Pollution usually causes a destabilization of the ecosystem through the intrusion of foreign materials into the environment. Pollution takes many forms, but some of the most common types of pollutants are chemicals, noise, heat, and energy (Spengler 9). These forms of pollutants affect the environment through air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution. Current statistics around the globe estimate that about a billion people will be affected by pollution shortly (Blacks Smith institute 2).
Statistics advanced by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that a quarter of all dthe eaths in third world countries are caused by pollution and its effects on man’s natural habitat. Other international bodies and researchers estimate that about 40% of all annual global deaths are caused by polluting factors in the environment (Blacks Smith institute 1).
The effects of pollution to a human being manifests in several ways including contraction of diseases, poor neurological systems, improperly functioning body defense mechanisms and such effects (Blacks Smith institute 4). It is more disheartening to find that pollution greatly affects women and children who are most vulnerable to its effects.
Children have especially been identified to be more susceptible to pollution because they consume more food and breathe in more air when compared to their body mass (in comparison to adults).
Other effects of pollution are more extensive than previously thought but common facts about pollution state that pollution is strongly felt in developing countries, contribute to global warming, is reversible and is regarded as one of the worlds leading global killer (Blacks Smith institute 1). This study will to a far extent analyze the different types of pollution commonly caused by man’s activities. They include oil drilling (water pollution), car emissions (air pollution) and farming/methane gas (soil pollution).
Oil Drilling (Water Pollution)
There has been a common misconception that wastages from oil and gas drilling which happens in offshore oil drilling wells are safely diluted to harmless levels by a natural process of hydrolysis. However, against this misconception, mixing and dispersing does not occur and water pollution effects are still real. In other words, there is a continuous contamination of background water through oil and gas drilling which in turn has an effect of aquatic life and other microorganisms (Oil and Gas Forum 1).
Oil spills are currently some of the world’s known forms of water pollution although there are ongoing technological developments to control the adverse effects brought about by such calamities. During oil drilling, there is a significant amount of water which is extracted together with crude oil.
Water is also usually exerted in the reservoir to maintain extraction pressures and later, this water is re injected over and over until significant amounts of oil is extracted (Oil and Gas Forum 1). The older the drilling well is; the more water is injected. Most of the time, the extracted water is usually discharged into the water surface without proper consideration of environmental standards, thereby affecting aquatic life at sea.
The water produced in such processes is usually variant in chemical composition but the Oil and Gas Forum identify that such water contains “inorganic salts, heavy metals, solids, production chemicals, hydrocarbons, benzene, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and on occasions naturally occurring radioactive material” (3). These elements together with the pure crude oil that spills onto the water usually have adverse effects on aquatic life and the ecosystem in general.
Car Emissions (Air Pollution)
Car emissions have contributed a great percentage of air pollution over the decades. The situation is much worse today because car manufacturers have adopted a trend of building bigger and more fuel consuming cars than ever before in the history of car manufacturing meaning that more car emissions are being witnessed and more pollution is taking place (Alpha 10). Despite the attempts to build more fuel efficient cars, car emissions have increased worldwide with the US being the biggest culprit in green house gas emissions (globally).
This has been majorly caused by the decision of many consumers to drive cars for longer distances to work. However, the improvement in road infrastructure has also contributed to increased car use. This decision is obviously wrong because the trend has had a significant impact on the economy and the health of people across the globe (Alpha 10).
Despite empirical studies showing that car emissions contribute greatly to air pollution, most governments and car manufacturers alike have not reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The US is currently estimated to be producing approximately 7 billion tones of carbon dioxide, an increase of 16% of car emission gases it produced in the past decade (Alpha 10). These gases have an unprecedented effect on car users and innocent by standers after they inhale toxic chemicals from toxic gases produced by cars.
To a great extent, air pollution caused by gas emissions has been noted to cause extensive climatic change (Alpha 11). These changes make human habitation quite difficult, with major health implications such as cancer, expected to surface in coming years. However, as much as car manufacturers and governments are to blame for the escalating levels of air pollution, a great deal of responsibility lies in-car users because we ought to reduce energy dependency to make the environment less polluted.
Soil Pollution
Soil pollution has been majorly caused by man’s attempts to utilize the soil and make his life easier and much comfortable. Most often than not, soil pollution is brought about by contamination of chemicals into soil particles through herbicides and pesticides, mainly used in farming.
Also, efforts by man to seek greener forms of energy through the production of methane gas from cow dung are estimated to contribute a significant amount of soil pollution because it affects the pH in the soil as well as the organic content. Also, the production of methane warrants a high emission of carbon dioxide, which also contributes to soil pollution.
The ecological imbalance caused by soil pollution may have adverse and far-reaching implications on living micro organisms in the soil. Also, soil pollution affects the fertility of the soil, thereby reducing the level of yield a soil sample is supposed to give. The nutritional content is also bound to decrease, and the balance of flora and sauna existing in the soil is also bound to be reduced to a great extent in the event of soil pollution.
The level of salinity is also bound to be affected by the probability of the soil becoming unproductive and barren being more real. A change in the soil structure is also expected during events of soil pollution leading to the death of living microorganisms and the probable creation of toxic dust clouds that could possibly have an effect on human habitation in the area (Buzzle 3). Comprehensively soil pollution is caused by man’s activities in farming and methane production which are bound to affect the equilibrium of soil components.
Conclusion
Pollution is set to affect the environment and humans in many ways. Adverse air quality, for example, has been identified to be a possible cause for the development of respiratory diseases and cancer in humans while cardiovascular diseases, throat inflammatory diseases and chest complications are just a tip of the iceberg regarding the effects pollution can have on mankind. Oil spills which have been identified as one of the world’s leading causes of water pollution have also been identified to have the potential of causing skin irritation and rashes.
To curb the effects of pollution (either in terms of air, soil, or water pollution), every stakeholder needs to be brought on board to help in the initiative. It is not enough to point fingers at corporate entities while their operations are greatly fueled by the consumers’ demand for their products.
The bulk of the responsibility in curbing pollution, of whatever nature, rests at the ground level because consumers have the power to seek more environmentally friendly products and reduce their reliance on oil energy and environmentally unfriendly substances.
Also, a huge responsibility lies on the government to enact important legislative laws to regulate the use of harmful chemical components like herbicides or pesticides that harm the environment. This collective effort is set to reduce air, water, and soil pollution to manageable levels that support the proper functioning of ecological systems.
Works Cited
Alpha. Cars, Trucks, Air Pollution and Health. 2010. Web.
Blacks Smith institute. Pollution Facts. 2010. Web.
Buzzle. Soil Pollution Causes and Effects. 2009. Web.
Spengler, John. “Indoor Air Pollution: A Public Health Perspective”. Science (New Series) 221.4605. (1983): 9-17.
Oil and Gas Forum. Water Pollution. 1997. Web.