Scientists at the Chicago Energy Policy Institute found that dirty air still has the strongest effect on human life expectancy - it takes an average of two years from us. They named in their study the main factors of this phenomenon. First of all, this, of course, is the burning of fossil fuels, it accounts for about 60% of pollution, followed by "various activities" of the person himself - 22%, and the third place with 18% is occupied by natural factors - dust, forest fires, etc.
Scientists have compiled a list of other factors that affect life expectancy:
- smoking shortens life on average by 1.9 years;
- alcohol - for 8 months;
- unsafe water and unsanitary conditions - for 7 months;
- HIV and AIDS - for 4 months;
- malaria - for 3 months;
- terrorism - for 9 days.
“You can quit smoking or follow preventive measures against diseases, but all people breathe air, and therefore its pollution affects a much larger number of people than any other harmful factor”, - American scientists summarize.