What is Pollution?
Pollution, also called environmental pollution, the addition of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or any form of energy (such as heat, sound, or radioactivity) to the environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in some harmless form. The major kinds of pollution, usually classified by the environment are air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution.Pollution of all kinds can have negative effects on the environment and wildlife and often impacts human health and well-being.
What Causes Pollution?
While pollution is caused by natural as well as man-made sources, it is the man-made pollution which is adding to the severity of this issue and threatening the existence of life on the planet. To a large extent, environmental pollution can be attributed to various human activities, such as transportation, industrial production, construction, mining, agriculture, etc. These activities, which are technically referred to as the anthropogenic causes of pollution, have been polluting the environment since ages. However, the rate at which pollution is happening today, we are left with no option but to take a serious note of it. River pollution in Ireland is caused by discharges from municipal sewage treatment plants, run-off from urban streets, septic tanks, landfills and from agriculture. Forestry and industry also contribute to river pollution to a lesser extent. Most of the seriously polluted stretches are affected by sewage discharges but these are mostly in small rivers that can be remediated through the upgrading of the sewage treatment facilities.
What are the 3 Major Pollution In Earth?
Land Pollution
The basic definition of land pollution is the destruction and contamination of the land through the direct and indirect actions of humans. The pollution results in changes to the land, such as soil erosion. Some of the changes are irreversible, while others are not.
The effects of land pollution do not necessarily appear overnight. It is the result of long-term destruction from human activities. For instance, the damage from chemicals from an oil spill can take months or even years to be fully realized.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. Car emissions, chemicals from factories, dust, pollen and mold spores may be suspended as particles. Ozone, a gas, is a major part of air pollution in cities. When ozone forms air pollution, it's also called smog.
Some air pollutants are poisonous. Inhaling them can increase the chance you'll have health problems. People with heart or lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from air pollution. Air pollution isn't just outside the air inside buildings can also be polluted and affect your health.
Water Pollution
Water pollution can be defined as the contamination of a stream, river, lake, ocean or any other stretch of water, depleting water quality and making it toxic for the environment and humans.
Water pollution truly harms biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems. The toxic chemicals can change the color of water and increase the amount of minerals also known as eutrophication which has a bad impact on life in water. Thermal pollution, defined by a rise in the temperature of water bodies, contributes to global warming and causes serious hazard to water organisms.
Water pollution has very negative effects on public health. A lot of diseases result from drinking or being in contact with contaminated water, such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery or skin infections. In zones where there is no available drinking water, the main risk is dehydration obviously.
Water Pollution
Water pollution can be defined as the contamination of a stream, river, lake, ocean or any other stretch of water, depleting water quality and making it toxic for the environment and humans.
Water pollution truly harms biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems. The toxic chemicals can change the color of water and increase the amount of minerals also known as eutrophication which has a bad impact on life in water. Thermal pollution, defined by a rise in the temperature of water bodies, contributes to global warming and causes serious hazard to water organisms.
Water pollution has very negative effects on public health. A lot of diseases result from drinking or being in contact with contaminated water, such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery or skin infections. In zones where there is no available drinking water, the main risk is dehydration obviously.
Sources:
- https://www.britannica.com/science/pollution-environment
- http://www.askaboutireland.ie/enfo/irelands-environment/environment-overview/water-quality/rivers/causes-of-pollution/
- https://helpsavenature.com/causes-of-pollution
- https://solarimpulse.com/water-pollution-solutions?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NPjBRDDARIsAM9X1GJ8qyjrfcDfJ7G7Hk_XTIP1RvdpZS3SoMEcAcd5Gx9FpH8VtmIe1PEaAubiEALw_wcB
