Environmental Studies

Introduction
Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials
are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be created by
human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of
air, water, and land.Many things that is useful to people produce pollution. Cars spew pollutants
from their exhaust pipes. Burning coal to create electricity pollutes the air. Industries and
homes generate garbage and sewage that can pollute the land and water. Pesticides—
chemical poisons used to kill weeds and insects—seep into waterways and harm wildlife.All
living things—from one-celled microbes to blue whales—depend on Earth’s supply of air and
water. When these resources are polluted, all forms of life are threatened.
Pollution is a global problem. Although urban areas are usually more polluted than the
countryside, pollution can spread to remote places where no people live. For example, pesticides
and other chemicals have been found in the Antarctic ice sheet. In the middle of the northern
Pacific Ocean, a huge collection of microscopic plastic particles forms what is known as
the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.Air and water currents carry pollution. Ocean currents and
migrating fish carry marine pollutants far and wide. Winds can pick up radioactive material
accidentally released from a nuclear reactor and scatter it around the world. Smoke from a
factory in one country drifts into another country.In the past, visitors to Big Bend National Park
in the U.S. state of Texas could see 290 kilometers (180 miles) across the vast landscape.
Pollution is the introduction ofinto the natural environment that causes adverse change. Pollution
can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat, or light. Pollutants, the
components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring
contaminants. Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution. In 2015,
pollution killed 9 million people worldwide. Major forms of pollution include air pollution, light
pollution, liter, noise pollution, plastic pollution, soil contamination, radioactive
contamination, thermal pollution, visual pollution, and water pollution.Global warming also
contributes to the phenomenon of ocean acidification. Ocean acidification is the process of ocean
waters absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Fewer organisms can survive in
warmer, less salty waters. The ocean food web is threatened as plants and animals such
as coral fail to adapt to more acidic oceans.Scientists have predicted that global warming will
cause an increase in severe storms. It will also cause more droughts in some regions and more
flooding in others.The change in average temperatures is already shrinking some habitats, the
regions where plants and animals naturally live. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice in the Arctic.
The melting ice is forcing polar bears to travel farther to find food, and their numbers are
shrinking. People and governments can respond quicklyand effectively to reduce air pollution.
Chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a dangerous form of air pollution that
governments worked to reduce in the 1980s and 1990s. CFCs are found in gases that cool
refrigerators, in foam products, and in aerosol cans.CFCs damage the ozone layer, a region in
Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ozone layer protects Earth by absorbing much of the sun’s
harmful ultraviolet radiation. When people are exposed to more ultraviolet radiation, they are
more likely to develop skin cancer, eye diseases, and other illnesses.In the 1980s, scientists
noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica was thinning. This is often called the “ozone hole.”
No one lives permanently in Antarctica. But Australia, the home of more than 22 million people,
lies at the edge of the hole. In the 1990s, the Australian government began an effort to warn
people of the dangers of too much sun. Many countries, including the United States, now

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severely limit the production of CFCs.Governments have tried to prevent acid rain by limiting
the amount of pollutants released into the air. In Europe and North America, they have had some
success, but acid rain remains a major problem in the developing world, especially Asia.
Pollution of all kinds can have negative effects on the environment and wildlife and often
impacts human health and well-being.

Types of Pollutions:
Air Pollution: Air Pollution refers to the release of harmful contaminants chemicals, toxic
gases, particulates, biological molecules, etc. into the earth’s atmosphere. Among the other types
of pollution, air pollution is theorized to have a planet-wide implication. Though this is purely
speculative, it is a phenomenon that has already occurred on Venus.

Water Pollution: Water Pollution is said to occur when toxic pollutants and particulate
matter are introduced into water bodies such as lakes, rivers and seas. These contaminants are
generally introduced by human activities like improper sewage treatment and oil spills. However,
even natural processes such as eutrophication can cause water pollution.

Noise Pollution: Noise pollution refers to the excessive amount of noise in the surrounding
that disrupts the natural balance. Usually, it is man-made, though certain natural calamities like
volcanoes can contribute to noise pollution. In general, any sound which is over 85 decibels is
considered to be detrimental. Also, the duration an individual is exposed plays an impact on their
health

Land Pollution: Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural fields are blown by the wind.
They can harm plants, animals, and sometimes people. Some fruits and vegetables absorb the
pesticides that help them grow. When people consume the fruits and vegetables, the pesticides
enter their bodies. Some pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases
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Soil Pollution: Soil pollution, also called soil contamination, refers to the degradation of land
due to the presence of chemicals or other man-made substances in the soil. The xenobiotic
substances alter the natural composition of soil and affect it negatively. These can drastically
impact life directly or indirectly. For instance, any toxic chemicals present in the soil will get
absorbed by the plants. Since plants are producers in an environment, it gets passed up
through the food chain. Compared to the other types of pollution, the effects of soil pollution are
a little more obscured, but their implications are very noticeable.

How to Manage Pollution

Pollution prevention approaches can be applied to all potential and actual pollution-generating
activities, including those found in the energy, agriculture, federal, consumer and industrial
sectors. Prevention practices are essential for preserving wetlands, groundwater sources and
other critical ecosystems - areas in which we especially want to stop pollution before it begins. In
the energy sector, pollution prevention can reduce environmental damages from extraction,
processing, transport and combustion of fuels. Pollution prevention approaches include:

 Increasing efficiency in energy use;

 Use of environmentally benign fuel sources.
 Reducing the use of water and chemical inputs;
 Adoption of less environmentally harmful pesticides or cultivation of crop strains
with natural resistance to pests; and
 Protection of sensitive areas.
 Modifying a production process to produce less waste
 Using non-toxic or less toxic chemicals as cleaners, degreasers and other maintenance
chemicals
 Implementing water and energy conservation practices
 Reusing materials such as drums and pallets rather than disposing of them as waste
 Using reusable water bottles instead of throw-aways
 Automatically turning off lights when not in use
 Repairing leaky faucets and hoses
 Switching to "green" cleaners
 Reduce the number of trips you take in your car.
 Reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use.
 Avoid burning leaves, trash, and other materials.
 Avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
 Choose a cleaner commute - share a ride to work or use public transportation.
 Combine errands and reduce trips. Walk to errands when possible.
 Avoid excessive idling of your automobile.
 Refuel your car in the evening when it’s cooler.

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Disadvantages of Pollution:
 Air Pollution: - It is the contamination of the natural air by mixing it with different
pollutants such as harmful fumes and chemicals. This type of contamination can be caused by
burning material or by gases emitted by vehicles or harmful fumes emitted as a by-product of
industries.

Water Pollution:-It includes water contamination by pollutants such as bacterial, chemical,

and particulate that reduces the purity of the water. Oil seepage, as well as littering, is one of the
most common forms of pollution. It mainly occurs in lakes, oceans, rivers and even underground
reservoirs.

Soil Pollution:-It is also known as land pollution. It is the contamination of the soil or the land
that prevents the growth of natural life. It includes land usage for irrigation, wildlife as well as
habitation. The very common causes of soil pollution include hazardous wastage, mining as well
as littering, etc.

Noise Pollution: - It is the loud noises which are fashioned by human activities that disturb
the standard of living in the affected area. It can shoot from things such as railroads, traffic, loud
music, concerts, airplanes, fireworks etc.

Light Pollution:-Light pollution is the over-illumination of a certain area that is considered

obtrusive. The most common way to determine if an area is polluted is to look at the stars if you
can see them your area is not so polluted. Pollution includes large lighted cities, billboards and
other advertising, and night-time entertainment.

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