Pollution effects on
the environment
Pollution is the unseen enemy of human health whose existence is, unfortunately, ignored by a large part of the population. Almost omnipresent, it is the third death factor in the world killing around 4,2 million people every year. In order to be able to understand its impact on us, we first need to know what the term 'pollution' means and on which 'branches' it can be extended.
Pollution represents the contamination of the environment by materials that interfere with human health, quality of life or the natural function of ecosystems. Even though environmental pollution is sometimes a result of natural causes, such as volcanic eruptions, most of the polluting substances originate from human activities. The following categories are to be distinguished: physical pollution (including noise and radioactive pollution), chemical pollution (caused by various substances released into the environment in gaseous, liquid or solid forms), biological pollution (by pathogens, putrescible organic substances, etc.).
In the current article we’ll talk about two of the most important and dangerous types of pollution and their effect on human life.
Water pollution is caused by the contamination of water bodies, by physical debris, such as plastic or chemical water bottles, and the drainage going to the waterways in factories, farms.
Some of the causes of water pollution are household waste and residues stored on banks or near the water source, accidental spillage from different plants or nitrogen from agricultural fields that run through rivers, watercourses or oil
from parks to channel cities. This can directly affect us, leading to changes in the physical qualities of water by changing color, temperature and radioactivity, changing the chemical qualities of water by changing hardness and reducing the amount of oxygen, poisoning of aquatic flora and fauna, and destroying their breeding system.
However, we can help to combat it by not throwing and, most importantly, not encouraging landfills on banks or river whites and the use of plant protection products (which relate to plant protection measures against pests and diseases). It is necessary to inform ourselves about the water supply to the world and to support conservation projects both locally and worldwide, and to look for ways to reduce the number of chemicals we use every day. Thus, we can find out how the
choices we make every day affect the water of the world; from gas spillage at the station to spraying chemical substances on the lawn. Engaging in activities aimed at cleaning waste from beaches, rivers and seas may seem, at first sight, a seasonal effort, but small steps lead to major changes.
Both being part of the system that keeps us alive, active water pollution is inevitably followed by soil pollution and vice versa.
Soil pollution is the accumulation of chemicals, radioactive materials, toxic compounds and disease-causing agents in the soil at levels which may affect plant, animal and human health. It may be caused by the use of non-organic products in agriculture - such as artificial chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc. - gases produced by industrial activities combine in the atmosphere with rain water resulting in acid rain, harmful effects on the soil and deforestation, which
leads to removal of the barrier protecting the soil from erosion agents and chemical artificial pollutants in the air.
Like the water pollution, land pollution has a major impact on our lives. The quality of food products is affected, as crops on polluted soils absorb contaminated substances, endangering consumer health, the disappearance of animal species and the desertification of certain regions of Earth.
By reducing the amount of waste, by avoiding the purchase of excessively packed products using organic means in agriculture, bio-fertilizers and composted manure, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and planting a large number of trees (the soil will be protected from erosion and flood effects), treating solid waste by physical means, chemical and biological levels until their environmental risk levels are reduced to the minimum requirements, re-using used
products and recycling, we people can help to combat land pollution.
Therefore, by describing the sources and causes of soil and water pollution, we consider the thorough impact it has on the environment and that we need to take action to reduce it.
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editorial: Cătălina Dumitrache,
Felicia Văduva
graphic design: Bianca Constantin,
Anastasia Chivu
translation: Cătălina Dumitrache,
Felicia Văduva
DP (desktop publishing): Andreea Seba
