enviromental pollution

The Modern World and Environmental Waste

The modern world is rife with waste, which, if not addressed, would have drastic consequences for the living creatures on land and in the sea. As a result, I respect the environmentalists' stance of ensuring that stringent steps are placed in place to deter pollution of the atmosphere (Tobiszewski 112).

The Five Key Types of Pollution

Environmental contamination is one of the most pressing issues confronting the world today. This crisis is getting worse by the year, killing people and causing irreversible harm to our beautiful planet. I can back up my position by investigating the various forms of environmental contamination, their causes, and, finally, their consequences. According to Tobiszewki (115), there are five key types of pollution which result in environmental contamination. They include air, soil, water, light and noise pollution. I am going to give clear description how they cause pollution and hence the need for preventing environmental pollution.

Air pollution

Air pollution is undeniably the most dangerous type of contamination to the environment. This kind of pollution is caused by the hot smoke that is emitted by buses, cars, trains, trucks and industries. Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide are the harmful gasses produced. They cause severe damage to both the atmosphere and man. Evidence of air pollution is clearly seen in the increase of diseases such as lung cancer, allergies, asthma and various breathing disorders. Besides, air pollution damages the fauna and the flora (Tobiszewski 112). Moreover, the fluoro chlorocarbon gasses produced by air conditioners, refrigerators and deodorants slowly destroy the atmosphere thus depleting the ozone layer resulting in global warming.

Water pollution

Water pollution is majorly caused by industrial waste products released into water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and oceans (Beesley and Jose 2285). These products have made the marine life unbearable. People also pollute water through the large-scale disposal of flowers, garbage together with other household wastes. The next form of pollution comes from machines used in industries as well as from moving motor vehicles and aircraft noise, loudspeakers, car horns and the high-intensity sonar effects. It is plainly true that nobody can comfortably stay in an environment full of noise. Many animals have been forced to leave their habitat due to this noise (Van Cauwenberghe 495). Furthermore, the sound has made many to lose their hearing senses. Research has proved that almost ninety percent of unwanted noise is produced by the motor vehicles.

Soil pollution

Soil pollution which is also known as soil contamination is due to acidic rain, fertilizers, pesticides and polluted water. It takes place when chemicals are released into the ground either by spill or leakage of underground storage tank (Beesley and Jose 2286). These chemicals lead to the death of soil microorganism thereby rendering the soil infertile. Also, they result in the production of harmful crops which when produced by man, various complications might arise. The last form of environmental pollution which I am looking at is light pollution. It includes over-illumination, light trespass, and astronomical interference.

Supporting the Environmentalists' Position

From the discussion on the pollution types, I strongly defend the environmentalists' position. This is because, in as much as people need the new products which are the source of income to most of them, they are the same things shortening our lives, causing diseases and even killing imperative animals (Beesley and Jose 2284). Therefore, I firmly believe that putting restrictions to save lives and conserving the environment is better than generating diseases to kill us in the name of creating job opportunities and living a better life.

Sources of Pollution

In this discussion, I will present the sources of pollution to explain further why I support the environmentalists. Fossil fuel is one of the sources (Edwards 25-26). Fossil fuel includes oil gas and coal. These fuels are used in almost our everyday activities such as filling a car and in power generating industry. Oil, for example, is present in products such as plastics, detergents, solvents, lubricating oils and various chemicals used in industries. When the fossil fuel is burnt, they result to high levels of air pollution. To add, they also contribute to water and soil contamination. For instance, when oil is being transported from the production point by pipeline to various destinations, a leakage from the pipeline may take place and pollute both the soil and the ground water. Oil transportation by tankers in the ocean may also pollute sea water due to oil spillage. It is clearly evident that fossils fuels which people depend on to run their businesses are among the sources of environmental pollution (Van Cauwenberghe 496). The transport sector and the power generating plants greatly rely on fossil fuel and thus are the serious sources of fossil fuel pollution. The combustion of fossil fuel also produces carbon dioxide which is regarded as the primary cause of the dangerous global warming.

Apart from fossil fuel, there are non-fossil fuel sources of environmental pollution. One of them is agricultural activities especially livestock keeping. Animal husbandry is the largest generator of ammonia gas. Ammonia gas results to air pollution. Besides, chemicals for example pesticides and fertilizers which are widely employed in agriculture may cause both water and soil contamination (Kampa 366). Trading activities is another source of contamination. It has been recently established that packaging of products sold in retail outlets and supermarkets generates significance quantities of solid wastes which are deposited in municipal incinerators or the landfills thereby leading to both water and soil pollution (Tobiszewski, 112).

Another non-fossil source which quite some people may have not known or are just ignoring is the residential sector (Kampa 364). Solid wastes as well as liquid wastes produced at homes are also disposed of in the landfills or the municipal incinerators and hence leading to environmental pollution.

Effects of Environmental Contamination

Having looked at the sources of environmental contamination, I will now support my stand by explaining the effects of environmental contamination. According to Kampa (365), the effects of pollution are indeed many and range widely. It is evident that high levels of pollution are resulting in several damages to the health of animals and humans, tropical rainforests and the wider environment. All the five types of pollution directly affect the living environment negatively (Van Cauwenberghe 498). The effects of living things can range from mild discomfort to severe illness such as cancer, asthma attacks, reduced lung functioning, increased respiratory diseases, typhoid, and giardiasis among others.

On animals, environmental pollution causes harm to their habitat. It makes their habitat too toxic for them to stay in. Acid rains, for example, can alter the composition of water bodies, making it dangerous for the aquatic life (Van Cauwenbeghe, pp. 497). As for plants, acid rain and chemicals used in agricultural production can destroy them (Edwards 27). Besides, ozone gas found in the lower part of the atmosphere can hinder plant respiration. Therefore, I stand with the environmentalists in their approach of adopting policies to reduce the human activities which pollute the environment. This is because the aftermath of what human do to better their lives and creates jobs are the real threat to the environment.

Works Cited

Beesley, Luke, Eduardo Moreno-Jiménez, and Jose L. Gomez-Eyles. "Effects of biochar and green waste compost amendments on mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity of inorganic and organic contaminants in a multi-element polluted soil." Environmental Pollution 158.6 (2010): 2282-2287.

Edwards, C. A., ed. Environmental pollution by pesticides. Vol. 3. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.

Kampa, Marilena, and Elias Castanas. "Human health effects of air pollution." Environmental pollution 151.2 (2008): 362-367.

Tobiszewski, Marek, and Jacek Namieśnik. "PAH diagnostic ratios for the identification of pollution emission sources." Environmental Pollution 162 (2012): 110-119.

Van Cauwenberghe, Lisbeth, et al. "Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments." Environmental Pollution 182 (2013): 495-499.