Introduction to Environmental Pollution
The occurrence of all living and non-living things that are not created artificially is often termed the Environment. It is related to planet Earth or its various parts.
Similarly, when an environment is affected by pollutants and manufactured harmful materials, such an effect is called environmental pollution.
Numerous substances are constantly adding to the Environment by natural means or human activities. Such substances can be toxic or non-toxic.
The most common causes of environmental pollution are the advancement of the industry, increasing number of vehicles, rising population, and burning of fossil fuels.
Furthermore, such harmful substances pollute the Environment by seeping into the soil, going up in the air, or flowing in water. Let’s have a look below at this amazing essay on environmental pollution.
What is Environmental Pollution?
In the most straightforward words, environmental pollution contaminates soil, water, and air elements. It poses a threat to humans, plants, and animal lives.
Pollution causes substances to be called pollutants. They can be in gaseous, solid, or liquid form. Some of those pollutants are degradable and decay through natural processes in very little time.
Also, numerous substances are non-degradable and have stayed in the Environment for decades.
The most common non-degradable materials are aluminum pieces, iron scrap, plastic materials, multiple chemicals, and nuclear waste.
Furthermore, environmental pollution is divided into three types of pollution depending upon their nature.
Causes of Environmental Pollution
The world is so vast, and so is humanity’s pace of progress. This progress came at a more significant cost called environmental pollution.
If we start examining all causes of environmental pollution, you will keep reading them for days.
However, to keep this essay on Environmental pollution interesting, we will focus on the major causes of environmental pollution.
1. Industries
In a superficial glimpse, you can easily assume that humanity is dependent on the industry.
Before the second industrial revolution, when the population increased rapidly, the products were scarce, and a new production method was needed.
Since necessity is the mother of all inventions, mass production was introduced. After a few decades, people started to see the dark side of progress called environmental pollution, which continues today.
Industrial wastes in the form of emissions, chemicals, and material waste pollute the environment.
It is important to note here that industries mainly cause air pollution through their water can also become a factor in soil and water pollution.
Similarly, significant power-generating industries like coal and nuclear power plants are primary benefactors towards falling air quality.
2. Transportation
The major contributor to worsening air quality is the massive size of transportation worldwide. The leakages and manufacturing processes of vehicles are also essential to note.
The Environment was in great shape when people used to travel on animals. The age of gasoline brought along numerous perks at the cost of declining environmental conditions.
This cause of environmental pollution is also due to the burning of fossil fuels which pollute the Environment and threaten life on the planet.
Similarly, the demand for transportation is constantly increasing, and meeting this massive demand, the wheel of the industry has to spin faster.
In this case, more and more vehicles are manufactured and the power sources consumed are converted into valuable energy, smoke, and liquid pollutants.
3. Agriculture
Agriculture is one of the basic needs of humans. However, science introduced pesticides and fertilizers to meet increasing demands for more food.
Yes, they got more products with less effort but at the cost of land and water pollution.
Similarly, when fertilizers and pesticides are mixed into the soil, they seep into it and cause groundwater pollution.
Furthermore, in the case of rainfall and floods, the same water travels to rivers, streams, and oceans, affecting marine life and humans alike.
4. Trade
Most of the trading activities in most countries involve packing materials made from plastic. Such packing material, if tread carelessly, can cause an enormous amount of land pollution.
It may seem like a minor factor, but when you calculate millions of trades per day, you can guess the number of pollutants reaching land and water.
This cause of pollution is one of the worst factors in environmental pollution.
Similarly, trading of oil internationally is done regularly. There are so many oil containers traveling the seas that the chances of an accident become higher.
Also, whenever such an incident occurs, it affects marine life, killing millions of water dwellers in a short interval of time. Such accidents are worst because the oil does not dissolve in the water and becomes a long-lasting poison.
5. Home and Residential Areas
The residential areas provide their share of contaminants to the Environment, one way or another.
Mainly, people use plastic products, chemicals, and other gaseous essentials that contain elements that are harmful to the environment.
Similarly, when there are millions of houses in a country and billions in the world, guess the total number of contaminated substances pushed out of the walls.
6. Construction
The construction field is one of the largest businesses in the world. It is because buildings are always in demand, and so is the raw material used.
Poor disposal activities of construction wastes are causing a massive surge in land pollution. It is making the beautiful landscapes look bad and contaminating fertile lands and pastures.
Effects of Environmental Pollution
There are numerous effects of environmental pollution on living and non-living things.
Among living things often discussed, humans, and most neglected are animals and plants. But as it so happens, human lives depend on plants and animals. They are their food and oxygen source.
Here we are going to shed light on some of the significant effects of environmental pollution.
1. Human Health
The primary and visible effects of environmental pollution on humans are mainly physical but, in the long run, can turn mental and emotional as well.
Asthma, allergies, respiratory diseases, eye irritations, and heart diseases are the most common effects. The most notable and heard results come forwards when air pollution rises in urban areas.
For instance, smog, a combination of harmful gases, particulates, and fog in the air, can cause people to suffocate.
Millions of lives have been lost in human history due to smog since it causes people to choke, difficulty in breathing, cancer, and other major respiratory diseases.
2. Animal Lives
Environmental pollution is known to pollute the natural habitats of animals. It makes their Environment and food toxic to live and eat.
Similar to humans, respiratory and skin diseases exist in animals due to environmental pollution.
It is important to note here that the toxic chemicals and water can cause the death of a few animals that survive on grass and water when mixed in the soil.
Also, acid rain can cause the water quality to change in rivers and streams, thus killing fishes and animals who survive on that water.
3. Effects on Plants
Millions of plants and trees are destroyed by acid rain and contaminated water. It disturbs the natural balance of animals and plants, causing disruptions in ecological cycles.
And as per the records, till now, plants are among the top resources on earth that are maintaining life cycle.
If it wouldn’t available in abundant amounts, then we will surely be going to lose the living things on earth.
4. Effects of Environmental Pollution on Ecosystem
Environmental pollution is a system of contaminants and nature-killing elements created exclusively by humans. It has the worst effects on the ecosystem while destroying its various layers.
Environmental pollution is consistently making the ecosystem worse, majorly affecting the animals and trees.
Solutions of Environmental Pollution
The solutions to environmental pollution are numerous and, if appropriately adopted, can change the lives on planet earth. Also, adopting these solutions is not enough to bring worldwide change.
You must spread the word and make your friends and family circles aware of the threats posed by pollution.
Similarly, when people start caring about the environment, these solutions will come in handy.
1. Energy Conservation
Humans depend on various energy sources. Due to the increase in the population, they have strived hard to create and explore new energy resources.
Energy sources like fossils, fuels, and electricity have become a lifeline for humans.
If you start conserving electricity and gasoline in your daily life, you can improve your Environment.
The same mentality of saving energy can reduce the world’s energy demands and slow the pace of environmental pollution.
2. Usage of Eco-friendly Transportation
The primary cause of air pollution n is transportation, vehicles, and gasoline burning. If you start using eco-friendly transport, you can change it for the better.
In the last decade, a fantastic invention called electric vehicles was introduced. Most of the largest corporations and vehicle manufacturers have already started commercializing these vehicles.
No fuel is burnt in these vehicles, and they use electric charge stored in the car batteries. This is clean energy which can lead to a clean environment.
Finally, it can stop gasoline-run engines, the leading cause of air pollution.
3. Better Power Sources
One of the best inventions of the past centuries is electricity. However, to meet the enormous demands, people started using gas, diesel, and coal-powered plants.
Such sources of electricity may keep your factories running but are causing numerous diseases and environmental issues.
The solution to such problems is to adopt solar, wind, and hydroelectricity.
All these three sources do not emit any harmful radiation or gases into the Environment, and there is no oil spillage or chemicals involved.
These clean energy sources may be the key to a green and healthy environment.
4. Say No to Plastic Products.
Plastic is a cancer of the Environment. Wherever you see a land pollution dump, you will mostly observe plastic products.
A few countries of the world have already banned such products. However, numerous other countries are neglecting this vital duty.
Pollution due to plastic waste is terrible for humans, animals, and plants. Moreover, there are islands of plastic garbage in the oceans, killing millions of fish each day.
5. Plant Trees
Planting trees means more oxygen production. Trees are nature’s oxygen generators. Not only that, but they also contribute towards air cleaning by consuming most of the harmful gases.
Planting a tree does not take much time, effort, and money. It is also a healthy activity that keeps your blood flowing. Most importantly, it will be a gift for the coming generations.
Also Read: The Cleanest Cities in the World in 2023
Conclusion: Essay on Environmental Pollution
Environmental pollution is the child of human development and progress. The urge for progress made humans careless, thus resulting in a natural curse called environmental pollution.
Million people die each year because of it. Some fail because of bad air quality, and some because of poor water quality.
Also, the effects and consequences of environmental pollution are not limited to humans; it also poses a more significant threat to plants and animals – without which humans can not survive.
Humans have left no stone unturned in exploiting nature and natural resources as the alpha creatures of this planet.
You can adopt the Environment saving solutions like tree plantations, shifting towards better energy resources, and others.
We have presented numerous solutions to each type of environmental pollution before you.
Humans brought this problem into being, and it is up to humans to stop or at least reduce Environment killing activities.
