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The transportation industry has multiple effects on carbon footprint, water, animals, and our own health.
TRANSPORTATION'S PURPOSE
The transportation industry has multiple purposes and contributions to the world and our local communities. The industry provides transportation for our cargo, this includes all of our important shipments such as food for grocery chains, materials for construction, and any personal package one may have purchased. This industry also provides forms of public transportation such as buses, trains, subways, and airplanes. Without transportation, it would be hard for people and goods to get from one place to another.
WATER POLLUTION
Water covers 70% of earth, so it is a huge part of climate change.
One of the things that affects our water the most is microplastics. They come from things like tires, and they leak out into the street, then the sewers, and eventually into our oceans! (Clean water action council, 2025).
Most large boats use petroleum oil as fuel, which is extremely harmful for the environment, but some ships are switching to more eco-friendly gas, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) (Lloyd's Register, 2025).
these don't only affect the actual water, but also all the living things inside of it.
"Oil leak from Ship" https://kurious.ku.edu.tr/
AIR POLLUTION AND EMISSIONS
Transportation is a huge emitter of greenhouse gases and fossil fuels.
When considering only direct emissions, transportation is the biggest contributor to US greenhouse gas emissions (Transportation Sector Emissions | US EPA, 2025).
The sector is responsible for 45% of the total Nitrous oxide emissions inventory in the US (Smog, Soot, and Other Air Pollution from Transportation | US EPA, 2015).
Aviation contributes about 2.5% of global energy-related CO2 emissions (IEA, 2025)
1.8% of transportation related carbon emissions come from traveling by train (Train vs Car: What Are Their Carbon Footprints?, 2023).
The industry heavily relies on fossil fuels, and in 2022, petroleum was the main US transportation energy source (Use of Energy for Transportation - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2025).
As you can see, the industry emits lots of pollutants. When these gases and fuels are emitted it can cause smog and haze, but it can also cause climate change. The gases that are released trap heat in Earth's atmosphere, leading to higher temperatures.
but these pollutants also have other effects!
Did you know that transportation not only hurts our environment, but also our own health and wildlife?
This is someone who has lung cancer. Would you like to live like this? https://www.sleepdrs.com/
Impact on Human Health
Impact on Human Health
When people inhale the pollutants that are emitted from vehicles they can experience harmful diseases or illnesses.
One of the most dangerous illnesses humans can experience is lung cancer, which occurs from diesel exhaust (Diesel Exhaust and Cancer Risk, 2021).
Nitrogen dioxide can make the lungs’ protection against bacteria worsen, aggravate asthma, and even cause increases in mortality and hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses (Nitrogen Dioxide, 2021).
Dr. Akanksha Rastogi in Internal Medicine Medanta.org
image from: rdrtechnologies.com
Fire retardants that are used when planes do an areal drop have ammonium phosphate or ammonium sulfate. These chemicals are helpful when it comes to stopping wildfires, but they can cause risks to the environment and human health. This can hurt soil and our water ecosystems, which can lead to harming plants and animals that live in the ocean.
impact on wildlife
Like humans, animals can also experience many negative impacts from transportation pollution.
When greenhouse gases are emitted from transportation, it can lead to the disruption of migratory pathways.
Fossil fuels can cause the destruction of animals' habitats.
Oil spills can occur from cargo ships, and can kill many animals and their ecosystems (Oil and Gas Development | Threats | WWF, 2015).
Fish were killed in the polluted waters following Hurricane Rita in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005. (NOAA)
2022 U.S. GHG Emissions by Sector epa.gov
Carbon footprint
Our carbon footprint results in increased ocean acidification, mass species extinctions, and rising sea levels (What Is a Carbon Footprint?, 2021).
Transportation accounted for the largest portion (28%) of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2022 (Fast Facts on Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions | US EPA, 2015) .
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