1. Solid Waste
These include all the various kinds of rubbish we make at home, school,
hospitals, market and work places. Things like paper, plastic containers,
bottles, cans, food and even used cars and broken electronic goods, broken
furniture and hospital waste are all examples of solid waste. Some of these are
biodegradable (meaning they easily rot or decay into organic matter).
Examples include food droppings, paper
products as well as vegetation (like grass and twigs). Others are not
biodegradable, and they include plastics, metals and aluminum cans, broken
computer and car parts.
Because these do not easily decay, they pile
up in landfills (a place where all the city’s rubbish are sent), where they
stay for thousands of years. These bring great harm to the land and people
around it.
2. Pesticides and Fertilizers
Many farming activities engage in the application of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides for higher crop yield. This is good because we get more food, but can you think of what happens to the chemicals that end up on the crops and soils? Sometimes, insects and small animals are killed and bigger animals that eat tiny animals (as in food chains) are also harmed. Finally, the chemicals may be washed down as it rains and over time, they end up in the water table below (Courses of water pollution ).
Many farming activities engage in the application of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides for higher crop yield. This is good because we get more food, but can you think of what happens to the chemicals that end up on the crops and soils? Sometimes, insects and small animals are killed and bigger animals that eat tiny animals (as in food chains) are also harmed. Finally, the chemicals may be washed down as it rains and over time, they end up in the water table below (Courses of water pollution ).
3. Chemicals
Chemical and nuclear power plants produce waste materials that have to be
stored somewhere. Fertilizer, insecticides, pesticides, pharmaceuticals
manufacturers also produce lots of solid and liquid waste. In many cases they
are stored in an environmentally safe way, but there are some that find their
way into landfills and other less safe storage facilities. Sometimes they also
find their way into leaking pipes and gutters. They end up polluting soils and
making crops harmful to our health.
4. Deforestation
Humans depend on trees for many things including life. Trees absorb carbon dioxide ( a green house gases) from the air and enrich the air with Oxygen, which is needed for life. Trees provide wood for humans and a habitat to many land animals, insects and birds. Trees also, help replenish soils and help retain nutrients being washed away. Unfortunately, we have cut down millions of acres of tree for wood, construction, farming and mining purposes, and never planted new trees back. This is a type of land pollution.
4. Deforestation
Humans depend on trees for many things including life. Trees absorb carbon dioxide ( a green house gases) from the air and enrich the air with Oxygen, which is needed for life. Trees provide wood for humans and a habitat to many land animals, insects and birds. Trees also, help replenish soils and help retain nutrients being washed away. Unfortunately, we have cut down millions of acres of tree for wood, construction, farming and mining purposes, and never planted new trees back. This is a type of land pollution.