What is Pollution?
- Pollution is an undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms.
- Pollution is a presence into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects.
- Pollution is contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change.
Who Causes Pollution?
- The pollution that troubles us today is produced by human activities.
- One main cause to human impact from pollution into the environment is from vehicles. Vehicles are a major contributor to pollution due to the production of significant amounts of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and other types of pollution.
Effects of Pollution
- A running car engine can cause several different types of gasses and particles to emit into the air and this can have detrimental effects on the environment.
- Cars emit greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide, which is a major contribution to global warming.
- Air pollutants and particulate matter from cars are deposited on soil and surface waters. This matter can enter the food chain and these substances are known to affect the reproductive, respiratory, immune and neurological systems of animals.
- Vehicles omit numerous fluids including motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, air-conditioning refrigerants, etc. These fluids are toxic to both humans and animals and can pollute waterways by leaking from a vehicle or if the fluids are disposed incorrectly.
Why must we limit air pollution?
- Air pollution can cause both long-term and short-term health effects for humans and animals.
- Air pollution damages crops, animals, forests, and bodies of water.
- Air pollution also cause depletion of the ozone layer, which is vital towards the protection of the Earth from the sun's UV rays.
- The air quality around humans becomes more harmful to breathe in.
How can we fix this problem?
- Humans can conserve energy like conserving electricity, diesel, gasoline, etc.
- Instad of driving a car all the time, try riding a bike or walking to places that are nearby.
- Reduce the amount of trips and try to use public transportation.
- If all humans do small things to reduce air pollution, the environment would benefit collectively.