Pollution is a grave problem that is disturbing our ecosystem and the balance of the environment. With the modernization and development in our lives pollution has reached its peak giving rise to global warming and human illness. Pollution occurs in different forms air, water, soil, radioactive, noise, heat, thermal and light.
Causes of Pollution
Developmental activities such as construction, transportation and manufacturing not only deplete the natural resources but also produce large amount of waste that leads to pollution of air, water, soil, and oceans, global warming and acid rains. Untreated or improperly treated waste is a major cause of pollution of rivers and environmental degradation causing ill-health and loss of crop productivity.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is caused by industrial and domestic activities. Ever increasing use of fossil fuels in power plants, industries, transportation, mining, construction of buildings, stone quarries led to air pollution.
Main causes of Air Pollution
- Particulate Pollutants
- Fly Ash
- Burning of Fossil Fuels
- Agricultural Activities
- Exhaust from Factories and Industries
- Mining Operations
Water Pollution
Water pollution is caused by human activities such as industrial, agricultural and domestic.
- Pesticides like DDT and others used in agriculture contaminate water bodies
- Metals like lead, zinc, arsenic, copper, mercury and cadmium in industrial waste waters adversely affect humans and other animals
- Oil pollution of sea is caused by leakage from ships, oil tankers, rigs and pipelines
Soil Pollution
Solid waste is a mixture of plastic, cloth, glass, metal and organic matter, sewage, sewage sludge, building debris, generated from households, commercial and industrial establishments add to soil pollution. Fly ash, iron and steel slag, medical and industrial wastes disposed on land are important sources of soil pollution. Fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural use which reach soil as run-off and land filling by municipal waste are causes of soil pollution.Acid rain and dry deposition of pollution on land surface also contribute to soil pollution.
Noise Pollution
Noise in industries as stone cutting and crushing, steel forgings, loudspeakers, shouting by hawkers, movement of heavy transport vehicles, railways and airports leads to irritation and an increased blood-pressure, loss of temper, decrease in work-efficiency, loss of hearing.
Indoor Sources are radio, television, generators, electric fans, air coolers, air conditioners and family conflicts.
Outdoor Sources are loudspeakers, industrial activities, automobiles, rail traffic, airplanes, pump sets and farm machines and cracker.
Pollution caused by Burning Coal and Petroleum based fuels
Coal and Petroleum have been formed by biomass plant and animal material in addition to carbon and hydrogen, they also contain nitrogen and sulphur elements. When coal, and petroleum based fuels like petrol and diesel are burnt, the products of combustion are- carbon dioxide, water, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. If combustion takes place in an insufficient supply of air, then some carbon monoxide is also produced. All products except water are harmful and hence pollute the environment.
1. Sulphur dioxide attacks the lungs causing bronchitis. Sulphur dioxide dissolves in rain water making it acidic. The acid rain damages trees, plants, buildings, and metal structures.
2. Nitrogen oxides attack the breathing system.
3. Carbon monoxide gets into our blood system; it stops red blood cells from carrying oxygen from lungs to the rest of the body causing suffocation. It can cause death.
4. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which traps sun’s heat energy falling on the Earth. The burning of more and more fossil fuels is increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causing increased green house effect leading to Global Warming. We need to use fossil fuels judiciously.
(1) Coal and petroleum left in the Earth are limited which will get exhausted soon.
(2) The products of combustion of fossils fuels pollute the environment.
The Three R’s to save the Environment
The excessive and indiscriminate use of various types of natural resources is spoiling our healthy environment day by day. We can save our environment by practicing three R’s, Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.
1. Reduce- Less use of the natural resources by cutting down on those practices which lead to their wastage. Reduce the wastage of electricity by switching off unnecessary lights and fans. Saving electricity means we are reducing the use of coal. Reduce the wastage of water by repairing the leaking taps. Reduce the use of L.P.G. by making use of petrol by walking or cycling for short distances. Reduce the use of water resources and fertilizers by preventing the wastage of food as a lot of water and fertilizers are used for the production of food.
2. Recycle- Collect the used and discarded items of paper, plastic, glass and metals and send them to the respective industries for making fresh paper, glass, or metal objects. First segregate our domestic wastes so that the materials for recycling do not get dumped with other household wastes which are to be thrown away.
3. Reuse- Use the same things again. Plastic jars, paper envelopes as no energy is required during reuse.
Steps to Conserve Energy Resources
1. Switch off the lights, fans, television and other electrical appliances when not in use.
2. Use energy efficient appliances to save electricity. Use Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) and fluorescent tube lights instead of traditional filament type electric bulbs. CFL and tube lights consume less electric energy.
3. Use stairs to climb at least up to three floors of a building instead of taking a lift to save electricity.
4. Pressure cookers should be used for cooking food to save fuels like kerosene and LPG.
5. Good quality stoves should be used to burn fuels like kerosene and cooking gas (LPG) so as to obtain maximum heat.
6. Solar cookers should be used to cook wherever possible.
7. The use of biogas as domestic fuel should be encouraged in rural areas.
8. Bicycles should be used for covering short distances to save precious fuels like petrol.
9. Public transport system in the cities should be improved so that people do not commute in their personal vehicles.
10. Fuel efficient engines of motor vehicles should be designed to reduce the consumption of petrol and diesel.
