Air Pollution in Al Ain - Essay Example

? AIR POLLUTION IN AL AIN I want to find out the extent of air pollution in Al Ain and its socio, political and economic effects on the population. The research will encompass several blocks within Al Ain, which is a city within the UAE. It is a region, which has recorded vast impact when it comes to pollution and its impact. Most specifically, air pollution has had a huge impact and therefore part of the research will be to assess the phenomenal impact of air pollution (Kudesia & Kudesia, 2008). The most recent secondary data indicates that air pollution in Al Ain is the leading at 66.67% followed by drinking water pollution at 25%. This has to be established and a way to reduce such extraneous impacts be suggested. Air is an important resources God given free and human beings would only do well by protecting it and its use for the future generation (Book, 2009). This forms my basis of the research I intend to conduct in Al Ain. Al Ain is a city within the United Arab Emirates and this is the region that I intend to conduct my research. My respondents in this research will be the general population within Al Ain. I intend to sample a considerable number across all the gender and ages within the region (Lomborg, 2001). I believe that this region and the selected participants will help in establishing the exact impact of air pollution in this area (Book, 2009). In addition, it is highly anticipated that from the analysis of the data provided by these participants a clear way forward will be established on how to handle the menace. This will be within Al Ain as well as the other regions of the UAE affected by pollution due to industrialization and human activity (Currie & Neidell, 2004). Through secondary research, I have found the following information to be of much importance in formulating my research. First, Air pollution is a big part of pollution affecting major cities in the world apart from just Al Ain. Such a form of pollution is composed of a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. We also have car emissions, chemicals from factories and pollen as other causative agents of air pollution (Apling, 2000). Secondly, air pollution is irrespective of whether it is indoors or outdoors exposes individuals in millions throughout the world to huge health risks (Sastry, 2000). As a result, such individuals have recorded acute conditions of asthma, emphysema, lethal heart diseases, and other numerous conditions (Lomborg, 2001). In Al Ain alone, millions get infected everyday due to the bad air condition in which they are exposed. Next, humanity is not protected well by the laws formulated to handle air pollution menace. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency set in 1979 has done little and this necessitates for major changes and restructuring to be done to enable the rules and guidance on air pollution to be effective (Sales & Folkman, 2000). Research has it that the most polluted countries are the developed due to industrialization. This leaves the developing countries, which are at times even more industrialized and hence air pollutants unmonitored. Consequently, such countries proceed with the evil act leading to the deterioration of the atmospheres and the air that we breathe (Apling, 2000). Al Ain id not quite a big city in terms of geographical size while it is quite intense in terms of industrial activity most so in the construction sector. As a result, the city has high impacts on air pollution from the chemicals produced by such industries to the immense dust due to the nature of production rampant within the region (Miller, 2007). Governments have tried and taken initiatives to limit emissions into the air such as carbon dioxide and any other greenhouse gases (Simioni, 2004). For example, through the Kyoto protocol and putting of taxes on carbon emissions and other causative agents like gas. On the contrary, this is not enough hence the need for a collective activity to curb the menace (Browning, 2010). In conclusion, all parties and participants have to voice this concern through every available channel so that this is in control. Finally, my research will help through recommendations to the major stakeholders in Al Ain to help in regulating air pollution in the region. In my research project, I intend to use both survey and interview to collect data. In this process, I will be administering several questionnaires to my target individuals and groups both physical and online. This will ensure that my coverage is vast and hence a detailed and diverse data. In addition, I will also conduct personal interviews of which my team will be approaching individual, asking those questions and their feeling about air pollution in the region (Book, 2009). Consequently, they will be keeping records of the responses. This form of data collection will ensure that our research provides diverse as well as personal data and feelings (Shareefdeen & Singh, 2005). Therefore, we will be able to come up with sound recommendations from those affected themselves. The survey may not be so successful because of the following. First, illiteracy given the low level of the same within Al Ain region; the numbers who are able to read and write is negligible hence filling in the questionnaires accurately is a challenge (Sastry, 2000). Secondly, the online questionnaires may not find a hospitable platform because of the same and negative attitude from those able to access internet connectivity (Browning, 2010). In addition, personal interviews would be a challenge due to the difficulty in finding those to interview, as they would be committed in their daily errands. It would as well be hard conducting the interviews due to language barriers (Mauthner, 2002). Instances where the services of translators are sought, they would be so costly. The ethical considerations in my research are confidentiality and privacy, consent, harm and deception. These must be adhered to for the validity of the research to the users (Beyleveld, Townend & Wright, 2005). After the preliminary work, the remaining part of my research will be conducted within 13 weeks to obtain enough data. Thereafter, the data will be analyzed within the next 4 weeks to produce and publish findings. This timeline will ensure that a detailed and integrative data set is obtained for analysis (Gregory, 2003). Secondly, this period will also ensure that the coverage is wide enough for the findings to present a true and fair picture of the extent and impacts of air pollution in Al Ain region (Mauthner, 2002). Finally, it is within this timeline that the targeted respondents are not committed and can create time to responds to the questions. It is therefore an appropriate time as both qualitative and quantitative data required is obtainable in their required form. I expect many limitations in the process of conducting the research. First, the respondents would be quite hard to deal with and get the required information. They are illiterate and as well busy on their daily errands hence the difficulty they pose (Currie & Neidell, 2004). Secondly, the tools for use in recording the daily air pollution may be faulty or may breakdown on the way leading to inaccurate data or no data at all. Next, the research may be so expensive and this may result into abandonment on the way. Such a case may result into a case where the required objectives are not met (Epidemiology and air pollution, 2005). Despite the looming danger of the above limitations, the team, have back-up plans to ensure the objectives are met. My research, it’s findings and recommendations will be presented to the real world in for of a booklet. This is the most appropriate form, as it will be accessed from readers in schools and colleges as well as future researchers on the same topic. This would further prolong the understanding of what air pollution is and hence help in its minimization. References Apling, A. J. (2000). The Extended national air pollution survey of gaseous pollutants. Stevenage, Hertfordshire: Warren Spring Laboratory, Dept. of Industry. Beyleveld, D., Townend, D., & Wright, J. (2005). Research ethics committees, data protection, and medical research in European countries. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate. Book, I. (2009). Pollution. Chicago: World Book. Browning, L. H. (2010). Representing freight in air quality and greenhouse gas models. Washington, D.C.: Transportation Research Board. Currie, J. M., & Neidell, M. (2004). Air pollution and infant health: what can we learn from California's recent experience? Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. Epidemiology and air pollution. (2005). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Gregory, I. (2003). Ethics in research. London: Continuum. Kudesia, V. P., & Kudesia, R. (2008). Pragati's air pollution. Meerut India: Pragati Prakashan. Lomborg, B. (2001). The skeptical environmentalist: measuring the real state of the world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Mauthner, M. L. (2002). Ethics in qualitative research. London: Sage Publications. Miller, D. A. (2007). Pollution. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Sales, B. D., & Folkman, S. (2000). Ethics in research with human participants. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Sastry, N. (2000). Forest Fires, Air Pollution, and Mortality in Southeast Asia. Ft. Belvoir: Defense Technical Information Center. Shareefdeen, Z., & Singh, A. (2005). Biotechnology for odor and air pollution control. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Simioni, D. (2004). Air pollution and citizen awareness. Al Ain: United Arabs Emirates, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. 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