Don't Breathe! Parts of the world to avoid? That's Easy! Unless you live there!!

This post was first published in June 2017.  It is now July 2020 and the content is due for an UPDATE.  Information presented below the 3 highlighted asterisks (* * * ) was presented in 2017 and it was based on a map dated 2014.  I have been able to determine that the map has changed since 2014.  I also determined that something else of interest to all of mankind has happened since 2014/2017.

Here is UPDATE for this post.
In 2020, the World Health Organization officially announced that "we" are all in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic.  "We"?  That means EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD!!  As horrific as that sounds, believe it or not, there's a bright side.

Because of the pandemic, people have been required to shelter in place, at home, to prevent the spread of the disease.  As a result?  The air is more breathable!  Who would have thunk it!

Check out these headlines.

• Air pollution falls by unprecedented levels in major global cities during coronavirus lockdowns by Helen Regan, CNN, Updated 12:05 AM ET, Thu April 23, 2020

• Before-and-after photos show the dramatic effect lockdowns are having on pollution around the world by Sophie-Claire Hoeller May 15, 2020, 11:55 AM

Some scientists are saying these effects are short-term and won't last.  No, of course, they won't!  Because humans are not going to be locked down FOREVER!  (At least "We" hope not!)

• The short-term impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on urban air pollution in China | Nature Sustainability July 7, 2020

RECOMMENDED READING:
Informative Data Showing the Impact of Pollution: Hannah Ritchie (2017) - "Air Pollution". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/air-pollution' [Online Resource]

A map has been updated for 2020.  Sadly, there are some countries who bumped the other countries and have moved into the Top Ten List for "Worst Air Quality".

World Live Air Quality Map | AirVisual - IQAir

This chart compares the 2014 data with the 2019 ranking.

2014	2019
Ukraine	Bangladesh
India	Pakistan
China	Mongolia
Indonesia	Afghanistan
Russia	India
Ghana	Indonesia
Nigeria	Bahrain
Bangladesh	Nepal
Azerbaijan	Uzbekistan
Zambia	Iraq

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Cities listed by mapsoftheworld.com in 2014 as “the most polluted places around the world having either the worst air or water quality due to industrial, chemical, and waste processing”:

1. Chernobyl, Ukraine
2. Delhi, India
3. Baoding, China
4. Citarum River, Indonesia
5. Dzerzhinsk, Russia
6. Agbogbloshie in Ghana
7. Norilsk, Russia
8. Niger Delta, Nigeria
9. Hazaribagh, Bangladesh
10. Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
11. Sumgayit, Azerbaijan
12. Kabwe, Zambia
13. La Oroya, Peru
14. Matanza-Riachuelo, Argentina
15. Ahvaz, Iran

“The World Health Organization had named the city of Ahvaz in western Iran as one of the most polluted cities in the world.”

"Around the World : Pollution Around the World." Maps of the World. Compare Infobase Ltd., 22 Sept. 2015. Web. 05 June 2017.

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Being the typical selfish arrogant ignorant American, I checked the list of places with the worst and the best air quality. USA was not on either list. However, Bloomberg did say that the air quality in New York is the best it's ever been in 50 years. I don't know how to interpret that statement. I'm just glad I don't live in New York!

I ♥ New York.  I just don't want to live there. 😊

Do you sometimes wonder if earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are God's way of cleaning the environment?  It's not as if we can load planet earth into a washing machine.


NOTE:  I am not a scientist and I don't track air quality.  If you see anything in this post that warrants correction and/or updating, feel free to call me out. PLEASE!! 

No Coffins – Organic Burial Pods = Recycling's Finest Hour (Reblog)

Organic Burial Pods???!! 

I am so on board with this concept!!  

Isn’t everyone??

I mean … a Jew or Christian surely can’t object. 

It’s totally scriptural.  :)

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” 

Genesis 3:19

Forget Coffins – Organic Burial Pods Will Turn Your Loved Ones Into Trees | Bored Panda (Reblog)

Forget Coffins - Organic Burial Pods Will Turn Your Loved Ones Into Trees

The idea of coming full circle and returning whence we came is captured perfectly by this beautiful new burial method developed in Italy. The Capsula Mundi project by designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel has developed an organic, biodegradable burial capsule that will turn the deceased's body into nutrients for a tree that will grow out of their remains.

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Similar links of interest:

Trees Deserve Respect

Ailanthus altissima is an ornamental tree grown mainly for shade and also for its leaves which the silkworm feeds on. Sounds prettier when it is called by its unscientific name: "tree of heaven". The acacia thrives in the wilderness of Paran (the location of several historic events in the Bible).

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African Baobab Tree

The baobab tree (adansonia) is the national tree of Madagascar and has been called the tree of life (although I personally believe that any tree on the planet can be called a tree of life**).

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Sam Van Aken's Tree of 40 Fruit

So the voice in my head says: 'Why are there so many different trees? There should be one tree that bears all of my favorite fruit! Why does there have to be an apple tree, an orange tree, a mango tree, etc.?' OK. There was no voice in my head that said that.

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Trees Have Benefits

This article briefly touches upon a selection of trees chosen for two reasons. (1) To highlight and emphasize the contributions made by trees to sustain our life force. (2) Because these particular woody plants have interesting history associated with them that can be gleaned from the Bible and it makes for interesting reading.

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Happy Tree Tuesday!

It's Tree Tuesday. YAY!! Something they do on Google Plus. Don't know if you have a profile or page on G+, however, if you do, let me know. Maybe we can hook up. Let's not get off track. Trees are the reason earth is the best and ONLY planet for humans to inhabit. You can follow the space explorers on their trek adventures to try to see if Mars and Venus (or wherever) can be colonized. That's your decision. But my efforts will be lent to any campaign that supports saving the trees! 

 

My contributions to Tree Tuesday (click here) are not consistent or regular, but they have been substantial enough so that whoever it was that invented this G+ posting practice or tradition can know that this initiative has my backing two thousand percent!! Let the global public recognize that i heart trees! 

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Content first published at PersonaPaper, Feb 17, 2015.

© Photographer: Hakan Ertan | Agency: Dreamstime.com

© Photographer: Hakane | Agency: Dreamstime.com

 

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Happy Tree Tuesday ~ Save the Trees ~ Save the Planet

Happy Tree Tuesday to all my tree loving friends out there.   (FYI.  "Tree Tuesday" is every day in my book.  ❤☺)  It's been a while since I shared.  Below are items already posted on Google Plus.  Using the "embed feature" to recycle the content here.  Hope you like the selection.

"The oak tree is epitome of strength, it symbolizes endurance, power, and royal attributes by its sheer size."

What can we learn from trees?

Ever heard of the Judas tree?

There's the pomegranate tree and then ... there's the other pomegranate tree.

Think China will take the lead and save the planet?

Love red? Love bonsai? This is a win-win!

Happy Earth Day! 2016 and Beyond! Beyond!! Yes? Save the Planet! Right?

In 2014, Earth Day was on a Tuesday and so the celebration of Tree Tuesday could be combined. Being an ardent tree lover, made a special effort to publish this post:

• EarthDay and Tree Tuesday - What a Great Combination!

Image credit: © Photographer: Francy874 | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Last year, 2015, NASA celebrated the 45th annual Earth Day, but for me the day came and went. Nevertheless, determined to make some sort of mention this post ("Talk to the other NOAA.") was shared via my Google Plus profile page and to my surprise, fellow Plussers were interested on making comments for posterity.

This year 2016, making it point to carry on the tradition of celebrating Earth Day.  Because really ... Mars (or any other planet) is not a better place.  We need to save this planet!  One World!  That's all we got!

Click to view an infographic depicting "NASA's Plan to Put Thousands of People in Space Colonies" (click on image to enlarge if necessary). Infographic from Space.com.

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