Bishnoi, a small village in Rajasthan, is filled with people who are pure animal lovers. They live a very simple life but are true fans of cooking authentic meals. For this, most families in the community heavily relied on wood as a primary source of cooking fuel. Most houses used wood to cook and heat their meals, giving them the comfort and taste they wanted.

One of the reasons people use wood and charcoal to cook food is because it’s cheap. They also prefer this cooking method as it has been one of the traditional cooking methods for ages. Today the world is changing, and many people have shifted to cylinders and other forms. However, people in Bishnoi still rely on this method. 

Talking about the village, recently from last few years a lot of people have been falling sick and experiencing various health issues. It included wheezing, coughs, and respiratory infections. These health issues affected both genders but were severe in older adults and children. 

Due to a small village, there were only a few doctors and one specialist. When the doctor saw multiple patients with similar issues, he got concerned. He noticed a trend in such patients and researched to know what was wrong.

While researching and testing some patients, he discovered that polluted air affected all these patients’ health. But how and who was the main culprit?

WOOD SMOKE!

Yes, with the test results and doctor’s research, it was evident that wood smoke was harmful to community people. 

He also noticed that ladies who cooked meals and children who spent most time indoors were mainly affected. The ladies, children, and older people faced more complications. 

He organized a local gathering to spread this awareness among the villagers and invited everyone. In the meeting, he pointed out some interesting yet important facts about wood smoke, such as:

1. Wood smoke contains harmful components such as carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, aldehydes, and fine respirable particulate matter.
2. Some compounds found in wood smoke are also possible human carcinogens that can cause cancer.
3. Wood smoke can irritate your lungs, affect immunity and cause respiratory infections. 
4. Wood smoke can enter your eyes, resulting in burning eyes and a runny nose.
5. It can also trigger asthmatic patients and also cause heart-related issues.

The villagers were startled to learn that the wood that helped them cook food significantly threatened their health. It was high time to replace wood for cooking with something else.

For this, the doctor talked to the other doctors in the area and told them the entire issue. He was concerned to know that females and children were getting sick day by day.

To begin with, they ensured that all the suffering people had the best medical services in the village. They shouldn’t have to go out to town for the same.

Next, they convinced everyone to use LPG cylinders instead of wood for cooking food.

The villagers also shifted to newer alternatives like electric stoves and gas cookers that produced fewer pollutants than the wood-burning cooking methods.

With the doctor’s guidance, the villagers shifted towards these modern cooking alternatives, reducing their dependence on wood smoke. As a result, the air quality in Bishnoi improved, and the incidence of respiratory illnesses decreased. 

This story of the dangers of wood smoke serves as a reminder that even seemingly harmless practices can have unintended consequences. It highlights the importance of being aware of our actions and their potential impact on our health and the environment. By embracing cleaner technologies and making informed choices, we can create a safer and healthier future for ourselves and future generations.