As long as the protective effect of forests is limited due to their destruction – especially near densely populated areas – the quality of the air we breathe will also be limited, points out the pulmonologist, former Deputy Minister of Health Mina Gaga speaking to APE-MPE, adding that this is already affecting the overall quality of our lives. “Forests clean the air, protect against deforestation during the rain and allow the collection of drinking water while keeping the temperature at lower levels” Ms. Gaga points out and adds that in addition to the studies that predict a bleak future for the environment in general, “we already see internationally, the difference in air quality and temperature with the reduction of forests, both in the Amazon and Mexico and in most continents of the world. At the same time, the giant cities (mega cities) that are being created have very poor air quality, smog and much higher temperatures”. The United Nations provides data, according to which 30 million hectares of forest are destroyed each year, either by fires or for change of use. “So we are not talking about data about the future, of course there are studies about that too, but these data are now visible and measurable: The air quality is already worse, the temperature has increased, there is the ozone hole and things they are getting worse every year”, points out the pulmonologist and coordinating director at “Sotiria” hospital.

Why are green “lungs” now necessary

But why is it important to have “green lungs” around the place where we live, as we are used to saying? How do greenery and forests help our lungs function better? The former president of the European pulmonology society answers Michalis Kefalogiannis that it is known that “trees and plants in general during the day photosynthesize and release oxygen while collecting and using carbon dioxide, thus cleaning the air”. At the same time, as he emphasizes, in the forests and green areas, there are fewer cars, fewer factories, less production and emission of pollutants, which means that “we can breathe and exercise safely, for better lung health”. And of course they are the areas where animals live, areas that allow the preservation of biodiversity, which is very important for the future of the planet, and finally, as he adds, they are areas where thousands of people live.

The direct and immediate effects of smoke inhalation on lung health are serious

On the occasion of this year’s big fires that occurred in our country, we asked Ms. Gaga how burdensome our exposure to environmental smoke from fires is to lung health, even if this exposure is limited to 2-3 days. She replies that “it depends on how close we are to the fire and how dense the smoke is around us. With the intense fires we’ve had, the problems appear immediately. It can be mild such as irritation of the eyes and nose, severe pain and irritation in the throat, or cough, but it can also be serious such as an exacerbation of bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or burden on heart function that brings patients to the hospital . Exposure to large concentrations of smoke and gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide can put even healthy people in the hospital – while exposure to fine particles causes inflammation in the lung that can cause problems even in the short term.”

There is a way for the smoke and the transported ash particles to affect the lungs of the healthy as well as the sick or those with sensitivity, M. Gaga explains that “gases and particles are irritants and cause inflammation in the lung, which means difficulty in breathing. This may be temporary and due to spasm and narrowing of the airways, i.e. the tubes that bring air down to the lungs, but the smoke may cause more prolonged damage that is a bit like the damage of a burn on the skin, i.e. internal swelling (swelling ) and inflammation (redness) that takes days to pass. At the same time gases such as carbon monoxide bind the hemoglobin in the blood and it cannot be oxygenated well. So the blood does not carry enough oxygen to the body and this naturally puts a lot of burden on us”.

What can we do practically in similar cases to protect the health of the lungs

What is the prevention and protection of our lungs in similar cases? Are there practical guidelines that one can follow before and after exposure? “The most important instruction is to stay at home with closed windows and as little exposure to smoke as possible. It is also important to limit activities and exercise precisely because exercising outdoors requires more oxygen and our oxygenation can be limited. But also because when we move and exercise we need to inhale more and therefore our exposure is greater. It is also very important to be hydrated, i.e. to drink enough water. The masks we wore in the coronavirus, the K95s help a bit and keep particles out if we need to go out. But they don’t retain gas,” summarizes M. Gaga.

The former Deputy Minister of Health finally emphasizes that we must remember that “today, 1/3 of the earth is covered by forests and these forests, in addition to protecting us all, give work and life to more than one and a half billion people. So it is important not only to protect the forests but also to take care of the cities, planting greenery, creating green buildings, consistently aiming to protect our environment and improve the air we breathe for ourselves and our children.”