Environmental Pollution

Environmental Pollution    

 When we were growing up, we did not think much about the environment. We saw bright greens, lush plants, and many colors. That was all that mattered to us when we were young. Now that we're older we have realized that the environment is not the same as it was when we were younger. If we look outside now, we will see trash everywhere, poor air quality, strange weather patterns, animal extinction, and much more. 

What Exactly is Environmental Pollution? 

According to Climate Change and Crop Stress by Poonam Yadav, Kalidindi Usha, and Bhupinder Singh, "Environmental pollution is unwarranted disposal of mass or energy in Earth's natural resource pool such as water, land, or air that results in long- or short-term detriment to the atmosphere and its ecological health to negatively impact the living beings and their life both quantitatively and qualitatively (Hussain 1998)." (Ch. 10.1) The effects that we may be able to see around us are land pollution: trash, water pollution: trash and oil, and air pollution: smog, fossil fuel emissions, etc.

What are the causes of Environmental Pollution?

The main type of environmental pollution in my community is air pollution, then followed by water and land pollution. According to The County of Los Angeles Public Health, the main causes of air pollution are the burning of fossil fuels. Motor vehicles are the main cause of this, especially in the city. Industrial facilities are also the cause of fossil fuel emissions. Both motor vehicles and industrial facilities release harmful gases, like carbon monoxide, sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, and many more, into the air. Water and land pollution are caused by businesses dumping harmful chemicals or trash either in the water or on land which can cause serious health problems in the future. 

What are the effects of Environmental Pollution in my community?

Living in a city is doing more harm than good when it comes to our health. The air is one of the most heavily polluted natural resources of the environment in Los Angeles and one of the most dangerous if polluted. As we breathe in the air, we breathe in smog, fossil fuels, dangerous chemicals, and so many more harmful pollutants. Over time this can cause many health problems like asthma, lung disease, and other respiratory issues. Water and land pollution can contaminate areas where we live with toxic and hazardous chemicals. This can cause health effects like developmental disorders. This can also harm wildlife and can destroy their ecosystem, and in worst cases, species extinction.

Why Did I Choose Environmental Pollution as My Topic? 

I have learned about environmental pollution in high school, and ever since then, I have become more environmentally conscious. This topic has always interested me and I enjoy learning about it. I would like to live a life where I don't have to worry about my future or the future of the environment due to pollution. It is truly saddening to know how little respect humans have for the environment, so I would like to highlight the issues in hopes of inspiring others to change. 

What can be done to help? 

We can always switch to eco-friendly products to reduce our waste. Also, try to recycle as much as possible, this will help reduce water and land pollution. To reduce our contribution to air pollution, we can use eco-friendly public transportation services. If possible use transportation that does not rely on the burning of fossil fuels, but not everyone can afford this, so try to help in other ways. We can also stop supporting major businesses that contribute to environmental pollution in our communities. It might seem that doing these things won't help compared to all of the people who don't care about the environment, but change can happen slowly but surely, one step at a time.

References 

Singh, Bhupinder. Usha, Kalidindi. Yadav, Poonam. Climate Change and Crop Stress. "Chapter 10: Air pollution mitigation and global dimming: a challenge to agriculture under changing climate." Science Direct. 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128160916000158

(N.A.) Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "Health effects of air pollution." Science Direct. 2004. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091674904022663

"Criteria Air Pollutants in Los Angeles County." County of Los Angeles Public Health. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/safety/criteria-air-pollutants.htm

"Pollution from Industries and Other Businesses in Los Angeles County." County of Los Angeles Public Health. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/EH/safety/pollution-industries-other-businesses.htm