Environmental Pollution: A Global Problem

Arlet Mesa
Nov 2 · 5 min read

By Arlet Mesa

A littered coastline in the Philippines, 2019

What is Environmental Pollution?

Environmental pollution is the presence of harmful components (whether chemical, physical or biological) in the environment (natural and artificial environment), which are detrimental to the living beings that inhabit it, including human beings. Environmental pollution is mainly caused by causes derived from human activity, such as the emission into the atmosphere of greenhouse gases or the excessive exploitation of natural resources.


Types Of Pollution: The Most Common

Pollution can be of different types depending on the part of the environment that is getting polluted. While there are several types of pollution, the most common are the following:

  1. Water Pollution

According to the United Nations, 783 million people do not have access to clean water and around 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation.

Oil is the fastest source of deterioration for the ocean, being much more harmful than garbage and waste. However, only a small percentage of the oil spilled comes from real oil spills, most of it is a result of land drainage.

Plastic is the most common waste element found in the ocean. It is harmful to the environment as it does not break down easily and is often confused by marine animals with possible food. Scientists estimate that 8 million tons of plastic waste reach the oceans every year, so if people don’t stop dumping waste, in 2050 the ocean will have more plastic than fish.

2. Air Pollution

The main causes of air pollution are related to the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas. This pollution looks like soot, containing millions of tiny particles, floating in the air.

The same air we breathe is becoming dangerously polluted: 9 out of 10 people are now breathing polluted air, which kills 7 million people every year, according to the World Health Organization. The effects of air pollution on health are serious: one-third of deaths from strokes, lung cancer, and heart disease are due to air pollution. It is an effect equivalent to smoking tobacco and is much more serious than, for example, the effects of ingesting too much salt.

3. Land Pollution

Deforestation, the use of pesticides and the excessive exploitation of natural resources are some of the causes of land pollution. This poses a serious challenge to agricultural productivity, food security, and human health.

Contaminated soil, in a way, also leads to air pollution and water pollution.

Nutritious and good quality foods can only be produced if our soils remain healthy. But soil contributions go beyond food production. Did you know that most of the known antibiotics, including penicillin, originated from soil microorganisms?

“Soil pollution is polluting our future”


4. Noise Pollution

Noise pollution seriously damages the behavior of individuals. Constant exposure to noise can cause insomnia, stress, hearing loss, headaches, aggressiveness or cardiovascular problems. Excessive sound alters the normal conditions in which people live.

This is the perfect video to understand how bad noise pollution is.

Noise Pollution Is Much Worse For You Than You Think

5. Light Pollution

Most people are familiar with air, water, and land pollution from toxic waste and garbage we produce daily, but did you know that light can also be a pollutant? Let’s watch this video.

It is of the utmost importance that people all over the world begin working to minimize the various types of pollution, in order to better the health of the planet and all those living on it.

Consequences of environmental pollution

Among the most important and obvious changes is habitat modification. Both aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals can see their ecosystems seriously damaged by the contamination of any of the previously described types produced by humans. This unnatural modification of the environment can cause irreversible changes in the environment and deteriorate the quality of life of living beings, even threatening their existence.

Large cities are causing major changes in these natural ecosystems. Green areas and forests are being severely reduced, which prevents oxygenation of the environment; smoke from vehicles and factories pollute the air and cause diseases in living things, and wastes thrown into rivers, seas and green areas pollute and threaten everyone’s life.

Finally, another consequence of environmental pollution and the most dangerous is global warming, also known as climate change, whereby the temperature of the planet is increasing progressively, both the atmospheric temperature and that of seas and oceans.

Global Warming

Environmental pollution is killing more people than war, study says

The Lancet medical journal published a new study that says environmental pollution contributed to the deaths of 9 million people in 2015 — that’s more than all forms of violence, including war. Anna Werner reports.

Three times more deaths than those due to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria together. Fifteen times more than those caused by all wars and other forms of violence. The figures are blunt. According to the recent report published by the Commission of the renowned British medical journal The Lancet on pollution and health, pollution today constitutes the most important environmental cause of disease and premature death in the world.


Pollution in India

“Step outside in India, and often you will be breathing some of the dirtiest city air on the planet,” citing Pope Francis’ Laudato si’ encyclical.

In 2016, New Delhi has been declared the world capital of pollution. Their residents breathe air that is up to 15 times more polluted than the maximum allowable limit, according to the World Health Organization. Some 76 million people lack access to safe drinking water in India; this is the largest number in the world.


Bibliography

“Air Pollution.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 24 Sept. 2019, https://www.who.int/airpollution/en/.

Bradford, Alina. “Pollution Facts & Types of Pollution.” LiveScience, Purch, https://www.livescience.com/22728-pollution-facts.html.

Broadfoot, Marla. “Pollution Is a Global but Solvable Threat to Health, Say Scientists (Environmental Factor, January 2019).” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2019/1/science-highlights/pollution/index.htm.

Rinkesh. “Causes and Effects of Environmental Pollution.” Conserve Energy Future, 25 Dec. 2016, https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-environmental-pollution.php.

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