What is air pollution?

Submit To :Mrs. Nishu Garg Submit By :Nishu Kumar Roll No : 14151 Class : B.Com(Prof) 1st Year 2nd Semester Punjabi University Collage Ghudda

Presence of matter (Gas, Liquid, Solid) or energy (Heat, Noise, Radiation) Whose nature, location, or quantity directly or indirectly alters characteristics or processes of any part of environment, and causes (or has the potential to causes) Damage to the condition, health, safety, or welfare of Animals. Humans, plants, or Property.

1. Air Pollution 2.Water Pollution

3. Noise Pollution 4. Land Pollution Some Other Type Of Pollution 5. Light Pollution 6. Thermal Pollution 7. Radioactive Pollution

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Air pollution (say: po-loo-shun) occurs when gases, dust particles, fumes (or smoke) or odour are introduced into the atmosphere in a way that makes it harmful to humans, animals and plant. This is because the air becomes dirty (contaminated or unclean).

Any additional gas, particles or odours that are introduced into the air (either by nature or human activity) to distort this natural balance and cause harm to living things can be called air pollution.The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air (made up of various gases) called the atmosphere. The atmosphere helps protect the Earth and allow life to exist. Without it, we would be burned by the intense heat of the sun during the day or frozen by the very low temperatures at night.

There are two types of pollutants:Primary pollutants :are those gases or particles that are pumped into the air to make it unclean. They include carbon monoxide from automobile (cars) exhausts and sulfur dioxide from the combustion of coal.Secondary pollutants : When pollutants in the air mix up in a chemical reaction, they form an even more dangerous chemical. Photochemical smog is an example of this, and is a secondary pollutant.

Examples of Air pollutantsCarbon Monoxide (CO)Pollutants facts Reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the bodys organs and tissues; aggravates heart disease, resulting in chest pain and other symptoms.

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Ground-level Ozone (O3)Pollutants facts Secondary pollutant formed by chemical reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and NOx in the presence of sunlight.Pollutants facts Decreases lung function and causes respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath, and also makes asthma and other lung diseases get worse.

Lead (Pb)Pollutants facts Smelters (metal refineries) and other metal industries; combustion of leaded gasoline in piston engine aircraft; waste incinerators (waste burners), and battery manufacturing.Pollutants facts Damages the developing nervous system, resulting in IQ loss and impacts on learning, memory, and behavior in children. Cardiovascular and renal effects in adults and early effects related to anemia.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)Pollutants facts Fuel combustion (electric utilities, big industrial boilers, vehicles) and wood burning.Pollutants facts Worsens lung diseases leading to respiratory symptoms, increased susceptibility to respiratory infection.

Particulate Matter (PM)Pollutants facts This is formed through chemical reactions, fuel combustion (e.g., burning coal, wood, diesel), industrial processes, farming (plowing, field burning), and unpaved roads or during road constructions.Pollutants facts Short-term exposures can worsen heart or lung diseases and cause respiratory problems. Long-term exposures can cause heart or lung disease and sometimes premature deaths.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)Pollutants factsSO2 comes from fuel combustion (especially high-sulfur coal); electric utilities and industrial processes as well as natural occurrences like volcanoes.Pollutants facts Aggravates asthma and makes breathing difficult. It also contributes to particle formation with associated health effect.

Air pollution can result from both human and natural actions. Natural events that pollute the air include forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion, pollen dispersal, evaporation of organic compounds and natural radioactivity. Pollution from natural occurrences are not very often.Human activities that result in air pollution include:1. Household and Farming ChemicalsCrop dusting, fumigating homes, household cleaning products or painting supplies, over the counter insect/pest killers, fertilizer dust emit harmful chemicals into the air and cause pollution. In many case, when we use these chemicals at home or offices with no or little ventilation, we may fall ill if we breathe them.

Emissions from industries and manufacturing activities

2.Pollution by industries

Consider a typical manufacturing plant: You will notice that there are long tubes (called chimneys) erected high into the air, with lots of smoke and fumes coming out of it. Waste incinerators, manufacturing industries and power plants emit high levels of carbon monoxide, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air. This happens almost everywhere that people live. Petroleum refineries also release lots of hydrocarbons into the air.

3. Burning Fossil FuelsAfter the industrial age, transportation has become a key part of our lives. Cars and heavy duty trucks, trains, shipping vessels and airplanes all burn lots of fossil fuels to work. Emissions from automobile engines contain both primary and secondary pollutants. This is a major cause of pollution, and one that is very difficult to manage. This is because humans rely heavily on vehicles and engines for transporting people, good and services.

Fumes from car exhaust contain dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and particulates. On their own, they cause great harm to people who breath them. Additionally, they react with environmental gases to create further toxic gases.

1.Acidification:Chemical reactions involving air pollutants can create acidic compounds which can cause harm to vegetation and buildings. Sometimes, when an air pollutant, such as sulfuric acid combines with the water droplets that make up clouds, the water droplets become acidic, forming acid rain. When acid rain falls over an area, it can kill trees and harm animals, fish, and other wildlife.acid rain acidification for childrenAcid rain destroys the leaves of plants:When acid rain infiltrates into soils, it changes the chemistry of the soil making it unfit for many living things that rely on soil as a habitat or for nutrition. Acid rain also changes the chemistry of the lakes and streams that the rainwater flows into, harming fish and other aquatic life.

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2.Eutrophication:Rain can carry and deposit the Nitrogen in some pollutants on rivers and soils. This will adversely affect the nutrients in the soil and water bodies. This can result in algae growth in lakes and water bodies, and make conditions for other living organism harmful.

3.Ground-level ozone:Chemical reactions involving air pollutants create a poisonous gas ozone (O3). Gas Ozone can affect peoples health and can damage vegetation types and some animal life too.

4.Particulate matter:Air pollutants can be in the form of particulate matter which can be very harmful to our health. The level of effect usually depends on the length of time of exposure, as well the kind and concentration of chemicals and particles exposed to. Short-term effects include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Others include headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. Short-term air pollution can aggravate the medical conditions of individuals with asthma and emphysema. Long-term health effects can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys. Continual exposure to air pollution affects the lungs of growing children and may aggravate or complicate medical conditions in the elderly.

Solution efforts on pollution is always a big problem. This is why prevention interventions are always a better way of controlling air pollution. These prevention methods can either come from government (laws) or by individual actions. In many big cities, monitoring equipment have been installed at many points in the city. Authorities read them regularly to check the quality of air. Let's see more below:

1.Government (or community) level preventionPollutants facts Governments throughout the world have already taken action against air pollution by introducing green energy. Some governments are investing in wind energy and solar energy, as well as other renewable energy, to minimize burning of fossil fuels, which cause heavy air pollution.

Pollutants facts Governments are also forcing companies to be more responsible with their manufacturing activities, so that even though they still cause pollution, they are a lot controlled.

Pollutants fact scar manufacturing companies are also building more energy efficient cars, which pollute less than before.

2.Individual Level PreventionPollutants facts Encourage your family to use the bus, train or bike when commuting. If we all do this, there will be less cars on road and less fumes.use the bus to stop pollution

Pollutants facts Use energy (light, water, boiler, kettle and fire woods) wisely. This is because lots of fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity, and so if we can cut down the use, we will also cut down the amount of pollution we create.

Pollutants facts Recycle and re-use things. This will minimize the dependence of producing new things. Remember manufacturing industries create a lot of pollution, so if we can re-use things like shopping plastic bags, clothing, paper and bottles, it can help.

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater), very often by human activities.

facts on water pollutionWater pollution occurs when pollutants (particles, chemicals or substances that make water contaminated) are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without enough treatment to get rid of harmful compounds. Pollutants get into water mainly by human causes or factors. Water pollution can be a Point-source, Non Point-source, or Transboundary in nature,

Water pollution is the second most imperative environmental concern along with air pollution.

facts on water pollutionAny change or modification in the physical, chemical and biological properties of water that will have a detrimental consequence on living things is water pollution.

stop water pollutionThe water pollution problem Water covers over 70% of the Earths surface. It is a very important resource for people and the environment.

Water pollution affects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. In many developing countries, it is usually a leading cause of death, by people drinking from polluted water sources.More water pollution facts

More to this, water pollution affects not only individual living species, but also populations and entire functioning ecosystems that exists in the waters.

Humans have now realised the importance of clean water as a foundation for life. In recent time, more and more organisations and councils are working hard to educate, protect, restore waterways and encourage practices that help keep waters from contamination, and also to preserve water ecosystems from destruction.

Types of water pollution

There are many types of water pollution because water comes from many sources. Here are a few types of water pollution:1. Nutrients PollutionSome wastewater, fertilizers and sewage contain high levels of nutrients. If they end up in water bodies, they encourage algae and weed growth in the water. This will make the water undrinkable, and even clog filters. Too much algae will also use up all the oxygen in the water, and other water organisms in the water will die out of oxygen starvation.

2. Surface water pollutionSurface water includes natural water found on the earth's surface, like rivers, lakes, lagoons and oceans. Hazardous substances coming into contact with this surface water, dissolving or mixing physically with the water can be called surface water pollution.

3. Oxygen DepletingWater bodies have micro-organisms. These include aerobic and anaerobic organisms. When to much biodegradable matter (things that easily decay) end up in water, it encourages more microorganism growth, and they use up more oxygen in the water. If oxygen is depleted, aerobic organisms die, and anaerobic organism grow more to produce harmful toxins such as ammonia and sulfides.

When humans apply pesticides and chemicals to soils, they are washed deep into the ground by rain water. This gets to underground water, causing pollution underground.

This means when we dig wells and bore holes to get water from underground, it needs to be checked for ground water pollution.

5. MicrobiologicalIn many communities in the world, people drink untreated water (straight from a river or stream). Sometimes there is natural pollution caused by micro-organisms like viruses, bacteria and protozoa. This natural pollution can cause fishes and other water life to die. They can also cause serious illness to humans who drink from such waters.

6. Suspended MatterSome pollutants (substances, particles and chemicals) do not easily dissolve in water. This kind of material is called particulate matter. Some suspended pollutants later settle under the water body. This can harm and even kill aquatic life that live at the floor of water bodies.

7. Chemical Water PollutionMany industries and farmers work with chemicals that end up in water. This is common with Point-source Pollution. These include chemicals that are used to control weeds, insects and pests. Metals and solvents from industries can pollute water bodies. These are poisonous to many forms of aquatic life and may slow their development, make them infertile and kill them.

8. Oil SpillageOil spills usually have only a localized effect on wildlife but can spread for miles. The oil can cause the death to many fish and get stuck to the feathers of seabirds causing them to lose their ability to fly.marine oil pollutionDo you remember the BP Oil spill in 2010? (Read about it here) Over 1,000 animals (birds, turtles, mammals) were reported dead, including many already on the endangered species list. Of the animals affected by the spill, only about 6% have been reported cleaned, but many biologists and other scientists predict they will die too from the stress caused by the pollution.

Apart from the industrial causes of water pollution, as we saw in the previous page, here are some more:1.Ocean dumpingSewage and waste waterEveryday, we cook, do laundry, flush the toilet, wash our cars, shower and do many things that use water. Think about how we use water in schools, hospitals and public places.

Where do you think all the water, liquid waste, toilet and urine ends up? In many developed communities, this waste water and soluble waste (called sewage) is treated, cleaned and dumped into the sea or river. Even though they are treated, they are never the same as fresh water.

In some not-so-developed countries, the sewage is not treated, but quickly dumped into the sea or water bodies. This is VERY dangerous because they contaminate the environment and water bodies and bring many deadly diseases to us.

2.Septic TanksEvery domestic (home) toilet is connected to septic tank usually located outside the house. Each time poop is flushed down the toilet, it goes into this tank, where the solid part is separated from the liquid part. Biological processes are used to break down the solids and the liquid is usually drained out into a land drainage system. From this stage, it can escape into the soil and nearby water bodies.3.Ocean dumping Ocean and marine dumpingAgain, think of the rubbish we all make each day. Paper waste, food waste, plastic, rubber, metallic and aluminum waste. In some countries, they are deposited into the sea. All these waste types take time to decompose. For example, it is know that paper takes about 6 weeks, aluminum takes about 200 years and glass takes even more years. When these end up in the sea, they harm sea animals and cause a lot of water animal deaths.4.Underground storage and tube leakagesMany liquid products (petroleum products) are stored in metal and steel tubes underground. Other sewage systems run in underground tubes. Overtime, they rust and begin to leak. If that happens, they contaminate the soils, and the liquids in them end up in many nearby water bodies.5.AtmosphericAtmospheric deposition is the pollution of water bodies caused by air pollution. Each time the air is polluted with sculpture dioxide and nitrogen oxide, they mix with water particles in the air and form a toxic substance. This falls as acid rain to the ground, and gets washed into water bodies. The result is that, water bodies also get contaminated and this affects animals and water organisms.

You will notice in the previous pages that water pollution is very harmful to humans, animals and water life. The effects can be catastrophic, depending on the kind of chemicals, concentrations of the pollutants and where there are polluted. Below, we shall see a summary of the effects of water pollution. (Make sure you see the factsheet page for some very unfortunate incidents of water pollution in recent time)

The effects of water pollution are varied and depend on what chemicals are dumped and in which locations.

Many water bodies near urban areas (cities and towns) are highly polluted. This is the result of both garbage dumped by individuals and dangerous chemicals legally or illegally dumped by manufacturing industries, health centers, schools and market places.

1.facts on water pollution Death of aquatic (water) animalsThe main problem caused by water pollution is that it kills life that depends on these water bodies. Dead fish, crabs, birds and sea gulls, dolphins, and many other animals often wind up on beaches, killed by pollutants in their habitat (living environment).

2.facts on water pollution Disruption of food-chainsPollution disrupts the natural food chain as well. Pollutants such as lead and cadmium are eaten by tiny animals. Later, these animals are consumed by fish and shellfish, and the food chain continues to be disrupted at all higher levels.

3.facts on water pollution DiseasesEventually, humans are affected by this process as well. People can get diseases such as hepatitis by eating seafood that has been poisoned. In many poor nations, there is always outbreak of cholera and diseases as a result of poor drinking water treatment from contaminated waters.4.facts on water pollution Destruction of ecosystemEcosystems (the interaction of living things in a place, depending on each other for life) can be severely changed or destroyed by water pollution. Many areas are now being affected by careless human pollution, and this pollution is coming back to hurt humans in many ways.

Dealing with water pollution is something that everyone (including governments and local councils) needs to get involved with. Here are a few things you can do to help. Learning about the issue (like you are doing) is the greatest and most important step to take. Here are a few more:

Governments, local councils and lawsMany governments have very strict laws that help minimize water pollution. These laws are usually directed at industries, hospitals, schools and market areas on how to dispose, treat and manage sewage. Do you know the laws in your country? This is the time to find out.

In many developed cities, waste or sewage treatment is very efficient, and designed to minimise pollution of water bodies. (The next page explains that process)

There are also lots of organizations and groups that help educate people on the dangers of water pollution. It is always great to join these groups, because they regularly encourage other members of their communities to have a better attitude towards water.

You can helpbullet Never throw rubbish away anyhow. Always look for the correct waste bin. If there is none around, please take it home and put it in your trash can. This includes places like the beach, riverside and water bodies.

bullet Use water wisely. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing. If we all do this, we can significantly prevent water shortages and reduce the amount of dirty water that needs treatment.

bullet Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. In many cities, your local environment office can help with the disposal of medicines and chemicals. Check with your local authorities if there is a chemical disposal plan for local residents.

bullet Buy more environmentally safe cleaning liquids for use at home and other public places. They are less dangerous to the environment.

bullet If you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will reduce runoffs of the chemical into nearby water sources. Start looking at options of composting and using organic manure instead.

. Sound is essential to our daily lives, but noise is not. Noise is generally used as an unwanted sound, or sound which produces unpleasant effects and discomfort on the ears.. noise pollution for kids. Sound becomes unwanted when it either interferes with normal activities such as sleeping, conversation, or disrupts or diminishes ones quality of life. Not all noise can be called noise pollution. If it does not happen regularly, it may be termed as 'Nuisance'. Generally, noise is produced by household gadgets, big trucks, vehicles and motorbikes on the road, jet planes and helicopters hovering over cites, loud speakers etc.

Noise can come from many places. Let us see a few good sources:1.Noise and nuisance Household sources:Gadgets like food mixer, grinder, vacuum cleaner, washing machine and dryer, cooler, air conditioners, can be very noisy and injurious to health. Others include loud speakers of sound systems and TVs, iPods and ear phones. Another example may be your neighbors dog barking all night everyday at every shadow it sees, disturbing everyone else in the apartment.

2.Noise and nuisance Social events:Places of worship, discos and gigs, parties and other social events also create a lot of noise for the people living in that area. In many market areas, people sell with loud speakers, others shout out offers and try to get customers to buy their goods. It is important to note that whey these events are not often, they can be called 'Nuisance' rather than noise pollution.

3.Noise and nuisance Commercial and industrial activities:Printing presses, manufacturing industries, construction sites, contribute to noise pollutions in large cities. In many industries, it is a requirement that people always wear earplugs to minimize their exposure to heavy noise. People who work with lawn mowers, tractors and noisy equipment are also required to wear noise-proof gadgets.

4.Noise and nuisance Transportation:Think of aero planes flying over houses close to busy airports like Heathrow (London) or O'Hare (Chicago), over ground and underground trains, vehicles on roadthese are constantly making a lot of noise and people always struggle to cope with them.

Generally, problems caused by noise pollution include stress related illnesses, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity. Most importantly, there are two major effects we can look at:noise and nuisance HearingThe immediate and acute effect of noise pollution to a person, over a period of time, is impairment of hearing. Prolonged exposure to impulsive noise to a person will damage their eardrum, which mayresult in a permanent hearing.noise and nuisance Effects on general healthHealth effects of noise include anxiety and stress reaction and in extreme cases fright. The physiological manifestations are headaches, irritability and nervousness, feeling of fatigue and decreases work efficiency. For example, being pounded by the siren of fire fighters, police or ambulance in your city all night everyday leave people (especially elderly people) stresses and tired in the morning.Its is worth noting that these effects may not sound troubling, but the truth is, with time, the consequences can be very worrying.

Below are a few things people and governments can do to make our communities and living laces quieter:noise and nuisance Construction of soundproof rooms for noisy machines in industrial and manufacturing installations must be encouraged. This is also important for residential buildingnoisy machines should be installed far from sleeping and living rooms, like in a basement or garage.noise and nuisance Use of horns with jarring sounds, motorbikes with damaged exhaust pipes, noisy trucks to be banned.noise and nuisance Noise producing industries, airports, bus and transport terminals and railway stations to sighted far from where living places.noise and nuisance Community law enforcers should check the misuse of loudspeakers, worshipers, outdoor parties and discos, as well as public announcements systems.noise and nuisance Community laws must silence zones near schools / colleges, hospitals etc.noise and nuisance Vegetation (trees) along roads and in residential areas is a good way to reduce noise pollution as they absorb sound.

Land pollution is the deterioration (destruction) of the earths land surfaces, often directly or indirectly as a result of mans activities and their misuse of land resources.It occurs when waste is not disposed off properly, or can occur when humans throw chemicals unto the soil in the form of pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers during agricultural practices. Exploitation of minerals (mining activities) has also contributed to the destruction of the earths surface.Land pollution tips for kidsSince the Industrial Revolution, natural habitats have been destroyed, and environments have been polluted, causing diseases in both humans and many other species of animals.Human actions have also caused many large areas of land to lose or reduce their capacity to support life forms and ecosystems. This is know as land degradation. Note that land degradation can result from many factors, and land pollution is only one of them.

There are different types of land pollution. Many publications group them differently. Let us see these four main types:Solid WasteThese include all the various kinds of rubbish we make at home, school, hospitals, market and work places. Things like paper, plastic containers, bottles, cans, food and even used cars and broken electronic goods, broken furniture and hospital waste are all examples of solid waste. Some of these are biodegradable (meaning they easily rot or decay into organic matter). Examples include food droppings, paper products as well as vegetation (like grass and twigs). Others are not biodegradable, and they include plastics, metals and aluminum cans, broken computer and car parts.Environmental pollution and land pollutionBecause these do not easily decay, they pile up in landfills (a place where all the citys rubbish are sent), where they stay for thousands of years. These bring great harm to the land and people around it.

Pesticides and FertilizersMany farming activities engage in the application of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides for higher crop yield. This is good because we get more food, but can you think of what happens to the chemicals that end up on the crops and soils? Sometimes, insects and small animals are killed and bigger animals that eat tiny animals (as in food chains) are also harmed. Finally, the chemicals may be washed down as it rains and over time, they end up in the water table below (causes water pollution).

ChemicalsChemical and nuclear power plants produce waste materials that have to be stored somewhere. Fertilizer, insecticides, pesticides, pharmaceuticals manufacturers also produce lots of solid and liquid waste. In many cases they are stored in an environmentally safe way, but there are some that find their way into landfills and other less safe storage facilities. Sometimes they also find their way into leaking pipes and gutters. They end up polluting soils and making crops harmful to our health.

DeforestationHumans depend on trees for many things including life. Trees absorb carbon dioxide (a green house gas) from the air and enrich the air with Oxygen, which is needed for life. Trees provide wood for humans and a habitat to many land animals, insects and birds. Trees also, help replenish soils and help retain nutrients being washed away. Unfortunately, we have cut down millions of acres of tree for wood, construction, farming and mining purposes, and never planted new trees back. This is a type of land pollution.

Below are some sources of solid and semi-solid pollutants:

1.land pollution facts on water pollution Agricultural sources:These include waste matter produced by crop, animal manure, and farm residues. They also include the chemical left over of all pesticides, fertilizers and insecticides used for agricultural activities.

facts on water pollution Ashes: The residual matter that remains after solid fuels are burned. When waste is burned in incinerators, two types of ashes are produced. Bottom ash is the debris from burnt metal and glass waste. Bottom ash are not bio-degradable. The second type of ash is called fly ash. This is the ash that is trapped by filters in the chimney of the incinerators. It is know to be very toxic (poisonous). Every four trucks of waste burnt produces about one truck of ashes that end up in the landfill too. Ashes easily leak into the soil and water tables causing land and water pollution.

facts on water pollution Mining sources: This includes piles of coal refuse and heaps of slag and underground debris. Mining and forestry activities that clear the land surfaces (clear cutting) and use 'skid trails' often leave leave the land unretired. The surface is exposed to erosion which destroys the quality of the land. Additionally, iron and other chemicals such as copper, mercury and lead from mining practices leach into the soil, polluting it and leaving it exposed to water bodies as well.

facts on water pollution Industrial sources: These include paints, chemicals, metals and aluminum, plastics and so on that are produces in the process of manufacturing goods.

facts on water pollution Sewage Treatment: Wastes that are left over after sewage has been treated, biomass sludge, and settled solids. Some of these are sent directly to landfills whiles other treatment plants burn them to generate electricity. Both end up polluting the environment.

facts on water pollution Garbage or waste: These include household or municipal waste such as glass, metal, cloth, plastic, wood, paper, and so on. Some of these can decay and others cannot. They are usually collected and sent to landfills where the pollution action begins.

facts on water pollution Construction sources: These include waste like debris, wood, metals and plastics that are produced from construction activities.

facts on water pollution Deforestation: This is when trees are cut down for economic purposes, mining, farming and construction. In forests areas, trees absurd and reflect about 20% of the intense heat from the sun, protecting and preserving its surface soils. Cutting down trees mean that the land is exposed to direct sunlight and rain, resulting in soil erosions, desertification and land degradation

facts on water pollution Chemical And Nuclear Plants: These include chemical waste from chemical industries that are disposed off into landfills.

facts on water pollution Oil Refineries: When crude oil is refined into usable petro, gas or diesel, there are by products that end up as waste.

There can be catastrophic consequences of land pollution in relation to humans, animals, water and soils. The effects are even worse if the garbage is not separated into organic, re-usable and recyclable waste.

Contaminated lands and environments can:facts on water pollution Cause problems in the human respiratory system.facts on water pollution Cause problems on the skin.facts on water pollution Cause various kinds of cancers.

The toxic materials that pollute the soil can getinto the human body directly by:facts on water pollution Coming into contact with the skin.facts on water pollution Being washed into water sources like reservoirs and rivers.facts on water pollution Eating fruits and vegetables that have been grown in polluted soil.facts on water pollution Breathing in polluted dust or particles.

Like many other challenges, the best best way to solve problems is to understand it. This means learning about it (like what you are doing now) is the greatest step forward.

Here are a few other tips on how you can help reduce land pollution:

facts on water pollution People should be educated and made aware about the harmful effects of littering. Discuss with friends and family and talk about it.

left aligned image facts on water pollution Reuse any items that you can. Items like clothing, bottles, wrapping paper and shopping bags can be used over and over again, rather than buying new things.

The greatest prevention to land pollution is in the three R's Reduce Waste, Re-use things andRecycle things. This is true even for governments. They can also use the three R rule to minimize the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. After the three 'R's, remember to turn the rest of the garbage into compost.

It is very easy for anyone to see light pollution as not a big deal, because the effects are usually not the kind that is frightening to hear, such as those of water and air pollution. More so, it is the kind that people in the cities appreciate more, because light pollution, which is a fairly new concern, occurs more in cities than in very rural areas.

"Light pollution is an increasing problem threatening astronomical facilities, ecologically sensitive habitats, all wildlife, our energy use as well as our human heritage" International Dark-Sky Association

Night view of stars

Until the last few decades, humans could sit out at night and gaze into the sky's amazing glittering stars and lights from objects in outer space.

It is not so today. Now, the cities are covered with lights, from buildings, streets, commercial light displays, many of which direct the lights up into the sky and into many unwanted places. In England, for example, it is known that only about 10% of the geographical area enjoy truly dark skies. Humans are missing out on the fascinating night-sky view that used to offer us cultural and historical values.

This is not to suggest that lights are bad. People feel safer when dark areas are lit. In fact, people even travel from rural areas to big cities to enjoy light in the night.

The real issue is that we have become very wasteful, and apply lights to almost everything at night. Many of the lights we use are needless and cause more harm than good. In the next few pages, we will see the various kinds of light pollution and the real problems they bring, so that the subject of light pollution will be better appreciated.

Thermal pollution is the act of altering the temperature of a natural water body, which may be a river, lake or ocean environment. This condition chiefly arises from the waste heat generated by an industrial process such as certain power generation plants. The concept is most frequently discussed in the context of elevating natural water temperature, but may also be caused by the release of cooler water from the base of reservoirs into warmer rivers. Elevated river temperatures can also arise from deforestation or urbanization that can reduce stream shading.

Thermal pollution is one parameter of the broader subject of water pollution. There can be significant environmental consequences of thermal pollution with respect to surface receiving waters such as rivers and lakes; in particular, decrease in biodiversity and creation of an environment hospitable to alien aquatic species may occur. Regulation of thermal pollution has been more elusive than for other forms of water pollution, although straightforward mitigation measures are available, especially in the case of elevated temperature discharges.

Radioactive pollution, like any other kind of pollution, is the release of something unwanted into the environment and, in this case, the unwanted thing is radioactive material. Radioactive pollution can be a very dangerous thing because radiation mutates DNA, causing abnormal growth and possibly cancer, and this radiation remains in the atmosphere for years, slowly diminishing over time. There are many causes of radioactive pollution, which can significantly harm the environment. There are techniques used to manage this pollution, however, we are far from keeping our planet clean of radioactive pollution.

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