What is Environmental Pollution?
Pollution is the contamination of the
environment by introduction of contaminants that can cause damage to
environment and harm or discomfort to humans or other living species. It is the
addition of another form of any substance or form of energy to the environment
at a rate faster than the environment can accommodate it by dispersion,
breakdown, recycling, or storage in some harmless form.
Environmental pollution is one the greatest
challenges that the world is facing today. It began since industrial
revolution, increasing day by day and causing irreparable damage to Mother
Earth. Environmental pollution has its own causes, effects and solutions.
Looking into these will help you identify the causes and what steps you can take
to mitigate those effects. Broadly, environmental pollution consists of six
basic types of pollution, i.e. air, water, land, soil, noise, and light.
When people think of environmental pollution,
most focus on fossil fuel and carbon emissions, but there are different
contributing factors. Chemical pollution in bodies of water contributes to
illnesses. Electromagnetic pollution has effects on human health but is
uncommonly considered in present times despite the fact we essentially expose
ourselves to it on a daily basis. Taking a look at causes and effects of
environmental pollution will pull any mind on a rapid downward spiral.
Solutions are in the works and, if we work together across the world, there is
hope remaining, at least for the time being.
The environment will continue to deteriorate
until pollution practices are abandoned.
~ B. F. Skinner
~ B. F. Skinner
Causes
of Environmental Pollution
- Pollution from
cars, trucks, and other vehicles is and has been our
major environmental pollution issue for almost a century now. The problem
is we did not realize this until the problem had manifested to monumental
proportions.
- Fossil fuel
emissions from power plants which burn coal as fuel
contributed heavily, along with vehicles burning fossil fuels, to the
production of smog. Smog is the result of fossil fuel combustion combined
with sunlight and heat. The result is a toxic gas which now surrounds our
once pristine planet. This is known as “ozone smog” and means we have more
problems down here than we do in the sky.
- Carbon dioxide
is another product from all of the vehicles on the planet as well as
unreformed power plants and other industrial facilities. A continually
growing population of humans and clear cutting of forests
has exacerbated this problem so natural defenses are no longer present and
carbon dioxide levels are on the rise.
- Water
pollution is a major issue. Many industries dump
wastes into rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams in an attempt to hide wastes
from EPA inspectors. These water sources feed major crops and food becomes
contaminated with a variety of chemicals and bacteria, causing rampant
health problems.
- Radiation
comes into play as well. This is an exceedingly nasty pollution issue and
requires extensive description. Primarily, there is radiation from the sun.
As the natural ozone layer around the Earth has become depleted.
The sun is wonderful, but the only reason we are able to survive on this
planet so close to the sun is due to the fact of natural shielding against
solar radiation. As the protective ozone layer around the planet has
become thinner, ultraviolet radiation has risen significantly, causing
increases in skin cancers and other types of cancer in all countries,
killing millions of people every year.
- More radiation
is a problem. The sun shining brightly on a naked planet is not the only
source of radiation we are exposed to. Electromagnetic radiation
is another insidious culprit. Once upon a time, the major concern around
this type of radiation was due to high tension wires which carry huge
amounts of electricity to cities. Now, we even carry sources of this
radiation with us as cell phones, laptops, tablets and other wireless
devices.
Effects
of Environmental Pollution
- The polluting
gases mentioned above have an interesting effect on climate.
Essentially, these gases form a veil around the planet which holds heat
in, increasing the overall temperature of the planet. The rise in
planetary temperature, or global warming, is not immediately noticeable.
However, even a rise of a few degrees Centigrade causes catastrophic
changes in weather. This is
happening now.
- Pollen has
increased. It is ironic, but even with fewer trees in the
world; the increase of carbon dioxide emissions induces plants such as
ragweed and many trees to produce more pollen than ever before. This has
resulted in rampant allergies across the world, affecting the health of
billions of people.
- One of the
solutions to tamp out carbon monoxide emissions from coal burning power
plants was and still is to use radioactive power plants. While this does
cut down on gas emissions significantly, there is radioactive
waste which causes various cancers to bloom in major cities and
small towns all around while destroying ecosystems entirely.
- Global
temperature has risen significantly over the years. The
protective atmosphere is further being polluted by methane gas released
from melting icecaps. This is
causing rampant weather issues around the planet.
This all seems like a fairly bleak outlook for
the planet and all the creatures on it. It is, in fact, a load of dark and very
real truth. For much of it, there is little turning back. Being realistic,
though solutions are in the works to combat global warming, the hope is dim.
Radiation does not go away quickly either, especially in a technological age requiring
more power, more gas, and intensified depletion of protective gases around the
planet. We are on a significant downhill snowball ride to hell. There are
things we can do. Let us take a look at some of the solutions which are
currently being implemented to reduce pollution.
Solutions
to Environmental Pollution
- Gas emission
pollution is being mitigated in a variety of ways with car emission
control, electric and hybrid vehicles and public transportation
systems. Not all major cities have successful implementation and
decent public transportation in place, but the world is working on this
issue constantly and we have managed to reduce emissions profoundly over
the last decade. There is much
catching up to do.
- The cost of
radioactive power plants is becoming apparent and the days of coal power
plants are nearly dead. The radiation is a serious issue. Radioactive
leakage from power plants and nuclear testing have already contaminated
oceanic life to such a degree that it will take hundreds of years to return
to normal. More radiation solutions are in the works with various ecologically
friendly power technologies being built every day.
- Solar power is
a fantastic solution. Now that solar radiation is at a
climactic peak, we can reap power from the sun using solar panel systems.
These range from home systems to larger scale systems powering entire
communities and cities.
- Wind power is
coming into play. This may not seem like much at first, but when
you get about 100 feet off the ground, there is a great deal of wind up
there. By building wind turbines to harvest natural wind energy,
electricity is produced. Wind turbine power and solar power are both
powerful forces against fossil fuel power and radioactive power. The one
problem here is power companies. They want to stay with radioactive power
plants because they actually can’t be removed. It has become the crusades
of many individuals and small corporations to make the switch and there
are plenty of people following this as populations cry out for help.
- Electromagnetic
radiation (ER) reduction. Once major manufacturers of computers
and electronic devices realized the blatant potential for huge ER
emissions directly into the eyes and brains of users, they started to
implement hardware protocols to minimize risks and reduce ER production
significantly. Newer devices are in the lead to knock this problem out
and, fortunately, this is working.
Also, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
is well aware of all leaks and tricks industries are using to dump wastes. This
agency now has extremely strict protocols and testing procedures implemented
against such facilities so populations are not affected. Additionally, the EPA
is measuring air pollution and implementing regulatory procedures for vehicle
emissions. They also monitor pollen issues and, with the help of the Centers
for Disease Control (CDC), they implement solutions to reduce pollen in the
air.
Dropping pollen counts is a major focus for EPA
and CDC activities. Asthma and other allergic conditions are flooding medical
care facilities and pharmaceutical companies with serious public health
problems. The response has been swift and various methods to control emissions
and reduce pollen counts are in the works. Children and elderly people are at
the highest risk for environmental pollution related health problems. The good
news is we are directly on the horizon to cut down the causes and risks while
providing practical health solutions for the general public throughout the
world.
