There is an ever increasing call to know the concept, outcomes as well as sustainable solutions for environmental pollution. All of us need to be environmentalists and plan a better future for our present and future generations. One of the severe problems that the world is facing today is that of environmental pollution, increasing with every passing year and causing huge damage to our mother earth. Environmental pollution has existed for centuries but increased at an alarming rate after industrial revolution in the 19th century. Environmental pollution takes place when nature does not know how to decompose an element that has been brought to it in an unnatural way.
Types of Pollution: The world is exposed to basic types of pollution, namely, air, water, soil, noise and light pollution. Air pollution is the most harmful form of pollution in our environment and caused by the injurious smoke emitted by cars, buses, trucks, trains, and factories. Even smoke from burning leaves and cigarettes are harmful to the environment. Water pollution is caused due to industrial waste products being released into lakes, rivers, and other water bodies. Humans also pollute water bodies with large scale disposal of garbage and other household waste etc.
Noise pollution includes industrial noise, aircraft noise, noise of automobiles, vehicle horns, loudspeakers, loud music etc. Soil pollution, which can also be called soil contamination, is a result of acid rain, polluted water, fertilizers etc., which leads to less quality of crops. Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage which releases heavy contaminants into the soil. Light pollution includes light trespass and over-illumination etc
Effects of Environmental Degradation: Human health is heavily impacted by environmental pollution. Reduction in air quality is responsible for thousands of deaths annually and millions of chronic diseases. Evidence of increasing air pollution is seen in lung cancer, asthma, allergies, and various breathing problems along with severe and irreparable damage to flora and fauna. The toxic wastes and harmful chemicals from factories, agriculture and automobiles cause illnesses and death in children and adults. Due to environmental degradation, the results also include water scarcity and decline in quality foods. In the developing countries, poverty is attributed to poor crop harvests and lack of quality natural resources that are needed to satisfy basic survival needs. The inadequacy basic survival resources and lack of quality of food is the direct result of environmental degradation in the regions. Environmental degradation alters some of the natural process such as the water cycle and the normal processes of animal and plant activities. Also, environmental degradation aspects such as deforestation and mining destroy the natural land cover.
Environmental pollution has caused global warming and climate change which increases the risks of climatic natural disasters, and ozone layer depletion which increases the risk of skin cancer, eye disease, and crop failure etc.
Moreover over-exploitation of natural resources, pollution, and deforestation contribute to the scarcity of resources particularly arable land, water, medicinal plants, and food crops etc. Environmental noise can cause hearing impairment, hypertension, ischemic heart di
