Pollution

Introduction

Pollution has become a global concern in today’s time. It has changed the face of our beautiful Earth. It is slowly
destroying our environment and making it difficult to survive here. Several species of flora and fauna have become
extinct because of the harmful impact of pollution and many others are on the verge of extinction.

Pollution has been divided into various categories based on its nature. Different types of pollutions are causing
harm to our planet in different ways. Here is a look at the types of pollution, their causes, effects and the measures
that can be taken to reduce them.

Types of Pollution

Here is a look at the different types of pollution, their causes and impact on the environment and life on Earth.

Air Pollution

Air pollution is said to be the most hazardous pollution. The primary cause of this pollution is the industrial and
vehicular smoke. The harmful gases emitted by these sources pollute the air and make it difficult to breath. The
increase in the number of factories and vehicles has led to the rise in air pollution. This has given rise to numerous
health problems. Bronchitis and lung diseases are two common health problems caused due to air pollution.

Air pollution is not only impacting human health but is also deteriorating the environment by contributing to global
warming.

Water Pollution

The industrial and household waste often finds its way into the rivers and other water bodies thereby polluting
them. Our once pure and pious water bodies have now become a breeding ground for several diseases as these
have been filled with large number of waste plastic products, chemical wastes and other non-biodegradable
wastes. These pollutants mixed in water are impacting our health. Water pollution has especially become a threat
to the marine creatures. Several of them die each day as a result of this pollution.

Land Pollution

The industrial and household waste that doesn’t get dumped in the water keeps lying on the land. While attempts
are made to destroy or recycle it, a large amount of it does not get disposed off. This causes land pollution which
becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes, flies and other insects that cause various deadly diseases.

It also refers to the contamination of soil due to waste products that eventually turn toxic. Soil pollution is also
caused due to regular usage of insecticides, pesticides and other strong chemicals. This type of pollution is often
referred to as soil pollution.

Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is caused due to high intensity sound made by machines installed in factories. It is also caused due
to the vehicles on the road, the bursting of fire crackers and music played on loud speakers. Noise pollution can
cause stress and impact the brain adversely. It can also cause hearing impairment.

Light Pollution

Light Pollution is an excess, unwanted or inappropriate light over a particular area. Light pollution may be in the
form of Urban Glow- Excessive unwanted glare over an urban area, Trespass- light falling without want, intent or
need, Glare- Excessive light or bright light and Clutter- An unwanted group of lights like in an over lit urban areas.

Radioactive Pollution

Radioactive Pollution refers to the presence of unwanted radioactive substances in the atmosphere. Radioactive
Pollution could be a result of radioactive weapon explosion or testing, mining and handling radioactive substances
or accidents in radioactive power plants. Radioactive substances present in atmosphere pollute even natural water
resources, making them harmful to consumption or even domestic use.
 Thermal Pollution

Thermal Pollution refers to a sudden change in the temperature of water bodies; a change that is big enough to
disturb its ecological balance. Use of water as coolants in various industries is the main reason of Thermal
Pollution. When water used as coolant is suddenly released back into the water bodies, it decreases its overall
oxygen content, as gases are less soluble in hotter liquids; as a result aquatic life suffers due to sudden change in
temperature and oxygen scarcity.

Visual Pollution

Anything human made, which obstructs your view constitutes visual pollution. It includes bill boards, sign boards,
antennas, trash cans, electric poles, towers, wires, vehicles, buildings etc. Constant exposure to visual pollution
may result in eye fatigue, stress and depression. Unplanned and non regulated construction of habitation is the
major cause of Visual Pollution.

Most Polluted Cities around the World

While some cities around the globe have managed to keep the pollution levels low others are known for their
alarming level of pollution. Most polluted places around the world include Kanpur, Delhi, Varanasi, Patna,
Peshawar, Karachi, Shijiazhuang, Heze, Chernobyl, Bamenda, Beijing and Moscow.

These cities are known for poor air quality and enormous land and water pollution. Life in these cities has become
miserable and this is largely due to the negligence of people and government of these places. It is time they should
take cue from the cities that have low levels of pollution and incorporate similar strategies to bring down their
pollution level.

Ways to Reduce Pollution

Now that we know the causes and effects of different types of pollution, let us understand how we can contribute
towards reducing it. Here are some of the ways by which we can bring down the pollution level:

Car Pool
Vehicular smoke is a major cause of air pollution. With the increasing number of vehicles on the road, the pollution
levels are rising at a rapid speed. Car pooling can help in reducing air pollution. Car pooling means sharing the
space in your car or your colleague’s while travelling to work. It can also be brought down if we use public
transport more often instead of travelling via our own cars each time.

Say No to Firecrackers

Firecrackers burnt during festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra and New Year create a lot of air and noise pollution
that leads to various health problems. These are especially disturbing for small babies, elderly people and animals.
We must act as responsible human beings and stop bursting crackers to avoid unnecessary pollution.

Recycle/ Reuse

Waste plastic and other non biodegradable stuff adds to pollution on land and water. It must be brought down by
avoiding their use. In case we use them, we must not dispose them off and purchase new ones immediately, we
should reuse them a couple of times before disposing them off. We must also make an effort to send such used
things for recycling.

Keep the Surroundings Clean

We must keep our surroundings clean by throwing the waste products in the dustbin rather than throwing them
away on the land or into the water bodies. We can create a big impact if each one of us remains particular about
keeping the environment clean.

Restrict Use of Insecticides and Fertilizers

It is essential to restrict the use of insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers and other strong chemicals as they tend to
cause soil pollution. It is suggested to use natural methods to fertilise the soil and keep insects at bay.

Plant More Trees

Start Compost

A compost pile is a good way to decompose waste food, leaves and plants and turn them into fertilizer. It helps in
clearing the waste material and turns it into something useful. It is easy to start and manage.

Don’t Misuse or Overuse Light

Avoiding the misuse or overuse of lights in our houses as well as cities will effectively reduce the light pollution. A
particular area should have only that much light sources installed those are needed; avoiding the installation of
excess light sources. Also the use of very bright and unwanted lights should be avoided at public places.

Strict Policies on Radioactive Substances Use

The use of radioactive substances should be avoided in the first place and if it is to be used; extreme caution must
be exercised. Respective governments should avoid the use of radioactive materials for destructive purposes like
nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction etc.

Strict Industrial Regulations

Industries using the natural resources should be made accountable for the damages they do to the environment.
Any industry using water as a coolant must be made to cool off the water to natural temperature, before releasing
it back into the water body. This will considerably reduce the Thermal Pollution and help retain our natural
resources.

Plan the Construction

Today construction is carried out faster than ever before; moreover, it is unplanned and sporadic. Such
unregulated and unplanned construction results in Visual Pollution. If you are residing in a city, then you know that
it’s difficult to see beyond a couple meters up or straight, even if you are standing on a roof. Cities must be
planned in such a way that emphasis is also put on reducing the visual pollution.

Conclusion

Pollution is ruining our environment day by day. We must take it as our responsibility to reduce pollution by
following the aforementioned methods in order to make our world a better place to live. If we continue to ignore
this problem and keep adding to the pollution rather than looking for ways to reduce it, we shall soon have to face
fatal consequences.