Saving energy saves lives and alleviates healthcare costs caused by air pollution, study says

Nine out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants

There are a number of reasons why people should consider energy efficiency, from the clear environmental benefits to the financial perks.

But, while many of us are motivated by the need to reduce our utility bills, a new study has discovered another reason you should do your bit for the environment.

According to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, saving energy could also save lives and alleviate the costs of health problems caused by air pollution.

Sharing their findings in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the team said that conserving energy comes with a host of health benefits.

“By saving electricity, we can also save lives,” says Dr Abel, team leader and postdoctoral research at the University of Wisonsin-Madison.

For the study, Abel and his colleagues organised a collection of three widely used models used to calculate power plant emissions, air quality and human mortality over the summer months, when energy use is high.

After three months, the researchers found that a 12 per cent increase in energy efficiency during the summer would reduce exposure to air pollution.

The team concluded that this cleaner air would save 475 human lives each year in the United States, worth an estimated $4bn (£3bn).

"We're trying to clarify how changes in energy systems have benefits for public health," says Tracey Holloway, senior author and professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

"For the most part, the energy community is not focused on the human health effects of air pollution."

A recent study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) found that nine out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants, and that air pollution kills an estimated 7m people worldwide every year.

According to the report, air pollution, such as ozone and fine particles, caused by emissions from power plants adversely affects human health. They are known to contribute to the development of asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases in susceptible populations.

Through the study, the researchers are hoping to unite researchers and policymakers who work in different worlds - those who seek to improve air pollution and those who focus on energy – by finding common threads that will help to not only save money bit also improve air quality and human health.

"This seems like a missed opportunity," Holloway concludes.

"Energy efficiency is free, yet it is not being included in the basket of solutions."