Air and Water Pollution: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

Introduction to Pollution

Pollution in the environment has become a critical subject of concern in today's world. Pollution of all kinds affects the daily lives of people as well as the environment, making it difficult for many to continue their normal routines. Pollution can affect either the air or the water of our planet, and although pollutants are emitted in different ways, they affect all kinds of living organisms because of the harm they produce. Air pollution is largely caused by fumes from automobiles and other vehicles—specifically through the combustion of fossil fuels—while water pollution is generally caused by industrial waste and various environmental accidents. Although most people today are aware of the harmful effects of pollution, very few take meaningful action. The encouraging reality is that governments and other agencies are taking stronger measures to keep both water and air pollution within permissible limits, while also working to raise public awareness (Buchanan and Horwitz).

Air Pollution: Causes and Consequences

The atmosphere is composed of four main components—oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon—along with minor components such as neon, methane, helium, and krypton. These gases form a protective shell around the Earth. Uncontrolled emissions from animals, humans, and vegetation amount to approximately 264 million tons in the United States alone; worldwide, this figure exceeds 6.6 billion tons. Substances that are not naturally part of the atmosphere make up the major portion of atmospheric pollutants. More than ninety percent of all air pollutants fall into five categories: carbon monoxides, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides, and suspended particulate matter.

These pollutants have extremely harmful effects on human beings, animals, and plant life. The ozone layer, which protects Earth from the harmful effects of the sun's rays, is gradually being eroded by strong emissions from living organisms and man-made sources. Ozone layer depletion not only causes skin cancer but also harms the eyes and breaks down the human immune system. New laws and regulations are being passed each year to control these emissions, but the harm already done is severe (Buchanan and Horwitz).

The so-called "greenhouse effect" is another major consequence of air pollution. Various pollutants in the air reflect some of the Earth's natural heat back to the surface, causing global temperatures to rise. If surface temperatures continue to increase, polar ice caps will melt, leading to flooding of the oceans and overflow onto coastal regions. Addressing air pollution therefore requires the contribution of every individual on Earth.

Water Pollution and Its Sources

Water pollution is another major form of pollution. Unlike air pollution, which is often caused by natural emissions, water pollution is almost entirely caused by human activity. Several categories of polluting substances cause widespread water contamination and disrupt the chemical composition of water worldwide. Key sources of water pollution include oxygen-depleting wastes, radioactive material, inorganic chemicals, sediment, oil spills, pesticides, and toxic metals such as mercury. The most pressing consequence is that, beyond a certain point, there will be no drinking water fit for human consumption anywhere on Earth.

Extensive studies on the impact of contaminants in water have revealed similar damaging effects on marine and aquatic life. Sea life, marine plant life, and vegetation along shorelines are all being affected. The devastating oil spills in Alaska, for example, killed thousands of seabirds and other marine creatures. The destruction of the Amazon rainforests, the dying out of animal species, and the drying up or severe pollution of rivers and lakes all point to the same conclusion: the ecological balance that sustains all living organisms on Earth is being severely disrupted (Batisse 10).

The Mississippi River, which holds approximately 555 trillion gallons of water at any given moment, has about 99% of its water trapped beneath rock and sand strata—only 1% flows down to the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the Earth's freshwater is stored in similar deep-seated formations. When this freshwater becomes polluted, no drinking water will remain for any living being. This is precisely what has been occurring over the latter half of the last century, as global population growth increased demand for food and water, subjecting rivers, lakes, and freshwater sources to severe pollution (Sampat 78).

References

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Buchanan, Marisa, and Carl Horwitz. "Pollution and Society." University of Michigan, www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/pollution.htm. Accessed 30 June 2005.

Driscoll, Charles, David Whitall, John Aber, et al. "Nitrogen Pollution, Sources and Consequences in the US Northeast." Environment, September 2003, pp. 15–18.

Fry, Michael. A Manual of Environmental Protection Law: The Pollution Control Functions of the Environment Agency and the SEPA. Clarendon Press, 1997.

Lombard, Emmett N. International Management of the Environment: Pollution Control in North America. Praeger Publishers, 1999.

Lord, David Nicholson. "It's Not Poisson, It's Poison!" New Statesman, 23 August 2004, pp. 4–6.

Mergen, Bernard. "Managing the Environment, Managing Ourselves: A History of American Environmental Policy." American Studies International, vol. 39, no. 1, 2001, pp. 106–111.

"Our Pollution." Green Net World, www.green-networld.com/facts/pollution.htm. Accessed 30 June 2005.

Sampat, Payal. "The Hidden Threat of Groundwater Pollution." USA Today, vol. 130, no. 4, July 2001, pp. 78–82.

Selin, Noelle Eckley. "Mercury Rising: Is Global Action Needed to Protect Human Health and the Environment?" Environment, January–February 2005, pp. 33–37.