There are several natural resources people take advantage of. However, one of the more taken for granted resource is air. Air can be found in most places around the world – well, except, of course, underwater!
Now, air is a mixture of several kinds of gases:
- Argon
- Carbon dioxide
- Nitrogen
- Oxygen
- Trace amounts of various gases
Air also has a variable amount of moisture, which is what create the Earth’s atmosphere.
The atmosphere does several things to protect the planet:
- It absorbs the ultraviolet solar radiation
- It warms the surface using heat retention
- It decreases the extreme temperature between night and day.
- It allows people to breathe.
What Other Benefits Does It Provide People
Drying
Air can be used for drying. You can hang wet clothes out on a line to dry your clothes on breezy days. The breeze and air will dry them in practically no time. When you’re out in the wild, dirty laundry is still better dry than it is wet. After all, it keeps mold from growing.
Of course, using air for laundry can be taken even further. For example, turn your sleeping bag inside out for five minutes each day. Why? When you sleep, your body will perspire due to the bag’s warmth. Airing it out will evaporate the moisture so that the bag stays dry. This will lengthen its lifespan as well as its washing frequency.
Insulation and Warmth
Air is also worthwhile for sleeping bags because it can help in insulating people, keeping them warm. This logic can also be applied to shelter-building. It’s better to use a spongy, bracken base for a roof structure that’s been packed heavily with dry leaves, instead of something dense, because it keeps air trapped within the materials, acting like a good insulator for keeping things warm and toasty.
Besides, breathing and keeping an area dry and warm, what other things does air do for the universe?
Food Preservation
Air is also good for preserving food. Air drying of fish and meat will ensure food is kept for when you are hungry. This kind of practice also provides jerky, and with this method, you can really adventurous by flavoring your meats with pepper, salt or other seasoning.
Remember this saying: you don’t know what you have until you no long have it? Well, air is one of those things that people take for granted.
What Happens When You Don’t Have Any Air
At high altitudes, air begins thin out. And, when this happens, there are a significant number of difficulties the human body must bear. As the lungs don’t get enough air, the body tries to handle it by increasing the number of breaths you take as well as your heart rate. About 50 percent of folks at 14,000 feet will be overcome with altitude sickness. Symptoms of altitude sickness include:
- Extended shortness of breath
- Extended fatigue
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Exhaustion
- Vomiting
These symptoms are the body’s way of saying you need to reduce your altitude level. If you do so, you can continue after a couple of days. If not, it could become deadly.
As you can see, air is extremely important each and every day of the week. You need it far more than just for breathing, which is something you probably never thought of!
