Causes of Pollution

Causes of Pollution

In 1975, the National Academy of Sciences estimated that ocean-based sources, such as cargo ships and cruise liners had dumped 14 billion pounds of garbage into the ocean. Over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed by pollution every year.

 Over one million seabirds are killed by ocean pollution each year. Three hundred thousand dolphins and porpoises die each year. 

Approximately 40% of the lakes in America are too polluted for fishing, aquatic life, or swimming. Americans make up an estimated 5% of the world's population. However, the US uses 25% of the world's resources - burning up nearly 25% of the coal, 26% of the oil, and 27% of the world's natural gas.

 

Interesting Facts!!!

How long does it take for waste to Decompose in a landfill?

Disposable diaper  :  10 - 20    years  ! 

Aluminium Can        :   80 - 100 years  !

Leather Shoe           :   40 - 50   years  !

Plastic Bags             :  !0  - 20    years !

Wooden log              :  10 - 15   years  !

Paper bag                :   1 - 1.5  months !

Banana peel            :   3 - 4      weeks  !

Apple core               :   3-4        weeks  !

There are some instruments for saving from Pollution;  

All fault is of only Humans!! 

 Very Bad!!!

Radioactive Pollution

Radioactive pollution

Radioactive pollution can be defined as the release of radioactive substances or high-energy particles into the air, water, or earth as a result of human activity, either by accident or by design.

Although radioactivity in chemicals is relatively rare, it could have a devastating consequence on our health. Exposure to radioactivity can be deadly with often irreversible effects on the environment. Nuclear power plant accidents, leakage, and improper practices such as improper nuclear waste disposal and uranium mining are the main causes of radioactive pollution. There are strict government regulations to control radioactive pollution, and you should take extra precautions when coming across such areas where a nuclear power plant project is located.
                                                                               

Less typically, nuclear fallout is the distribution of radioactive contamination by a nuclear explosion. The amount of radioactive material released in an accident is called the source term. Contamination may occur from radioactive gases, liquids or particles.

Since even a small amount of radiation exposure can have serious (and cumulative) biological consequences, and since many radioactive wastes remain toxic for centuries (or longer), radioactive pollution is a serious environmental concern even though natural sources of radioactivity far exceed artificial ones at present.

 

Lets learn more about how it effect our Environment:

 

Visual Pollution

Visual Pollution

Visual pollution is what you would call anything unattractive or visualing damaging to the nearby landscape. This tends to be a highly subjective topic. Some examples of visual pollution:

• Skyscrapers that blocks a natural view
• Graffiti or carving on trees, rocks, or other natural landscapes
• Billboards, litter, abandoned homes, and junkyards could also be considered among three kinds of environmental pollution

Mostly, visual kinds of environmental pollution are annoying and ugly, although some may say they are also depressing, and they of course affect the surrounding landscape with the changes they cause.

When a man throws an empty cigarette package from an automobile, he is liable to a fine of $50. When a man throws a billboard across a view, he is richly rewarded. - Pat Brown

 The contamination of the environment by humans. It usually means the ruining of water, air and land by waste. Sometimes billboards, junkyards, light and noise can be called pollution as well. --ADVERTISEMENT-- Search our sites: Geography, pollution.

Noise Pollution

Noise Pollution

Other types  of environmental pollution include , thermal pollution, light pollution and noise pollution. These forms of pollution affect the environment in different ways and with different levels of severity.
         

 Noise pollution affects both health and behavior. Unwanted sound (noise) can damage psychological health. Noise pollution can cause hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects.

Most of this air pollution we cause results from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, natural gas, and gasoline to produce electricity and power our vehicles. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a good indicator of how much fossil fuel is burned and how much of other pollutants are emitted as a result.

Traffic is the main source of noise pollution in cities. Noise health effects are the health consequences of regular exposure, to consistent elevated sound levels. Elevated workplace or environmental noise can cause hearing impairment, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, annoyance, and sleep disturbance.

Light Pollution

Light Pollution

Other types  of environmental pollution include , thermal pollution, light pollution and noise pollution. These forms of pollution affect the environment in different ways and with different levels of severity.
           

It is caused as a result of industrialization and modernization. It can be caused by various sources of light. The intrusive light falling inside our rooms from outside at night is a kind of light pollution called light trespass. Large industrial and residential areas cause light clutter.

Light pollution is excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial (usually outdoor) light. Too much light pollution has consequences: it washes out starlight in the night sky, interferes with astronomical research, disrupts ecosystems, has adverse health effects and wastes energy.

1. From radically disrupting ecosystems to increased CO2 emissions, light pollution goes far beyond just eliminating our view of the stars.
2. Urban sky glow. ...
3. Light trespass. ...
4. Over-illumination. ...
5. Glare. ...
6. Light clutter.

 We are still confronted with four specific areas of concern regarding light pollution:

• Light pollution interferes with wildlife migratory and breeding patterns.
• Unnecessary outdoor lighting wastes energy and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Glare from bad lighting leads to unsafe driving conditions, particularly for older motorists.
• Constant exposure to artificial lighting may interfere with human metabolism and sleep.

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Thermal Pollution

 Thermal Pollution

Other types  of environmental pollution include , thermal pollution, light pollution and noise pollution. These forms of pollution affect the environment in different ways and with different levels of severity.

 Thermal pollution from power plants and factories is relatively easy to control. Instead of discharging heated water into lakes and streams, power plants and factories can pass the heated water through cooling towers or cooling ponds, where evaporation cools the water before it is discharged.




Ways to reduce thermal pollution include using less electricity, limiting the amount of heated water discharged into the same body of water, transferring heat from water to the atmosphere with cooling towers and recycling heated water as cooling water after it is cooled in collecting ponds, according to Rensselaer ...

Thermal pollution occurs when power plants and factories discharge hot or cold water into nearby rivers, lakes, streams, oceans or bays, causing rapidly changing water temperatures. Most marine organisms have specific temperature needs and are unable to survive sudden changes.

The major sources of thermal pollution are electric power plants and industrial factories. In most electric power plants, heat is produced when coal, oil, or natural gas is burned or nuclear fuels undergo fission to release huge amounts of energy.

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Water Pollution

Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). This form of environmental degradation occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds.

   Around half of all ocean pollution is caused by sewage and waste water. Each year, the world generates 400 billion tons of industrial waste, much of which is pumped untreated into rivers, oceans, and other waterways.

Water covers over 70% of the Earth's surface and is a very important resource for people and the environment. Water pollution affects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. This consequently harms human health and the natural environment.

Water pollution can occur via several mechanisms, but the most common causes are dumping industrial waste and sewage into bodies of water, along with the use of toxic substances in agriculture that runs off into rivers. There are also less common causes of water pollution like accidental oil spills.

                  Water pollution is detected in laboratories, where small samples of water are analysed for different contaminants. Living organisms such as fish can also be used for the detection of water pollution. Changes in their behavior or growth show us, that the water they live in is polluted.