Perceptions of School Students Regarding Air Pollution: A Study of Aurangabad City in Maharashtra, India.

Abstract

Over the last decade, air pollution has become a global issue on account of anthropogenic activities and has resulted in severe health issues and has reduced public’s subjective well-being. Awareness and behavioral change can go a long way in mitigating the adverse impacts of air pollution. This chapter focuses on assessing the perceptions of students in the city of Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra in India toward air pollution and provides insights into students’ perceptions about air pollution in the city, factors responsible for it, and the role they can play in controlling it.

Awareness of air pollution at an age as young as 11–12 provides a promising step toward minimizing hazardous effects on the community. All the students believed the air quality in their neighborhood to be good. Majority of the respondents in our study confirmed vehicular exhaust as the main cause of pollution in their communities followed by smoke from dumpsites. Further all the students agreed that they would take measures to curb air pollution which is a positive step toward reducing it and minimizing health impacts.