Forms Of Pollution: How To Reduce Pollution Output

Pollution is severely harming the Earth and yet the problem keeps growing and growing. Why? It is not because nobody cares about our planet, it is simply because not enough people really know the extent of the problem or what they can do to be a part of the solution. In order to “fix” pollution, a global effort would be needed. Only so much pollution can be put into an environment before the environment collapses. We are approaching this mark at an alarming rate, but you can still make a difference.

One of the most harmful forms of pollution found on the planet are plastics that make their way into the oceans. Plastics are used by large companies simply because they are cheaper to produce than other products, like reusable fabric or recyclable paper. Giant garbage patches are forming in the middle of ecosystems (the largest patch is twice the size of the state of Texas (Rice)). The plastics can not fully break down and only form microplastics that are impossible to clean up and kill many animals and plants.

Marine animals like plankton mistake these microplastics as food, so they eat them. Then, the microplastics make their way up the food chain and affect larger animals, like fish or shrimp. According to Ocean Crusaders (an Australian charity that specializes in large scale waterway cleaning), around 100,000 marine animals and 1 million sea birds die each year due to plastic consumption. Sick marine creatures who have eaten plastics can then make their way onto our plates and make us sick, too. In order to avoid eating potentially poisonous seafood, you can avoid eating seafood or help make our oceans cleaner to lower the risk. Until then, poisonous seafood is a serious concern among health groups across the world, including the USDA, who suggest eating two servings (eight ounces) of low mercury seafood each week (Kantor). Some examples of low mercury seafood are shrimp, light tuna, salmon, tilapia, and cod.

Possibly even more harmful than the plastics in the ocean is the pollution in the air. Our atmosphere is filled with pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, lead, and nitrogen dioxide. Air pollution is caused by things such as factories, power plants, and cars. Especially harmful to the environment is the burning of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are natural fuels, such as coal or gas. When burned, fossil fuels release nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, which play a large role in the formation of smog and acid rain.

According to Honeywell Inc., a company with expertise in the fields of clean and polluted air, polluted air irritates the respiratory system and puts people at a higher risk for cancer, heart problems, and damages to several important organ systems within your body. An estimated seven million premature deaths each year are a result of air pollution (via the World Health Organization). Alternative forms of energy that do not harm the environment are solar energy, wind energy, and wave energy and they will play a large roll in the cleaning up of the world’s air.

So, how can you do your part to help reduce the worldwide effects of pollution? The most important process for protecting our planet is to follow the three ‘r’ rule: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Reducing the amount of pollution you put into the atmosphere will save many lives and environments. Very important things that you can do or encourage your parents to do in order to reduce your family’s pollution output are:

1. conserve energy by using efficient light bulbs and low energy appliances.
2. drive electric or hybrid cars, carpool, walk or bike to school/work, etc.
3. avoid buying products that can not be reused such as styrofoam, plastic grocery bags, standard light bulbs, and tempered glass.

Reusing is also important. Using Tupperware instead of disposable containers, metal water bottles instead of disposable plastic ones, and fabric bags instead of plastic ones are all effective methods of cutting back your pollution output.

Finally, recycling is the most important step. Simply using materials that can be recycled instead of just thrown away combines the first two steps of the three “r” rule. When you recycle, that material can then be used again to make new products, meaning that not only have you reduced the pollution that you put into the environment, but you have also reused the material. One great example of recycling is paper products. Paper bags, straws, plates, cups, boxes, etc. can all be recycled and used again, and they work just as well as plastic products that are often not disposed of properly and fill the Earth with harmful trash that can never fully decompose.

While doing your part will help, the Earth can not be saved unless everybody buys in. Spreading word of how to reduce pollution output is very important. You can do this by simply telling your friends about the issue, but if you want to go even further, an effective method could be creating an environmental club at your school to spread the word. The only way to save the planet is for more and more people to begin to realize the prominence of the issue and do their part. If you would like to do even more to counteract the spread of pollution, the support of trustworthy environmental organizations such as Earth Island Institute and the World Wildlife Fund through donations and attending their cleanup events would be greatly helpful. Time is running out, so do your part and encourage others to do the same starting now.

• Earth Island Institute: http://www.earthisland.org/index.php/more-ways-to-give
• World Wildlife Foundation: https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=main_onetime&s_src=AWE1907OQ18336A02939RX

Works Cited

1. “Air Pollution.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 28 May 2019, www.who.int/airpollution/en/.
2. “Clean Eating Buyer’s Guide to Seafood.” EatingWell, EatingWell, 30 June 2017, www.eatingwell.com/article/290168/clean-eating-buyers-guide-to-seafood/.
3. “Diseases Caused by Air Pollution – Honeywell Air Purifier.” Official Blog Updates – Honeywell
4. Air Purifiers, Official Blog Updates – Honeywell Smarthomes, 2 May 2019, www.honeywellsmarthomes.com/blog/diseases-caused-by-air-pollution/.
5. Kantor, Linda. “Americans’ Seafood Consumption Below Recommendations.” USDA ERS – Americans’ Seafood Consumption Below Recommendations, 3 Oct. 2016, www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2016/october/americans-seafood-consumption-below-recommendations/.
6. “Plastic Statistics.” Ocean Crusaders, 12 Nov. 2018, http://oceancrusaders.org/plastic-crusades/plastic-statistics/.
7. Rice, Doyle. “World’s Largest Collection of Ocean Garbage Is Twice the Size of Texas.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 28 Dec. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/tech/science/2018/03/22/great-pacific-garbage-patch-grows/446405002/.