Battling air pollution for a healthy environment

MANILA, Philippines - In these days, climate change is being blamed for hastened environmental degradation. Vehicular traffic and its resulting air pollution is something that most people living in urban areas accept as a fact of life. But while sitting in traffic may test one’s patience and raise blood pressure every now and then, the health effects from exposure to air pollution are much more serious.

According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills three times more people each year than automobile accidents — that’s three million people a year dying from the effects of air pollution, thrice the one million deaths associated with vehicular accidents worldwide.

A separate study done by the European Commission reveals that air pollution reduces human life expectancy by nine months. In addition, 7%-20% of cancer cases are associated with the harmful effects of air pollution. In Manila, the 2007 Philippine Environment Monitor says that one out of every eight premature deaths have been found to be caused by air pollution.

These alarming findings have prompted the necessary actions from various industry leaders worldwide, and DB Schenker-Philippines has undertaken an approach that not only addresses the problem in an innovative way, but also champions Filipino ingenuity.

DB Schenker (DBS) is a global logistics company and the leading provider of integrated supply chain solutions in the Philippines. A reputable and established company which has been around for more than 130 years now, DBS is the second largest logistics company operating in 130 countries, including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Canda, Denmark, Germany, France, and the Philippines. It is also a member of “Samahan sa Pilipinas ng mga Industriyang Kimika (SPIK)” and Responsible Care, and now the first logistics firm to champion the fight against air pollution by using Boysen KNOxOUT — the first air cleaning paint in the world with Cristal Activ photocatalytic technology, which uses light energy to transform water vapor into free radicals that turns ground level smog into harmless substances.

“DB Schenker is an environment-friendly company and we want to do our share in reducing carbon footprint whenever and wherever possible,” says Jason Ello, DBS Compliance and Procurement Senior Manager. “Our primary goal is to really help the environment and to also drive other companies, even our competitors, to follow suit.”

“At the end of the day, it is a commitment to earth-preservation where the beneficiary is not just their company or its people but everyone — the whole of mankind. What else could be better?”

To find out how you can be one of the citizens or companies who are stepping up to clean our air, visit www.onewalloneworld.com