What is pollution? History, causes, effects and solutions

The word pollution comes from the latin word “polluere” that means containment. Air pollution is one of the biggest threats of the environment. And affects everyone: humans, animals, crops, cities, forests, aquatic ecosystems.

History behind pollution

The word pollution for the most part infers that source made by human exercises. Because pollution turned into an issue with the foundation of lasting settlements by incredible quantities of individuals. So, water and air pollution  were largely problems of urban areas through the 19th century. But, pollution became a universal problem with the rapid spread of industrialization and the growth of the human population.

Types of pollution

Pollution of all kinds can have negative effects on the environment and wildlife and often impacts human health. The major kinds of pollution are air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, light pollution, plastic pollution and land pollution.

1- Air pollution

Air pollution implies the unwanted presence of polluting influences in the environment. A typical kind of air pollution happens when individuals discharge particles into the air from burning fuels. And air pollution warming the planet through the greenhouse effect. Because more heat trapped If too many gases are introduced into the atmosphere.

Air pollution causes

• Waste production, mostly because of methane generation in landfills
• Emissions from industries and factories, releasing large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, chemicals and organic compounds into the air
• Combustion of fossil fuels. Like coal and oil for electricity and road transport, producing air pollutants like nitrogen and sulfur dioxide
• And agricultural activities, due to the use of pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers that emit harmful chemicals

Air pollution effects

• It kills more than 2 million people each year
• If the pollutant is highly toxic, the effects on health can be severe
• immune systems are most at risk from air pollution
• It causes the  formation of acid rain
• And air pollution is a major contributor to global warming and climate change

2- Water pollution

More than 1 billion individuals don’t approach a source of clean drinking water. Water is one of the most valuable assets on earth. But water pollution happens when synthetic compounds or hazardous foreign substances are acquainted with water. Which including synthetic compounds, sewage, pesticides. And manures from agriculture overflow, or metals like lead or mercury. 

Water pollution causes

• Pollution is the main cause of water pollution
• There are more and more droughts, floods and waves due to global warming
• channelisation of streams,  air deposition, agricultural runoff and water diversions are the main causes
• The misuse of water use in domestic use and agriculture activities are the cause a lot of water wasted
• Deforestation
• Overpopulation

Water pollution effects

• It can severely affect marine life. 
• hunger is one of the most serious effects of water pollution.
• Water shortages have a direct impact on crops and livestock, which can lead to food shortages 
• Lack of water causes other diseases such as trachoma (an eye infection that can cause blindness), plague and typhus.
•  Less oxygen in the water kills aquatic animals, because The algae blocks light from other plants.
• different negative impacts on rivers, lakes
• Ecosystems and biodiversity (e.g. freshwater fish) are threatened by water pollution

3- Noise pollution

Noise pollution can’t smell or seen. It effect the environment. It is also known as environmental noise or sound pollution.

Noise pollution causes

• Different hardware like blowers, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills participates in producing big noise.
• Under development exercises. Like mining, development of extensions, dams, structures, stations, streets. And flyovers happens in pretty much all aspects of the world.
• Poor Urban Planning  leads to noise pollution
• businesses utilize enormous machines which are fit for creating a lot of noise
• People play songs on is marriage, parties, pub, disco. And place of worship in full volume
• And a large number of vehicles on roads, airplanes flying over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise

Noise pollution effects

• Damage of our eardrums and loss of hearing
• Disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue. And hypertension, aggressive behavior can be due to noise
• Noise causes cardiovascular disease. And stress-related heart problems, Blood pressure levels 
• Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
• Constant exposure to loud levels of noise can easily result in the damage of our eardrums and loss of hearing
• And noise can put trouble two people to communicate 

4- Light pollution

The lights have changed the way that days and nights work. Some effects and causes of light pollution are

Light pollution causes

• Poorly designed residential, commercial, and industrial outdoor lights
• Overpopulation
• Light pollution is caused by using outdoor lights
• Because of overconsumption
• Turning on so many lights 
• And unnecessary use of energy

Light pollution effects

• Excessive nighttime lighting releases more than 12 million tons of carbon dioxide.
• Wasted light results in energy waste.
• Plant’s flowering and developmental patterns can be entirely disrupted by artificial light.
• Light pollution affects the feeding, sleeping, mating, and migration cycles of all wildlife.
• And light pollution alters our view of the sky and stars.
• Some birds sing at unnatural hours in the presence of artificial light.

5- Plastic pollution

And plastic pollution is brought about by the collection of plastic waste in the earth. Such as cigarette butts and bottle caps.

Plastic pollution causes

• Pollution comes mainly from household waste.
• Poorly designed residential, commercial, and industrial outdoor lights causes light pollution.
• It may cause of flood.
• Poorly recycled, dumped in landfills is the main cause.
• And waste is carried by the winds. And pushed by the rains into sewers, streams, rivers, and finally in the oceans.

Plastic pollution effects

• It disturbs the life of marine mammals, turtles and birds.
• Plastics have potentially harmful effects on human health.
• The germs due to plastic pollution may potentially toxic. And can accumulate in the body.
• Severe effects entire food chain of the marine ecosystem.
• Targeted artificial lights are the main cause of sky glow.
• And plastic bags also affect the growth of crops.

6- Land pollution

Land pollution is the destruction of the land through the actions of humans. It is a difficult issue which effects creatures, people and the earth. Because land can become polluted by household garbage  by modern waste.

Causes of land pollution

• Deforestation and soil erosion
• chemicals can cause the land to become barren and results land pollution
•  Industrial Revolution can also cause land pollution
• construction material and medical waste
• The garbage found at landfills is filled with toxins
• Because of mining
• Commercial or industrial waste
• And human sewage

Effects of land pollution

• Land Pollution effects on Humans include birth defects. And the development of breathing disorders, skin diseases, and cancer. 
• Ground water poisoning
• The nutrient-heavy water saps up most of the oxygen in the water. Which leaves little for fish and other life.
•  Shifting habitat
• Fires can grow quickly because of the dry conditions.
• And land pollution can be harmful to human health or the environment.

Solutions for pollutions

There are several possible solutions for the pollution.

1. Proper waste disposal
2. Educate people in order to increase awareness
3. The “3 R’s” Rule (reduce, reuse, recycle)
4. Light pollution can be reduced by improving outdoor lighting
5. Pollution control & better sewage treatment
6. Select exterior light fixtures with cutoff angles
7. Producing clean energy
8. Water conservation
9. Cloth bag for groceries can help
10. Renewable fuel and clean energy production
11. Non-gardeners can help by buying organic food.
12. And cleanup the environment

Conclusion

Toxic pollution affects more than 200 million people worldwide. Because of pollution, babies are born with birth defects. But the negative outcomes of every type of pollution can be reduced with the participation of everybody. So, by Educate people in order to increase awareness  to a more secure condition, the wellbeing and prosperity of all can be ensured.

Here are some good reads as usual on global warming.

• The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming
• The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change (The Politically Incorrect Guides)
• Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming
• The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
• Global Warming-Alarmists, Skeptics and Deniers: A Geoscientist Looks at the Science of Climate Change