Kuhn 1

Gavin Kuhn

Mr. Droski

English 11

3-27-20

Pollution

Millions of people all around the world are exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution

and hundreds of thousands of people die each year because of it. Although pollution is a major

deal, there have been attempts to combat this issue. Ocean dumping regulations, clean air

laws, and cutting emissions are examples of the world's attempts to fight pollution.

Pollution refers to the contaminants in the environment that are big enough to cause

major damage. Pollution has become a very big deal and the majority of Americans believe that

we should do something about it. Pollution first became a serious issue in the 20th century.

Pollution can take many forms that can affect air, land, water, animals, and even humans. Most

of today’s pollution is caused by humans. Air pollution is when large amounts of toxins are

released into the air, making it unclean. Millions of people live in cities with unhealthy levels of

air pollution. Water pollution affects oceans, lakes, and rivers. Most is caused by wastewater,

fossil fuels, plastic, vehicle emissions, etc. Land pollution is when waste, littering, deforestation,

and construction affects surfaces and subsurface of the environment. Pollution is considered to

be a major global health issue with it being able to cause lung cancer and heart attacks. Millions

of Americans are exposed to unhealthy drinking water and millions each year all around the

globe die from it as well. Around 150,000 Americans die each year and mostly affects younger

people, older adults, people with diseases, etc. Natural disasters can also cause a rise in

pollution levels. Weather patterns can cause air pollution to move to other places in the world.

The majority of the American population feels that the government should do more to help
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combat pollution. The clean air act passed by the United States in 1963 led to major declines in

harmful emissions throughout the years. Democrat-aligned voters are more likely to favor

environmental regulations than republicans who find it as a lower priority. President Trump has

faced scrutiny for policies on climate change. President Trump also signed an executive order

giving more power to the states over clean water laws.

Ocean is “any deliberate disposal at sea of wastes or other matter from vessels, aircraft,

platforms, or other man-made structures at sea, and any deliberate disposal at sea of vessels,

aircraft, platforms, or other man-made structures at sea" (​Blanchfield). Each year toxic waste

gets dumped into the oceans polluting the waters that marine life lives in. What is known as the

london convention, came to try to control ocean dumping by not allowing the dumping of

radioactive and industrial waste under any circumstance (Blanchfield​). ​The U.S.A. also tried to

control ocean dumping by creating the what is known as the Ocean Dumping act which banned

the disposal of radiological, chemical, and biological warfare agents (Blanchfield). Although it is

difficult to measure the effectiveness of ocean dumping, studies show that most of it is only

temporary (Blanchfield). With that being said, with these regulations the ocean has become a

much cleaner place.

The Clean Air Act set standards for emissions of air pollutants by power plants and steel

mills (Lerner and Lerner). The purpose of this act was to improve air quality and to protect the

health of the people and the environment. The act gave states significant control over pollution

issues so that they can establish standards and deadlines for improvements locally (Lerner and

Lerner). The impact that the clean air act had was extreme, because of the improved air quality,

the number of deaths caused by air pollution has decreased. Therefore, because of this act, the

air quality has improved throughout the years and less people have been affected by it.
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Lowered air pollution levels and improved air quality levels and help save lives in

populated areas. Due to cutting air pollution emissions, the number of deaths in New York City

dropped by about 5,000 (Warnick). A study concluded that because of cut emissions, air

pollution was reduced by almost 40% in New York City (Warnick). In the early 2000’s, the

number of deaths caused by air pollution in New York City were about 8,000 deaths, by 2012,

that number was reduced to just under 3,000 deaths because of the cutting of emissions

(Warnick). Therefore, because of the cutting of emission in highly populated areas, the number

of deaths have dramatically dropped.

Although there have been improvements in pollution, it is still a serious problem, but

companies that put out lots of emissions/pollution would rather do nothing to help the problem

because they can make more of a profit if they don’t help with the issue. Billions of dollars have

been invested to create more manufacturing sites around the world that use fossil fuels

(Hauter). One of these companies is called Inoes which uses liquid gas to fuel their chemical

plants, they get these fuels by having ships carry them across the Atlantic Ocean (Hauter).

According to the chairman of Ineos called the event a "game changer" that could "spark a shale

gas revolution," because of this, the company's profit can skyrocket if they continue to do this

(Hauter). Fracking companies would rather not change how they work because they would earn

a lesser profit than they would if they continued what they are doing.

The world's attempts to fight pollution have been ocean dumping regulations, clean air

laws, and cutting emissions. Ocean dumping regulations helped ban the dumping of certain

wastes, clean air laws helped cut emissions, and the cutting of emissions helped save lives in

populated areas. Although that is great and all, there is still more we can do.
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Sources

"Clean Air Act." Environmental Issues: Essential Primary Sources, edited by Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and

K. Lee Lerner, Gale, 2006, pp. 309-311. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3456400120/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=b75bb272.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2020.

Hauter, Wenonah. "Fracking Companies Profit from Pollution." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online

Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/UJSOTS931051755/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=81524e31.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2020. Originally published as "We Are Drowning In Plastic, and Fracking Companies

Are Profiting," Yes! Magazine, 14 Feb. 2018.

"Ocean dumping." Environmental Encyclopedia, edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield, Gale, 2011. Gale In

Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CV2644150976/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=47d38785.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2020.

"Pollution." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2018. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,
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https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999166/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=5ad04520.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2020.

Warnick, Aaron. "Cleaner air saving lives in New York City." The Nation's Health, vol. 49, no. 9,

Nov.-Dec. 2019, p. 21. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A609008699/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC&xid=d539e2c1.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2020.