If you are looking for some easy yet important ways to reduce environmental pollution, this article will tell you all about them. These ways to curb pollution will help you in contributing your bit in the prevention of this pollution. Read on…
Not all of us are aware of what exactly environmental pollution means, or rather, most of us misunderstand. There is a difference between this particular pollution and the general term ‘pollution’. Environmental pollution includes only those types of pollutions that bring about a change, that is against the laws of nature. It is a change that affects, in a harmful manner, the elements of water, air and land. The extent to which the biological cycles between these elements are disturbed, cannot be measured. The factors that bring about these changes, or in other words, cause this pollution, are called pollutants. The two largest factors are industrial revolution and urbanization. Both have, in their own way, depleted the resources and contributed to horrendous conditions. Amongst other major pollutants, are also biomagnification, emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, haze and smog too. There is an urgent need that we do something about the increase in pollution. Quite a few people want to do their bit, but don’t know how to reduce pollution. The environmental pollution facts demand that quick action must be taken, before our environment changes beyond recognition. But how do we achieve this goal? It’s simple. Just follow these simple tips, and you’ll be contributing your bit.
Tips on Reducing Environmental Pollution: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
~ Reducing Air Pollution
Though we are going to look at a lot of ways in which we can reduce air pollution, let’s start from the basic ones. Do not smoke in congested areas and in closed rooms, specially in the house. The next are fires. Fires, used to dispose wastes, are one of the most dangerous pollutants. In many countries, even today, waste is collected on roads and burnt, right where it is found. Do not use fires for your barbecues as well. Start them with an electric probe instead, or use a natural and/or propane gas barbecue. Your cars are the next, when it comes to air pollution. If you still don’t have a car, make sure you buy a low polluting model, whenever you plan to buy one. You can get information on these directly from the respective sales departments. Combine as many tasks as you can, so as to make only one trip. Resort to carpooling or use public transport. Don’t hesitate to park at a distance. Your tires should be appropriately maintained. The alignment and elation should be checked on a regular basis. A general tip would be to buy locally produced food items. This reduces resources used for packaging, transporting and also the refrigeration they need at times. For the same reasons, buy supplies in bulk whenever possible.
Examples: Air pollution does not only include the gases that are let out by our cars and cigarettes, it also includes the emission of highly poisonous gases. The best example to state here, would be the 1984 incident that occurred in India – The Bhopal Gas Tragedy. It killed 25,000 human beings. These figures help show us some gravity. Also, in 1272, burning of sea-coal was banned in England by King Edward I, after reports of problems related to smoke.
~ Reducing Water Pollution
We have been hearing this from school but yet, very few of us are actually conscious about it. Running taps still continue to be one of the largest sources of water pollution. One has to understand that the first step towards cure, is prevention. Prevent water pollution, and you will be helping in a huge way. You have to first reduce your usage of resources. The next in line are lawns. If you have garden space around your home, plant natural plants instead of big lawns. The maintenance of big lawns requires a lot of water, more than what you should use, not to forget the chemicals. Your consumption of meat is also a factor that leads to water pollution. Unbelievable, isn’t it? The amount of water we require to produce meat is improbable. In your bathroom, make sure you install shower heads that are low-flow. Did you know that cleaning your pet waste with water is another huge contributor towards environmental pollution? Pet waste doesn’t only contain harmful bacteria, it also leads to the eutrophication of lakes. Make it a habit to pick up pet waste and dispose it. Detergents and shampoos also should be bought with a lot of thought. Buy environment friendly shampoos and detergents, as the others contain chemicals which prove harmful for the environment. Detergents mostly contain nonylphenol, a chemical that disrupts reproduction in fish. Quite a lot of ways to try at home itself, isn’t it?
Examples: It is believed that approximately 14,000 people die everyday, due to water pollution. At the same time, in India, a thousand children are said to die of diarrheal causes daily. 90% cities in China are victims of water pollution, in one degree or another. During the Iraq war in the 90’s, 900,000,000 barrels of oil from the ships was leaked in ocean waters. Once, in Minnesota, approximately 250,000 or more black crappie disappeared. We all remember finding 240,000 fish dead along the Tennessee River, Alabama.
~ Reducing Land Pollution
Maybe, we have become accustomed to the air we breathe. Maybe, we have completely forgotten the pictures of polluted oceans and rivers we saw in our geography textbooks. But how can we ignore the dirty streets we travel everyday? How can we forget the extent to which we take this earth for granted, on a daily basis. Land pollution is indeed threatening us, subtly. We know how much plastic we use. The first thing you need to do, is replace all your plastic bags. Buy a few cloth bags in advance, a quantity that will last you for at least a month. Every city and/or neighborhood has a structured disposal system. Read through yours, and dispose wastes as requested. Recycle everything that is inorganic,
DO NOT dispose it. Items like cell phones can be recycled. Do not litter, it will eventually rot the earth and then water. One more amongst all the ways to reduce environmental pollution, is to reuse storage bottles/jars at home. Buy refills for products instead of buying new packages altogether. Study composting and start the process at home. This isn’t only a great individual step, but you can slowly suggest others to engage in it too. Composting is both, a prevention, and a cure. Proper mining activities will reduce creation of elements.
Examples: In 1993, in Scotland, waste as much as 14 million tons was created. During the same time, 90% of controlled waste went to landfill sites. This, in turn, produced methane gas, the quantity of 2 million. Though everything started off from the era of Industrial Revolution, households are one of the highest polluters of land. In China, 50 million mi land, is polluted. Some more gets damaged when it is cultivated with polluted and contaminated water.
As we have seen, there aren’t any 50 ways to reduce environmental pollution that will give us a permanent solution. What has been done, has been done. Before we clean that up, we have to stop adding to the already existent pollution. Do your own bit, everyday. The simplest resolution would be to do all these things at least once a month. That is sufficient for a start. If others do it too, we’ll be contributing in a great way to reduce pollution. Awareness is important, and so is the want to live in a better world. Help the Environment, Help Yourself!
