Risks of Global Transportation Research Paper

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Toxic Contaminations from Transportation

One of the most dangerous perils of global transportation that remain unknown to many is toxic contaminations from the various modes of transportation. Rail, sea, road, air and pipeline transportation are wellsprings that discharge toxic contaminations as gases and particulate issues producing harm to nature and human wellbeing. The modes of transportation discharge toxic contaminations through emissions of greenhouse gases that are harmful to the world’s ecosystem and the environment. According to Awadallah & Fini (2013), global transportation accounts for a significant portion of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions despite the steady decline of these emissions in the past two decades. Based on recent surveys, transportation is the fastest growing source of these gases in the United States.

Rail, sea, road, air and pipeline transportation emit greenhouse gases through the burning of fossil fuels that in turn increase in the release of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s Atmosphere. Pure carbon dioxide is odourless and colorless and is potentially a toxic contaminant that negatively affects the environment. Low concentration of this gas can be dangerous to human well-being since inhaling more than 7% of this gas is a major toxicological hazard to human beings (Gough, O’Keefe & Mander, 2014).

Greenhouse gases have been the major sources of climate change/global warming in the past few decades, which continues to affect environmental and human well-being. It is projected that if the emission of greenhouse gases through transportation continues at the current rate, there will be significant changes in global climate, which will in turn have long-term impacts on the environment and humans. While there have been attempts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases including the development of electric cars, these initiatives have not addressed the issue completely. Bomford (2013) argues that electric cars have been found to have significant impacts on global warming in comparison to conventional cars. These impacts are attributable to the electricity utilized to manufacture these cars as well as those used in driving the car.

Global transportation has significant negative impacts on the environment given the paradoxical nature of the relationship between transport and the environment. While transportation support the increasing mobility demands for passengers and cargo across the globe, it has negative effects on the environment. As transportation activities contribute to increased levels of motorization and congestion, they act as the source of numerous environmental problems. According to Rodrigue, Comtois & Slack (2006), some of the major environmental impacts of global transportation and the environment include climate change, noise, air quality, soil quality, land take, water quality, and biodiversity. American Physical Society (2017) reports that all transportation modes that involve the consumption of petroleum-based fuels affect the environment through water and air pollution.

The impact of GHG emissions from the various modes of transportation is evident in the increase of diseases among various human populations across the globe. In the past few decades, there has been an increase in respiratory, cardiovascular, and lung cancer throughout the world. Moreover, human populations have experienced an increase in hypertension, asthma attacks, incidents, wounds, and deaths because of the perils of global transportation. Existing literature demonstrates that there is a strong link between road traffic noise and hypertension as well other health risks or diseases (Meline et al, 2015).

Expansion in Lung Cancer and Respiratory Diseases

As shown in the above section, the other peril of global transportation is expansion of diseases, which are brought by the increased emissions of greenhouse gases.

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Oils and fuels utilized in the various modes of transportation are causing the expansion in lung cancer and respiratory diseases, and in addition soil tainting. Air pollution emerging from the various modes of transportation contributes to adverse health impacts on human populations across the world. Some studies have shown a strong link between air pollution in urban centers and mortality (American Physical Society, 2017). The subsequent smog from air pollution lessens the average lifespan by approximately 2 years, which is an indicator of the adverse health effects of global transportation. Lung cancer and pulmonary diseases are among the mortality associations with urban air pollution. The danger of passing from lung cancer expanded with increasing debilitate introduction.

The toxic air pollutants from rail, road, pipeline, sea, and air transportation are linked respiratory and cardiovascular problems as well as lung cancer (Rodrigue, Comtois & Slack, 2006). One of these toxic pollutants is carbon monoxide, which is an unscented, drab, yet perilous gas. At the point when breathed in influences the circulation system, diminishes the accessibility of oxygen, and affects the bloodstream, which can be extremely dangerous to public health. The other toxic air pollutant from these modes of transport is Nitrogen Dioxide, which lessens lung function and influences the respiratory invulnerable safeguard framework and expands the danger of respiratory issues.

Additionally, spills of oil and fuel from vehicles defile the dirt that is utilized to develop the nourishment that individuals eat. This causes less prolific and beneficial soils. This essentially means that global transportation affects soil quality through soil contamination and soil erosion. For instance, coastal transportation facilities and activities have negative effects on soil erosion since they alter the scale and scope of wave actions. On the other hand, these modes of global transportation contribute to significant loss of productive and fertile soils through activities like highway development. Soil contamination, which affects the nourishment that people eat, occurs following the use of toxic materials in global transportation activities. Oil and fuel spills during these activities eventually enter the soil and impact soil fertility and productivity, which in turn affect agricultural activities.

Increase in Cardiovascular Disease, Heart Attacks, and Deaths

The utilization of transports is causing an expansion in cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and deaths. Global transportation is a source of chronic noise, which in turn generates stress that affects the cardiovascular system through enhancing the risk of hypertension and high blood pressure due to prolonged exposure. The expansion in the danger/risk of cardiovascular disease is also attributable to the operations of transportation infrastructures. Schwanen (2016) states that there have been increased public concerns on health in relation to the link between health and global transportation.

Transportation has been found to have a significant impact on health because the ease of access of various modes of transportation and their increased affordability has contributed to physically inactive lifestyles. Together with high-calorie food, the physically inactive lifestyles in car-oriented settings contribute to imbalances between energy intake and use among various human populations worldwide. This imbalance in turn endangers an individual’s health and well-being through increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. As a result, the utilization of transport enhances the danger of heart attacks due to the enhanced risk of cardiovascular disease or negative effects on the cardiovascular system. The increased risk of heart attacks due to utilization of various modes of transport is also attributable….....

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