Environmental Pollution And Its Causes

What is environmental pollution? How is it caused?

Environmental Pollution And Its Causes

Introduction:

In simple language, environmental Pollution is the addition of contaminants into the natural environment that causes detrimental effects to nature, natural resources and mankind. Any unnatural and negative changes in all the dimensions, like chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of any component of the ecosystem, i.e., air, water, or soil, which can cause harmful effects on various forms of life and property, is called environmental pollution.

Environmental pollution is not a new phenomenon, yet it remains the world’s greatest problem facing humanity and the leading environmental cause of morbidity and mortality. When man shifted from urban areas to industrial areas, mining and exploration became the main reason for global environmental pollution. Pollution must be taken seriously, as it harms natural elements that are an absolute need for life to exist on earth, such as water and air. Indeed, without it, or if it were present in different quantities, animals – including humans – and plants could not survive. We can identify several types of pollution on Earth: air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution. We humans are the main factors of environmental pollution. At the speed at which developments are happening, we are destroying our nature with our hands.

What causes pollutants?

Any substance that causes harmful effects or uneasiness in the organisms, then that particular substance may be called a pollutant.

The materials that cause pollution are of two types:

1. Persistent pollutants: Those pollutants that remain consistent in the environment for a long period without any change in their original form are called persistent pollutants. For example, pesticides, nuclear wastes, and plastics etc.

2. Non-persistent pollutants: These pollutants are the opposite of persistent pollutants and break down in the simple form. If this process of breaking down is done by living organisms, then such pollutants are referred to as biodegradable pollutants.

Main reason of the destruction are-

1. Industrial Growth – Industries have been polluting our environment, especially since the beginning of the industrial revolution, as mentioned above, notably due to the increasing use of fossil fuels. In the 19th century and for a significant part of the 20th century, coal has been used to make machines work faster, replacing human force. At the same time, if the tanker transporting petrol from its production plant to the place where it will be consumed leaks or sinks, the water will get contaminated.

2. Increased use of Transportation – Ever since men abandoned animal power to travel, pollution of the environment has become higher and higher. Its levels have only been increasing until now. Similarly to industries, pollution caused by transport can mainly be attributed to fossil fuels.

3. Agricultural Activities – Agriculture is mainly responsible for the contamination of water and soil. This is caused by the increased use of pesticides, as well as by the intensive character of its production. Almost all pesticides are made from chemical substances and are meant to keep diseases and threatening animals away from the crops.

4. People shifting from rural to urban areas – In search of job opportunities, people have started migrating. They have started converting forests into Residential areas, which also provide their fair share of pollution as well. First, to be able to build homes, the natural environment has to be destroyed in one way or another.

– Written By Nehal Rathi

POLLUTION

Any material that harms the atmosphere or the species that exist in that environment is referred to as “pollution,” and the harmful material is known as a pollutant. Pollutants wreak havoc on the environment, including the air, water, and soil.

MAJOR TYPES OF POLLUTION:

1) Air pollution

2) Water pollution

3) Noise pollution

4) Land pollution

5) Soil pollution

6) Plastic pollution

7) Thermal pollution, and the list goes on.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Environmental pollution occurs when there is an unfavorable shift in the environment that harms plants and animals. Harmful substances are released into the environment, such as water bodies, soil, or air.

Environmental pollution can lead to serious health issues such as:

1) Respiratory disease

2) Different allergies

3) Mental disorders

4) Cancer

5) Cholera

6) Stroke

7) Asthma

CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Due to industrialization and urbanization, there has been a rise in environmental pollution. One more important factor contributing to environmental pollution is an increase in population.

Environmental pollution is generally of 5 types, namely, air, water, soil, and noise pollution.

1) AIR POLLUTION– It is a widespread and major issue today. Due to industrialization, many industries are being set up, and they emit smoke, fumes in large amounts through their chimneys. Smoke from automobiles, all this smoke gets to mix with the air and pollute the air that we breathe. Hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide are among the hazardous gases and particulates contained in car exhaust fumes. These gases rise into the atmosphere, where they combine with other gases to produce even more poisonous gases. These poisonous gases harm the organisms, flora, and fauna. The dry leaves, wood, and dry garbage are mostly burned in the villages while cooking food also produces air pollution.

MAIN SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION ARE:

a.Industries

b. Garbage burning

c. biomass burning

d. automobile

Example: You must have seen that the farmers of U.P and Haryana burn Paddy(residue called parali)which causes air pollution.

2) WATER POLLUTION: The most threatening environmental problem is water pollution. Industrial waste and sewage water are not treated properly before being discharged into water bodies. Agricultural activities making use of fertilizers and pesticides are carried to the groundwater by rainwater. Solid waste is also dumped directly into the water bodies.

MAIN SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION ARE:

a. Industrial waste

b. Untreated sewage

c. Pesticides and herbicides

d. Oil spills

3) SOIL POLLUTION: The degradation of land as a result of human activities and the mismanagement of land resources is referred to as land pollution. This happens when humans use pesticides and herbicides on the soil. Also, pollutants from other degraded lands are transported to the soil of other areas through rain and floods. Hospitals do not dispose of their biomedical waste properly like used syringes, tools, etc.

MAIN SOURCES OF LAND POLLUTION ARE:

a. Chemical fertilizers

b. Biomedical waste

c. Garbage dumping

d. Use of plastics

4)Noise pollution: Noise is created by factories, household activities, and automobiles. Noise pollution is rising due to the rise in pollution, urbanization. It can impact the human body in a very severe way; it can lead to stress and anxiety, insomnia, etc.

MAJOR SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION ARE:

a. Automobile noise

b. Factories’ machines noise

c. Loud music at parties

d. Drilling the ground noise

WAYS TO REDUCE POLLUTION

a. Say no to plastic bags

b. Use public transport

c. Say no to crackers

. Do not burn dry waste

. Practice the principle of 3R’s

– Written By Mahima

Pollution, also known as environmental pollution, is the addition of any type of substance (like solid, liquid, or gas) or any form of energy (such as heat, sound, or radioactivity) to the environment such that it can exist in a harmful form. Among the various types of pollution, land pollution, water pollution, and air pollution are a few that are directly related to our environment. However, pollution of all kinds can have negative effects on the environment and wildlife and can also have a major impact on human health and well-being.

Here is a brief explanation of how this pollution is caused and how we can attempt to control it:

· Causes

The problem of environmental pollution that we face today is a consequence of various correlated factors. There are many divergent and conflicting views on what exactly could be the reason behind such a massive crisis. Some of them are as follows:

1. Population growth

Increased population growth is not just a factor for human problems; it equally damages the environment massively. More people means more usage of resources. Since there is control over the population, resources are exploited.

2. Agricultural development and Industrial development

The agricultural development affects the environment in various ways, like through the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, making changes in biological communities, extensive extraction of resources from the ground, and also expanding irrigation to more and more surface apps.

The rapid rate of industrialization results in the overexploitation of natural resources to obtain more industrial outcomes.

3. Unplanned urbanization

The unplanned urbanization has indeed deteriorated both urban and rural areas significantly. Urban areas suffer from problems like lack of water supply, overcrowding, congestion, and lack of sanitation. Most cities lack sewage systems. Waste produced is not equally managed well.

4. Poverty

Poverty can indeed cause damage to the environment. Due to lack of money, people are helplessly forced to make use of natural resources for their necessities and survival [like food, shelter, etc.]. Necessary steps must be taken to bring the poor people above the poverty line for the betterment of the current scenario.

· Control

The presence of environmental pollution raises the issue of pollution control. Great efforts are made to limit the release of harmful substances into the environment through air pollution control, waste water treatment, solid-waste management, hazardous waste management, and recycling. Unfortunately, attempts at pollution control are often surpassed by the scale of the problem, especially in less-developed countries.

I hope this answer helps!

– Written By Aparajita Karmakar