factors will be improved only when the country has gone all the way to a high-income society,” its authors emphasize.

The greatest risk of poor ecology is for children under 5 years old and the elderly aged 50 to 75 years.

Men are more likely to suffer from risk factors in the workplace and from injuries. For women, traditional risk factors are smoke from burning solid fuels, including for cooking or while fetching water.

Rapid industrialization and air pollution in China, India and Southeast Asia and the Pacific region are the main cause of death and illness among local residents. Industrial production, urbanization and car use have put these regions at the top of the list of polluted countries with 7.3 million deaths per year.

In the European Region, 1.4 million people die each year from environmental hazards.

Cancer is the leading cause of death today. It kills 20% of the world's population. According to WHO forecasts, in industrialized countries, a third of the population will face some form of cancer. About 19% of all types of cancer are caused by a dirty environment. At the same time, about 18% of all heart diseases are associated with polluted air.

"In general, the number of "environmental" deaths has not changed since 2002, but the proportion of non-contact diseases has increased," the authors of the WHO report conclude. They also note that diarrhea remains one of the leading causes of child mortality, causing 20% of all deaths before the age of five.

Recall that it was previously reported that Greenpeace published a report about the consequences of the nuclear disasters of Fukushima and Chernobyl.

Of course, the most terrible consequence of environmental pollution is human gene mutation. Unfortunately, over the past decades, cases of the birth of unhealthy children have become much more frequent.

The cause of this disease is still unknown autism. With this incurable brain disorder are born on average 6 human out of 1000. The fact that over the past 30 years the frequency of the birth of autistic children has increased dramatically suggests that it is the poor environment that is the main factor in the formation of this terrible disease. In particular, the increase in radiation levels due to the spread of such (now vital) inventions as the television, computer, and mobile phone is considered by many research scientists to be the main reason for the increased incidence of autistic births. Yes, the change in human genetics is the main retaliatory blow of nature for all the mockery of it. However, there are other manifestations of revenge ...

Man once cut down forests to create pastures, to build cities. Then, in order to further evolution and progress, he founded plants and factories in these same cities. For his greater comfort in the 20th century, he also invented such air pollutants as a car, a computer, a cell phone. In response, he received respiratory system diseases. Today, our country occupies the unfortunate second place in the world in terms of the frequency of deaths from a disease such as asthma. Here already bad ecology occupies the rightful first place in the list of causes of the development of the disease. Asthma mainly occurs in people who live near factories, factories and other industrial enterprises, near places where toxic waste is stored. The greatest danger to the human respiratory system is metallurgical enterprises. But even in adult welders and metallurgists, asthma is not as common as in children born near industrial areas. The incidence of asthma among children is twice that of the adult population. In Russia, according to the latest data, asthma suffers every 10th child. Moreover, according to the WHO, 40% of all diseases caused by poor environmental conditions, it falls on children.

Another disease, one of the main causes of which is also a bad environment, is allergy. Studies show that allergies are every 5th Russian. Over the past twenty years, the incidence of allergies has increased 4 times. According to WHO forecasts, allergies have a good chance of becoming the most common disease of the 21st century. Urban dwellers suffer from allergies three times more often than rural dwellers. This fact allowed researchers to determine the specific causes of the disease:

sharp deterioration of the ecological situation;
powerful industrial development;
"Western way of life" of citizens: constantly closed windows, use of air conditioners, etc.

Bad ecology also contributes to the formation and development cardiovascular disease and mental disorders. In addition, it is the cause of diseases such as AIDS and crayfish. No matter how trite it may sound, but in order to eradicate existing "environmental" diseases and prevent the emergence of new ones, we simply have to take care of the state of the environment. When we learn to live in harmony with nature, it will no longer take its toll on our health and the health of our children.

How does the ecology of Moscow affect a person? Is it true that trees get cancer too? Has the oncological epidemic begun yet? Why did the cockroaches leave? We discuss Moscow environmental myths with experts

A.A. Shcheglov, "Promised Land"

We say “Moscow environmental myth” only because fears and anxieties are always mythologized in a big city. But all the listed philistine questions, with all their apparent innocence, are absolutely legitimate - the request for information is obvious, and any fear should be discussed.

We must immediately report - cockroaches left the big cities due to the spread of cellular communications. Our phones have killed them. For. in order to understand how and why this happened, you can use American research: scientists found out the cause of the death of bees. It is assumed that the reasons may be identical. So, “scientists are increasingly inclined to the hypothesis that the cause of the mass collapse of bee colonies is not chemicals, not viruses with bacteria, but electromagnetic radiation of a certain frequency, more precisely, the widespread use of third-generation mobile communication systems (UMTS and CDMA2000 standards with a working frequency in the range of 2 GHz). Within this range, apparently, is the "wave of death", forcing the bees to leave their hives and fly away. In Russia, GSM ("second generation") and GPRS ("generation 2.5") frequencies are used for mobile communication systems - presumably, they have a similar effect on the cockroach population.

But what about cockroaches - the point of public concern is aimed at the connection between the ecological situation in the city and the increasing incidence of cancer. It seems to the inhabitants of the city that not only people, but trees, are getting sick. We all already imagine that oncology is “everywhere”, that there are much more cases of the disease than before. I want to run away from cancer. Is there such a possibility?

An oncologist discusses the alarms of the big city with us Natalia Savva, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Director for Scientific and Methodological Work of the Charitable Foundation for the Development of Palliative Care "Children's Palliative", Associate Professor of the Department of Oncology and Radiation Therapy of the Russian National Research Medical University. N.I. Pirogova, Boris Leontievich Samoilov, well-known ecologist, editor of the Red Book of Moscow, and Nina Lesikhina, Project Manager of the Greenpeace Toxic Program.

Natalia Savva: Cancer cells live in each of us

Many people talk about the causes of cancer. Does psychosomatics work here? There is a lot of talk about fate, about the fact that cancer occurs when the meaning of life is lost? What's with reality?

- In general, yes - for the occurrence and prevention of cancer, the psychological and emotional state of a person is very important. After all, cancer cells arise in each of us, in any healthy organism, they are constantly born and die, just like viruses and bacteria. We just don't know about it. But our immunity allows them to be removed from the body, cleansing it. The immune system destroys cancer cells.

But there are many mechanisms leading to the failure of this system. Indeed, immunity can be impaired due to the state of our psyche. According to the laws of nature, immunity works worse if a person is in a long-term depressive state. And as a result, cancer cells get a chance - they have the opportunity to multiply faster and not be recognized by the immune system. Therefore, you need to avoid prolonged stress, try to maintain positive emotions in yourself.

However, not everyone who is depressed develops cancer. There must be other prerequisites, and this is usually a decrease in immunity, either congenital or acquired. Or a genetic predisposition, the influence of radiation, electromagnetic radiation, chemical exposure - then the excessive formation of tumor cells begins, and even a healthy immune system cannot cope with them.

- Can our frequent illnesses become prerequisites for oncology?

As a rule, it is difficult to establish the exact cause of cancer in each case. I know cases where people didn't get sick at all and they developed cancer. Conversely, children who, for example, suffer from various colds, are more protected from oncology. Because their body is constantly training, and their immunity is strong as a result. No wonder doctors say: "Sick for health!" This joke is just about the fact that our immunity trains with simple, non-dangerous colds.

- Does it make sense for residents of big cities to be more afraid of oncology than rural residents? And are there dangerous professions?

- There are even types of oncology that develop more and more often among residents of the city. The simplest example is cancer of the respiratory tract or intestines. The air is polluted with elements of heavy metals, we breathe it, and as a result, oncology can also occur. It's like smoking. Harmful substances settle on the tissues of the oropharynx and lungs, induce the appearance of cancer cells, a cumulative effect is triggered, the immune system cannot cope, and oncology occurs.

There are places with a high radioactive background. Radon gas is used in radon baths for health benefits, but when doses are exceeded, it is dangerous. And such areas are also associated with an increased risk of cancer.

Pilots are also at risk - they receive radiation exposure at altitude, and, given the number of flying hours, they can get cancer. Passengers, even if they fly a lot and often, are not susceptible to oncology, they fly incomparably less than the pilots and stewardesses themselves. Submariners are also at risk. All people whose profession is connected with the chemical industry, with radiation.

Photo from econet.ru

Radiologists are also at risk. Why are many protective measures used in this medical specialty - and patients undergoing x-rays must follow the doctor's instructions and carefully protect parts of the body that are not intended for examination with special aprons. If a patient does a lot of x-rays uncontrollably during his life, this can also be dangerous. Therefore, you need to monitor the number and frequency of X-rays. After all, Marie Curie, the discoverer of x-rays, had blood cancer, and her daughter later had radiation sickness and skin cancer. They did not know about the danger of this radiation. And Maria showed the x-ray photo hundreds of times on her own hand: see how well all the bones are visible? Then it became clear that x-rays can be dangerous, and safety measures must be strictly observed. This is a general rule: even if there is a risk, but you meticulously follow the safety requirements, everything will be fine.

Computed tomography studies also give radiation exposure, so the doctor should regulate the frequency of their passage. As an alternative, ultrasound and MRI can be used, which are safer in this regard.

- So, the ideas that cell phones, microwave ovens, metal detector frames are harmful are correct? The townsfolk say: people used to get less cancer. Or is it still folk horror stories?

- It all depends on the duration and strength of the impact. The phone itself is harmless. And a good microwave with an intact coating does not glow. Older microwave ovens had a less protective coating, modern microwaves absolutely protect you from the waves. But, really, if you do not follow household appliances, if the coating is damaged, this can already be dangerous. Or if a person is constantly “in touch”, constantly with a phone at his ear, especially a child or teenager, then there are studies that this can affect health and some processes of formation of pathological cells. Therefore, if a person is forced to constantly work with the phone, it is better to keep it "away from the head" - using headphones or a speakerphone, for example. In this way, the influence of electromagnetic radiation can be reduced.

Photo from megapass.ru

As for the comparison with past centuries, much depends on the average life expectancy in the population. For example, now in the United States, the average life expectancy is about 80 years, and a hundred years ago it was 40 years. And people died more often from infectious diseases because there were no antibiotics.

As soon as they learned to treat banal pneumonia, the average life expectancy increased to 60 years. Then the main cause of death was cardiovascular disease. Then they learned to fight with them. And people began to live to see their cancer - there is a medical saying.

But at present, the diagnosis of "cancer" is not a sentence, if the tumor is diagnosed in time. Because many types of cancer are now curable if caught early. You need to monitor your health and constantly be examined. Modern methods of treatment in children can help more than 70% of the sick. Adult cancer, if it is not a disease of the blood, does not need a transplant, is also well treated if it can be completely removed surgically.

- Let's go back to the myths about oncology: if you remember the story of Zhanna Friske, then her cancer manifested itself after pregnancy and childbirth. Some women have a new fear: I'm afraid of getting pregnant, cancer will suddenly begin. Whether really these moments can provoke a disease?

– Yes, this can happen. Any pregnancy and childbirth is a stress for the body, sometimes there is a suppression of the immune system. But pregnancy itself cannot be the root cause, rather, against its background, those cancer cells that were already in the body and have already begun to grow somewhere are activated.

– There is also a reverse myth: they believe that having a baby and breastfeeding can help fight cancer.

“Indeed, it does happen. And we again return to the work of the immune system. Positive bright emotions from motherhood, oxytocin - the hormone of joy - help this. This dramatically improves immunity. Accordingly, the body receives powerful forces to fight cancer.

Jolie syndrome

– Genetics also affects the possibility of cancer. Angelina Jolie had her breasts removed, and then her ovaries, because she was doing genetic tests and already knew about her risk of getting cancer. Is this the correct approach?

– Yes, there are certain types of cancer that can be inherent in us by genetics, and then at a certain stage they become active and develop. For example, if grandmothers or a generation later had certain breast or ovarian cancers, the predisposition to develop them can be inherited. In the United States, there was even a practice when doctors prescribed prophylactic breast removal to patients in the presence of confirmed genetic information and about diseases of relatives. But then studies showed that after such an operation, many women are socially unadapted, experiencing psychological problems. Now this is done only on a voluntary basis, if the patient herself expresses such a desire, as Jolie did. She took advantage of new scientific trends, and this is her right. Why be stressed all the time and wait for cancer to form?

- If there is no bad heredity, then how do you know that you have a “programmed cancer”?

- Science is already coming to this, and a complete genetic passport can already be ordered, analyzes can be done, and they are becoming more accurate and complete. It is good when we understand that this patient may develop cancer of some organ, and we will examine him more carefully and, possibly, in the future, treat him prophylactically. And a person will need to lead a certain lifestyle so that these genetic data are not realized.

But there are people who have no predisposition, and cancer still occurs. Someone brings himself to the handle of bad habits. And in some cases, the cause of oncology, again, cannot be identified.

You said you need to check yourself. But there is another one of the common fears in society, and it has not been overcome so far. Fear of knowing your diagnosis. In the West, there is a culture of going to the doctor, examinations, we still do not have this.

- People, it seems to me, are not afraid, but simply do not consider it necessary: why, they say, I already feel good. And then it's often too late.

If you go to a therapist, he has an examination plan for every age. For example, up to 35 years one survey plan, after 35 and up to 45 years another plan, and so on. At some age, mammography is needed, at some other studies, because the probability of occurrence of certain types of cancer at a certain age is taken into account. Therefore, it is worth undergoing an annual medical examination, and the doctor will direct you to the necessary studies.

And in our country, unfortunately, you can often find formal or even fictitious medical examinations. Needed for work, he came, he was stamped and that's it. This is wrong, because these examinations are in the interests of the patient. You need to know your health status.

Oncology "epidemic": where to escape from cancer?

- It feels like they say that now there is a “cancer epidemic”, although it is clear that this is not contagious. But there is constant talk about oncology around, constant cases of death from cancer ... We said goodbye to Friske. And suddenly - the news about the tumor at Hvorostovsky. Maybe now the incidence of cancer has really increased?

- Media personalities are always in sight, perhaps this is the reason for the discussion of the "epidemic" of oncology in society. It is necessary to compare trends in cancer incidence over five, ten years, and even in different countries and populations.

Almost all cancers occur with approximately the same frequency in the European population, if there is no special influence of external or internal factors, as, for example, it was in Belarus after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant - when the incidence of thyroid cancer increased. In all countries, the structure of oncological diseases is approximately the same. So, according to the frequency of occurrence in children, leukemias are in the first place, then brain tumors, then other childhood cancers come - this is usually.

Photo from ybereg.com

In Russia, we often read in the press that the number of cases of cancer has been growing in recent years. But in order to state this and understand the reasons, it is necessary to conduct good epidemiological studies using data from verified cancer registries. A “false” increase in cancer rates can occur when there is an improvement in case registration or due to temporary fluctuations: more cases this year and fewer next year. Improving diagnosis can affect the early detection of cancer. An increase in life expectancy in a population may correlate with an increase in the incidence of cancer. Therefore, it is better to focus on official statistics that are in the public domain, and at the same time, evaluate them taking into account the above factors that may affect statistical indicators.

- In society, however, cancerophobia is very developed. People are afraid to even hear and read about oncology, as if they are afraid of getting infected. Have you experienced this and how do you deal with it?

- It's a defensive reaction. A person, naturally, does not want to think about some terrible negative things. And that's okay. Instead of being afraid and constantly thinking whether I will get cancer or not, I need to love, work, be happy, lead a healthy lifestyle and not be tormented by bad thoughts. It is very important to learn to appreciate every day of life and realize dreams today. That is why it is important to have regular preventive examinations in order to tell yourself: I am fine. And if the disease is still detected - to gather mentally and physically to defeat cancer, knowing that this can be done.

- Another fear is disbelief in a cure. People believe that if they get cancer, they will go bankrupt: for treatment they will have to raise money, sell an apartment. But is there free treatment provided by the state?

– There are certain types of treatment that the state provides free of charge. But there are other services that patients would like to have, especially in the last stages, and doctors say that we can no longer help here. And people begin to look for any ways to cure, go abroad or even hit non-traditional methods of treatment. Unfortunately, those who profit from incurable patients do not hesitate to declare large sums for treatment, knowing that the person will die.

- Downshifting is now popular, going into nature, escaping from the city, from civilization. Will it help to escape from the disease?

- Probably, if a person lived in a very polluted area, where the risk of disease was very high, and leaves for virgin forests, eats pure natural food there, and most importantly - lives in harmony with himself.

For example, the American Amish (a religious community in the United States whose members live apart and do not even use cars and washing machines, not to mention high-tech goods) has a lower incidence of cancer than the national average. Environmental factors determine our health indicators by 50%. Good ecology and a healthy lifestyle are very important. On the other hand, you can be healthy, rich, live in an ecologically clean place, but still get cancer if a person lacks the so-called "wellbeing" - inner peace of mind.

Positive emotions save, and you can get them not only by doing something “useful” for yourself, but also by doing something useful for others.

- Vegetarians and vegans are convinced that meat, sausage and other similar foods are a source of oncology, and they are protected from these diseases. Is it so?

Vegetarianism is not always healthy food. Much depends on where it grows. If vegetables are constantly fertilized, contain nitrates, pesticides, herbicides, elements of heavy metals, then the thought that you are eating the “right” food is nothing more than a reassurance. And I don't think vegetarianism is a panacea for cancer. But, of course, a healthy diet strengthens the immune system and is definitely one of the types of cancer prevention. That is, everywhere you need a golden mean.

Michael Jackson protected himself from all harmful influences, hid from the external environment in a pressure chamber, and still died at a fairly young age from some third cause. That is, there is no single factor that you would remove and guarantee yourself an absolutely healthy life until old age. You can't save yourself in a flask. We buy vegetables and fruits in stores, they can be treated with chemicals, which means we are also at risk. Those who plant organic vegetables in their garden and eat only them are also not 100% protected, because perhaps their neighbor uses chemicals from pests, and through the air, through groundwater, his active drug will come to "environmentally friendly » beds. But it is necessary to strive to minimize the influence of negative environmental factors, both on a personal level and at the state level, since heredity and the healthcare system determine human health indicators by less than half. The rest is a lifestyle, including healthy food and positive emotions.

- Another fear is the fear of surgical interventions, the fear that "just touch it - the cancer will spread throughout the body." For example, Steve Jobs did not have surgery. His doctor Stephen Agus reproached him with hindsight that Jobs refused the operation.

- Yes, Jobs believed in alternative medicine, in a special diet, and therefore refused all interventions. Jobs had pancreatic cancer. This cancer is considered one of the most dangerous because it is poorly cured and difficult to recognize in the early stages. The success of treatment depends on the type of cancer and the presence of metastasis. Different cancers spread differently. Some types of cancer are generally better to be removed completely immediately, and not to do a needle biopsy. The decision must be made by the surgeon and the oncologist, because the tactics of treating and removing the tumor are different each time. But if it is a solid tumor, it must be removed, this is the only way to get rid of it. Chemotherapy alone, as a rule, will not save - it is needed to clean up the body of residual tumor cells after the main focus has been removed or it is prescribed before surgery to reduce the mass of the tumor. Chemotherapy as the main type of treatment is effective only for certain types of malignant neoplasms, such as leukemia and lymphomas.

– Do I need to go abroad for treatment, or is it quite possible to trust our specialists?

- In Russia, for example, there are wonderful centers where children are treated for cancer at the level of world standards. If it doesn’t work out there, then most likely it won’t work out for anyone else. It also happens that people go abroad when our doctors refuse. But there are cases when you really need help, experience and capabilities of foreign specialists.

Plants get cancer too

– Does plant oncology exist? In Moscow, the trees are now completely sick, their branches have been modified, there are strange bumps and bumps on the trunks ...

– Yes, it exists.

A tumor is an uncontrolled cell division. And it can be in any cellular organism. As a result, the plant can change shape, strange growths, bumps appear on the trees. It is possible that the trees are also affected by the chemicals used to treat our streets in winter, and this may be the result of such an aggressive chemical attack.

– Is this phenomenon being studied by scientists? And are they trying to create a cure for cancer by doing experiments on plants?

- No, it is useless to try medicine on plants, our organisms work differently. But on the other hand, it was possible to create antitumor drugs from plants. Initially, they were used in folk medicine, and then they were synthesized and began to be used in official medicine.

- Why does the plant help fight cancer?

– There is a toxic effect on the cell, its membrane or DNA. Or the blocking of reproduction works. After all, a tumor is an active division of cancer cells. And if you stop cell division, then at some point it will become old, and the body will remove it.

– Will a “cancer vaccine” be discovered – will such a dream of mankind come true?

– The task of the future – and these drugs are being developed – is to create targeted therapy. There is, for example, chronic myeloid leukemia, which has not been treated before. And now, tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs have been discovered that act on a specific genetic breakdown that causes this particular cancer. Now he is recovering well. Even the gene that causes this cancer can disappear.

There are also targeted drugs for other types of cancer. Moreover, the substance can be found even in traditional medicine. This was the case with promyelocytic leukemia, which used to be absolutely fatal. And then they synthesized a substance from a drug that had long been used in Chinese medicine to treat cancer, and created a medicine. Many scientists say that in 20 years, cancer will be curable. After all, they created a cure for the plague of the 20th century, AIDS, which means that cancer will also be defeated.

Boris Leontievich Samoilov ecologist, editor of the Red Book of Moscow: Trees have reduced immunity

- Does the capital have enough green spaces now?

Budgetary funds are allocated for each square meter of lawn, and housing offices are interested in calling the territories occupied by any grass in the courtyards lawns. But there is no general statistics for the entire city on landscaped yard areas. Or, for some reason, it is not published. Parks, gardens, squares, boulevards are taken into account as green areas for common use, including in the General Plan of Moscow. Known data on specially protected natural areas - they occupy about 16 percent of the city. Among them, the Losiny Ostrov National Park, the natural and historical parks Bitsevsky Forest, Izmailovo, Moskvoretsky, the Vorobyovy Gory nature reserves, and the Skhodni River Valley in Kurkino stand out for their size and natural value. And this is a very high figure for cities; in other megacities there are no specially protected natural areas at all, or they occupy a much smaller percentage of the area. And this is the merit of the former leadership of Moscow.

- What is happening with the forests near Moscow, why are there so many dead trees?

– It must be understood that Moscow is entirely located in a natural forest zone. And if we didn't live here, there would be forests instead of the city. Here it is for the forest that the climate, air temperature, and rainfall are optimal. Once people mastered our land, and nature for the time being withstood us: there was some kind of balance. But as the spontaneous onslaught of man in the region intensified, the ability of nature to resist him decreased. In the Moscow region, the limit of "natural patience" has already been passed. And nature is signaling us more and more insistently: stop, otherwise you will destroy your habitat, the habitat of your children and grandchildren.

Photo from booksite.ru

The dying off of forests in the Moscow region, which has sharply increased in recent years, is a natural result. The forest cover in the region is constantly decreasing, and the built-up area with dead surfaces made of asphalt, concrete, metal, glass, etc. is constantly increasing as well. The climate in Moscow and its environs becomes almost semi-desert, and not to the forest. Spruce forests were the first to suffer from this: as you know, the range of spruce reaches south only to the Oka, beyond which there are no more spruce forests, they simply cannot grow there because of the climate - this is not their natural zone.

In forest trees, resistance decreases, immunity and resistance to external negative influences, both anthropogenic and natural, decrease. Roughly speaking, they "get AIDS". Therefore, in a highly urbanized space, trees cannot resist various diseases and misfortunes. For example, after a very hot and dry summer of 2010 in the Moscow region, a typographic bark beetle destroyed more than 40,000 hectares of spruce forests.

And the authorities, claiming the expansion of Moscow by 151 thousand hectares - two and a half times! - with the construction of huge areas, they do not even think about the possible catastrophic consequences of such a decision. The point of view and protests of environmental specialists are ignored, since they do not meet the commercial interests of the “engines” of this decision. As a result, the quality of life and health of millions of people, especially children, will definitely worsen. Moreover, this will affect not only Muscovites, but also residents of the Moscow suburbs. And again, no one wants to think about it, except perhaps the inhabitants of villages near Moscow, where water has left the wells ...

- There is an opinion that in Moscow not only plants and trees die, but also animals suffer. For example, even crows and sparrows disappear in the capital. How does ecology affect the animal world of the city?

– In countries where urban ecology is given sufficient attention, the conservation of biological diversity in cities is being addressed at the state level. For 25 years, there has been an international Center for Urban Biodiversity, which is located in Cape Town. It includes almost 600 cities, but not a single Russian city is among them. The Moscow authorities simply do not know about the existence of such a Center.

Biological diversity is the most objective indicator of the ecological well-being of the city and the quality of life of people in it. The Red Book of Moscow says that 50 percent of animal and plant species in the capital have become rare or are on the verge of extinction. For example, in Moscow, many species of amphibians, bats, ermine, forest polecat, buzzard, lapwing, quail, forest pigeons, wood doves, wood dove, kingfisher, etc. have almost disappeared. Rooks and city swallows cease to nest. And Muscovites can see swifts only because they are able to fly to feed many tens of kilometers from the city. Pollinating insects, dragonflies, large beetles disappear especially quickly. The biodiversity of Moscow is melting before our eyes, and few people notice it.

Meanwhile, the structures of the Moscow government responsible for green areas and natural areas are concerned not with the preservation of nature in the city and its environmental well-being, but with landscaping and decoration. From spring to autumn, they are unrestrainedly engaged in mowing the grass, in the fall they clean the fallen leaves, although many times it has been said about the perniciousness of this action. But will public utilities be concerned about the preservation of the habitat of birds, and even more so of earthworms, if hundreds of millions of rubles are allocated from the budget for mowing grass and cleaning leaves throughout Moscow?

Nina Lesikhina, Greenpeace: Use products from responsible manufacturers

– Back in 2013, we carried out a water patrol on the Moscow River, took samples and found a large number of harmful chemicals in concentrations far exceeding safe standards. Many of them are carcinogens and lead to cancer. It is clear that water intake by Muscovites is not carried out from the Moskva River itself, the water passes through many treatment facilities, filters, but already at the outlet of these treatment filters we found mercury, which is completely dangerous in any of its concentrations. Therefore, a certain degree of purification also does not guarantee that hazardous substances will not enter the body of Muscovites. Water filters save us from pollution, microbes, but do not act on mercury, phthalates, fluorinated compounds.

Naturally, automobile emissions, emissions from waste incineration plants in the Moscow region, emissions from the Moscow oil refinery also affect our health. These substances gradually accumulate in the body and as a result, the concentrations turn from safe to dangerous. Finally, we use food that is not known where grown, and this also affects health. .

According to the Ministry of Health, the increase in diseases is in the field of diseases of the endocrine system.

In addition, now in cosmetics, clothing, various chemicals are used to give these products a variety of commercial properties. They are hormone-destroying, and primarily lead to oncology of the genital organs, diabetes, and infertility. Unfortunately, the use of many of these substances is not regulated in Russia, and safe concentrations have not been determined for them. Since 2011, Greenpeace has been implementing a major international project "Clean Fashion". Thanks to the support of thousands of people around the world, 20 brands have already made public commitments to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals by 2020, and many have already eliminated them from their production. These are, for example, companies such as H&M, Zara, Adidas, Puma, Levi's, Burberry and others.

There is no need to panic. It is necessary to consciously choose food, use drinking water only from sources that inspire confidence, buy clothes from responsible manufacturers.

01 May 2013

It's no secret that a bad environmental situation causes various pathologies associated with the human body. In this article, we offer you to look at the most common and most dangerous pathologies that any citizen of large and not very cities may well get at any time.

Bronchial asthma. The true horror of any person who wants to live life calmly and without unpleasant "surprises". Bronchial asthma is manifested by respiratory failure, which in itself is a huge limitation in life. So, for example, jogging in cold weather will be almost impossible. In some cases, it will not be possible to load yourself even by jogging in comfortable conditions. During attacks, there is a risk of death, which also makes this pathology more than terrible.
Idiopathic allergic reactions. This is when there is an allergy to many foods. Today you drank coffee and broke out in a rash, tomorrow you ate a nut and began to choke, and the day after tomorrow you got anaphylactic shock during anesthesia at the dentist. The problem with this kind of allergy is that it is extremely difficult to cure and extremely difficult to live with. Antihistamines should always be on hand, and a person who can, if something happens, inject them either into a muscle or directly into a vein.
Dermatological chronic diseases. Perioral dermatitis, as well as seborrheic dermatitis, is far from all that can be caused by a rather poor environmental situation on the planet. But both of these dermatitis are extremely difficult to treat. Perioral dermatitis is not only difficult to treat, but also dangerous. For example, when it is used antibiotics of the tetracycline series. Their side effects often include toxic liver damage and photosensitivity, that is, a super-strong reaction to ordinary sunlight. Moreover, antibiotics are also dangerous as a direct drug. That is, they can cause an allergic reaction, up to the anaphylactic shock described above, which sometimes doctors in a hospital cannot stop with a complete set of equipment and various topical medicines.

These three are the most serious and frequent problems arising from the general poor state of the environment on the planet, and promising serious consequences for any person. Moreover, statistics stubbornly says that fifty years ago, such diseases were extremely rare, and only now they have become very common, which, quite obviously, is associated with the gradual deterioration of the environmental situation as a whole.

How dangerous is life in a big city?

According to WHO (World Health Organization) research, our health depends on 5-10% of environmental conditions. At present, a significant part of human diseases are associated with the deterioration of the environmental situation: pollution of the atmosphere, water and soil, the use of poor-quality food, an increase in the radiation background, and an increase in noise.

Air and water

The quality of these vital environmental factors has long been below normal levels. The air of large cities is saturated with lead and manganese. Lead does not allow our body to absorb iodine in sufficient quantities, which leads to its deficiency. And an excess of manganese is dangerous because it can cause Parkinson's disease or contribute to the development of iron deficiency. Inhalation of truck and bus diesel exhaust, ozone and carbon monoxide irritates the lungs and causes significant damage to the body's respiratory system, and increases the risk of developing asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Water in ponds and rivers is saturated with industrial waste and contaminated with pathogens. They become sources of human infectious diseases. Therefore, water from artesian wells, wells, springs must be boiled. "Chlorine" tap water, containing many elements of the periodic table, also damages health.

Radiation radiation

The larger the city, the more dangerous it is for life. In a big city, sources of radiation are everywhere. They act on a person in small doses constantly, destroying or weakening the body's immune system. Hence the frequent cases of infectious diseases, a tendency to allergies, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

Noise pollution

The lack of silence is one of the main problems of urban residents. This is especially true for those who live or work in busy areas near the highway. At A level of 20-30 decibels (dB) is considered natural background noise. It is harmless to humans. Permissible mark - 80 decibels. A sound of 130 decibels is already painful. The same goes for ultrasound. The result is hearing, memory, attention disorders, problems with the nervous system, insomnia, chronic fatigue, irritability, aggressiveness, depression and a feeling of loneliness. The human body in conditions of constant noise does not rest, therefore it is not able to recover. All this entails other health problems: hypertension, coronary heart disease, gastritis and peptic ulcer, reduced immunity and metabolic disorders.

Industry

Human economic activity is increasingly becoming the main source of pollution of the urban environment. Gaseous, liquid and solid industrial wastes fall into it. Various chemicals that are in the waste, getting into the soil, air or water, pass through the ecological links from one chain to another, eventually getting into the human body. An example of such an action can be smog formed in large cities in calm weather, or accidental releases of toxic substances into the atmosphere by industrial enterprises. Doctors have established a direct link between the deterioration of the ecological situation in the environment and the growth of such diseases as allergies, bronchial asthma and cancer. Many production wastes (chromium, nickel, beryllium, asbestos) are the cause of cancer.

Human factor

Large cities have a high population density. People, touching in transport, in lines, in stores, spread infectious diseases faster (epidemics, pandemics). The use of all kinds of vitamins, useful trace elements, dietary supplements does not save from infectious and viral attacks. Smokers cause great harm to health. They not only inhale harmful substances themselves, but also pollute the atmosphere and endanger other people. It has long been known that passive smokers suffer from cigarette smoke.

Biological contaminants

In addition to chemical pollutants, biological pollutants are also found in the natural environment, causing various diseases in humans. These are pathogens, viruses, helminths, protozoa. They can be in the atmosphere, water, soil, in the body of other living organisms, including in the person himself. Often the source of infection is the soil, which is constantly inhabited by pathogens of tetanus, botulism, gas gangrene, and some fungal diseases. They can enter the human body if the skin is damaged, with unwashed food, or if the rules of hygiene are violated.

Chemical contamination of food

In cities, the concept of "environmentally friendly products" has long been accustomed to. Doctors say that a full-fledged balanced diet is an important condition for maintaining the health and high performance of adults, and for children it is also a necessary condition for growth and development. The shelves of city shops are bursting with beautiful and large vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, they do not always meet the taste. Such agricultural products are even dangerous to health, because they are grown on chemical fertilizers. Fruits and vegetables, having absorbed the nitrogen contained in the fertilizer, are saturated with nitrates, which can cause severe poisoning. That is why agricultural products grown near industrial enterprises and major highways are especially dangerous.

Outcome

In general, the body's reactions to a bad environment depend on individual characteristics: age, gender, health status. But, first of all, children, the elderly and the elderly, sick people are vulnerable. Therefore, those who aspire to life in a metropolis should carefully weigh the pros and cons, because everything has a price and sometimes it is too high.

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