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Understanding Environmental Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment at levels that cause harm. It can take the form of chemical substances or energies like noise and light. Most pollution comes from human sources like combustion, mining, agriculture, and industry rather than natural sources. Pollution has negative effects on both human health and the environment. It can cause respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, and developmental issues in children. It also contributes to ocean acidification, global warming, loss of biodiversity, and acid rain. Some ways to control pollution include building more fuel-efficient vehicles, using filters on factories, eliminating hazardous chemicals and plastic containers, and adopting alternatives to polluting activities.

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Sonica Meena
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14 views3 pages

Understanding Environmental Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment at levels that cause harm. It can take the form of chemical substances or energies like noise and light. Most pollution comes from human sources like combustion, mining, agriculture, and industry rather than natural sources. Pollution has negative effects on both human health and the environment. It can cause respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, and developmental issues in children. It also contributes to ocean acidification, global warming, loss of biodiversity, and acid rain. Some ways to control pollution include building more fuel-efficient vehicles, using filters on factories, eliminating hazardous chemicals and plastic containers, and adopting alternatives to polluting activities.

Uploaded by

Sonica Meena
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Environmental pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability,
disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can
take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat, or light. Pollutants, the
elements of pollution, can be foreign substances or energies, or naturally occurring; when naturally
occurring, they are considered contaminants when they exceed natural levels. Pollution is often
classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution.

Most polluted places


In the 2007 issues the ten top nominees are located in Azerbaijan, China, India, Peru, Russia,
Ukraine, and Zambia.

Sources
Pollution comes from both natural and manmade sources. Though globally man made
pollutants from combustion, construction, mining, agriculture and warfare are increasingly
significant in the air pollution equation.

Environmental pollution comes from contemporary practices which include clear felling and
burning of natural vegetation as well as spraying of pesticides and herbicides.

Motor vehicle emissions are one of the leading causes of pollution.

Effects on human health


BY AIR- Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone pollution can cause
respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion.

BY NOISE- Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance.
Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in children and neurologic symptoms.

BY WATER- Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to
contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. An estimated 700
million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrhoeal sickness
every day. Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to safe drinking water.
Effects on environment
Carbon dioxide emissions cause ocean acidification, the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's
oceans as CO2 becomes dissolved.

The emission of greenhouse gases leads to global warming which affects ecosystems in many ways.

Invasive species can out compete native species and reduce biodiversity. Invasive plants can
contribute debris and biomolecules (allelopathy,) that can alter soil and chemical compositions of an
environment, often reducing native species competitiveness.

Nitrogen oxides are removed from the air by rain and fertilise land which can change the species
composition of ecosystems.

Smog and haze can reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out photosynthesis
and leads to the production of tropospheric ozone which damages plants.

Soil can become infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other organisms in the food web.

Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can cause acid rain which lowers the pH value of soil.

Ways to control environmental


pollution
Environmental pollution is not caused by some particular
ways but it is a caused by several factors n it cannot be
stopped by only the government efforts, the community and
the individual is also needed to be included.
These are some few simple ways the individual can help to
protect environment-

Cars can be built that burn less fuel and do not cause smog and other problems
Filters can be used to stop dangerous chemicals from going up into the atmosphere from
factories and homes

Plastic and throw-away containers may have to be eliminated in order prevent the soil from
being poisoned

These and other measures will probably have to be taken before the air, water and soil
around us is clean and safe.

Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals.

Eliminate mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury, and dispose of
items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off facility when necessary (e.g. old
thermometers).

Avoid slow-burning, smouldering fires. They produce the largest amount of pollution.

Join a carpool or van pool to get to work.

Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.

Take actions that use non-hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds in
a garden instead of using pesticide).

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