Tobacco production
Tobacco is produced from the leaves of tobacco plant. However, tobacco farming leads to the clearance of forests leaving the ground bear and exposing it to erosion. Immense use of water and pesticides leads to environmental, water and air pollutions. Tobacco processing in industries requires a lot of energy which in turn pollute the environment through emission of smoke which release effluents to water sources and contaminates the air. Tobacco smokers are responsible for starting fires that destroy environment and emitting carbon dioxide that pollutes the environment (Schlosser, p. 54). Tobacco smoking is responsible for 1 death in every 10 adult deaths in developing countries. It enhances poverty by using all resources that could be used to generate wealth. It reduces workers’ productivity in that it kills people at the height of their production and diverts land away from productive farming.
Sugar production
Sugar production and consumption is another disastrous factor to the environment. Sugar affects the environment in numerous ways. Sugar is produced from sugarcane that is grown on land. It was responsible for slavery in the early years of its production. Forests are cleared to give land for sugarcane plantations. Due to refining, milling and other processes used in processing sugar, a lot of energy is consumed in the process. Production process of sugar generates effluents that are disposed-off thus affecting the environment. Sugar production also leads to the consumption and production of other sugar-related products like tea, chocolate and coffee. The production of a sugar-related product like coffee has negative effects to the environment. From the luxury, sugar has currently turned to be a basic product. In most cases, sugar products target children as their eventual consumers (Baker, p. 2). Over consumption of sugar products may have many health side effects like deficiency of calcium in childhood that leads to weak bones and sugar associated conditions as well as diseases like diabetes.
Steps taken towards combating environmental pollution
If the current trend of consumption behaviors and production methods used continue, the environment will not be in a position to sustain the growing world population and needs. To contain the growing menace of tobacco production and consumption, the world adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control under which various restrictions were placed on tobacco smoking and production. These restrictions included ban on tobacco illegal trade, establishing enough air spaces in tobacco industries and placing warning labeling on cigarette packages. Most public places have been declared smoking free zones to reduce the level of second degree smoking. Other used interventions plans include pressurizing tobacco manufacturers to take part in reducing the number of smokers, monitoring tobacco use and engaging in drives that create awareness on the dangers of tobacco use Geneva (Geneva, p. 1). Further, offering help to those who would like to abstain from smoking and raising taxes on tobacco products to compel people to abandon smoking are also some measures that must be assumed.
On the list of environment and health hazard is sugar production. Sugar producing industries are highly responsible for releasing industrial effluents to water sources. Most sugar industries are located near water sources that explain the reason why they are responsible for water pollution. To curb such vices the industries should be forced to manage wastes that they produce. This may include proper disposal of the effluents or treatment of the wastes before they are discharged to prevent water pollution. Alternatively, sugar production wastes are biodegradable and they can be successfully disposed-off without polluting the environment. Sugar cane remains can be used to process other products like manure if allowed to decompose. Sugar cane growing can also be done alongside production of food crops that helps alleviate the hunger problem facing most sugar cane producing countries (Genev, p. 1). Alternatively, sugar consumption should be a luxury and mot a basic need.
Works Cited
- Baker, Isaac. Tobacco Treaty Gains Hard-Fought Ground. London. Inter press service, 2006. Print.
- Geneva, Capdevilla. Tobacco: A Political Struggle to the Death. London .Inter press service, 2006. Print.
- Schlosser, Erick. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. Print.