Environmental Factors Affecting Europe

Today, the world is very badly affected by the rise in global warming, depletion of the Ozone Layer and the Green house effect. Environmental factors, such as exposure to pollutants through water, food or air, are important determinants of health. Europe, which has always maintained a standard and a Continent which is very environment conscious is no more an exception as it is being affected. For example, it has been estimated that up to one sixth of all child fatalities and disease can be attributed to environmental factors.

The European Union is currently implementing the EU Environment & Health Action Plan 2004-2010 to respond to this challenge. It aims to provide national governments with the scientifically sound information needed to reduce the adverse health impacts of certain environmental factors. EU's ultimate goal is to spread awareness among the people by strengthening research and addressing the emerging issues on environment and health. The Commission also works closely with WHO Europe to resolve public health issues.

Some very astonishing figures related to the use of tissue paper reveals how badly the trees are cut around the world and which has become a major cause of concern for people across the globe. Every day 27,000 trees are cut down around the world to produce an years tissue paper i.e. annually 98,55,000 trees are cut. The greater part of tissue paper or soft paper cannot be recycled and is directly flushed into the rivers, seas and lakes which adversely affect the marine life. Recycling process of tissue paper involves the use of chlorine which leads to cancer, diarrhea, and heart problems and also causes breathing problems. Children are badly affected because of poor sanitation facilities. Just for the sake of luxury and saving some time we tend to ignore what is good and what is bad for us.

Europeans use tissue paper to a large extent without even realizing how it is affecting their health.