Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.

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Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment . These harmful materials are called pollutants . Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash . They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land. Many things that are useful to people produce pollution. Cars spew pollutants from their exhaust pipes. Burning coal to create electricity pollutes the air. Industries and homes generate garbage and sewage that can pollute the land and water. Pesticides —chemical poisons used to kill weeds and insects— seep into waterways and harm wildlife . All living things—from one-celled microbes to blue whales—depend on Earth ’s supply of air and water. When these resources are polluted, all forms of life are threatened. Pollution is a global problem. Although urban areas are usually more polluted than the countryside, pollution can spread to remote places where no people live. For example, pesticides and other chemicals have been found in the Antarctic ice sheet . In the middle of the northern Pacific Ocean, a huge collection of microscopic plastic particles forms what is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . Air and water currents carry pollution. Ocean currents and migrating fish carry marine pollutants far and wide. Winds can pick up radioactive material accidentally released from a nuclear reactor and scatter it around the world. Smoke from a factory in one country drifts into another country. In the past, visitors to Big Bend National Park in the U.S. state of Texas could see 290 kilometers (180 miles) across the vast landscape . Now, coal-burning power plants in Texas and the neighboring state of Chihuahua, Mexico have spewed so much pollution into the air that visitors to Big Bend can sometimes see only 50 kilometers (30 miles). The three major types of pollution are air pollution , water pollution , and land pollution . Air Pollution Sometimes, air pollution is visible . A person can see dark smoke pour from the exhaust pipes of large trucks or factories, for example. More often, however, air pollution is invisible . Polluted air can be dangerous, even if the pollutants are invisible. It can make people’s eyes burn and make them have difficulty breathing. It can also increase the risk of lung cancer . Sometimes, air pollution kills quickly. In 1984, an accident at a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, released a deadly gas into the air. At least 8,000 people died within days. Hundreds of thou sands more were permanently injured. Natural disasters can also cause air pollution to increase quickly. When volcanoes erupt , they eject volcanic ash and gases into the atmosphere . Volcanic ash can discolor the sky for months. After the eruption of the Indonesian volcano of Krakatoa in 1883, ash darkened the sky around the world. The dimmer sky caused fewer crops to be harvested as far away as Europe and North America. For years, meteorologists tracked what was known as the “equatorial smoke stream .” In fact, this smoke stream was a jet stream , a wind high in Earth’s atmosphere that Krakatoa’s air pollution made visible. Volcanic gases , such as sulfur dioxide , can kill nearby residents and make the soil infertile for years. Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy, famously erupted in 79, killing hundreds of residents of the nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most victims of Vesuvius were not killed by lava or landslides caused by the eruption. They were choked, or asphyxiated , by deadly volcanic gases. In 1986, a toxic cloud developed over Lake Nyos, Cameroon. Lake Nyos sits in the crater of a volcano. Though the volcano did not erupt, it did eject volcanic gases into the lake. The heated gases passed through the water of the lake and collected as a cloud that descended the slopes of the volcano and into nearby valleys . As the toxic cloud moved across the landscape, it killed birds and other organisms in their natural habitat . This air pollution also killed thousands of cattle and as many as 1,700 people. Most air pollution is not natural, however. It comes from burning fossil fuels —coal, oil , and natural gas . When gasoline is burned to power cars and trucks, it produces carbon monoxide , a colorless, odorless gas. The gas is harmful in high concentrations , or amounts. City traffic produces highly concentrated carbon monoxide. Cars and factories produce other common pollutants, including nitrogen oxide , sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons . These chemicals react with sunlight to produce smog , a thick fog or haze of air pollution. The smog is so thick in Linfen, China, that people can seldom see the sun. Smog can be brown or grayish blue, depending on which pollutants are in it. Smog makes breathing difficult, especially for children and older adults. Some cities that suffer from extreme smog issue air pollution warnings. The government of Hong Kong, for example, will warn people not to go outside or engage in strenuous physical activity (such as running or swimming) when smog is very thick.

When air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide mix with moisture, they change into acids . They then fall back to earth as acid rain . Wind often carries acid rain far from the pollution source. Pollutants produced by factories and power plants in Spain can fall as acid rain in Norway. Acid rain can kill all the trees in a forest . It can also devastate lakes, streams, and other waterways. When lakes become acidic, fish can’t survive . In Sweden, acid rain created thousands of “ dead lakes ,” where fish no longer live. Acid rain also wears away marble and other kinds of stone . It has erased the words on gravestones and damaged many historic buildings and monuments . The Taj Mahal , in Agra, India, was once gleaming white. Years of exposure to acid rain has left it pale. Governments have tried to prevent acid rain by limiting the amount of pollutants released into the air. In Europe and North America, they have had some success, but acid rain remains a major problem in the developing world , especially Asia. Greenhouse gases are another source of air pollution. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane occur naturally in the atmosphere. In fact, they are necessary for life on Earth. They absorb sunlight reflected from Earth, preventing it from escaping into space. By trapping heat in the atmosphere, they keep Earth warm enough for people to live. This is called the greenhouse effect . But human activities such as burning fossil fuels and destroying forests have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This has increased the greenhouse effect, and average temperatures across the globe are rising. The decade that began in the year 2000 was the warmest on record. This increase in worldwide average temperatures, caused in part by human activity, is called global warming . Global warming is causing ice sheets and glaciers to melt. The melting ice is causing sea levels to rise at a rate of two millimeters (0.09 inches) per year. The rising seas will eventually flood low-lying coastal regions . Entire nations, such as the islands of Maldives, are threatened by this climate change . Global warming also contributes to the phenomenon of ocean acidification . Ocean acidification is the process of ocean waters absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Fewer organisms can survive in warmer, less salty waters. The ocean food web is threatened as plants and animals such as coral fail to adapt to more acidic oceans. Scientists have predicted that global warming will cause an increase in severe storms . It will also cause more droughts in some regions and more flooding in others. The change in average temperatures is already shrinking some habitats, the regions where plants and animals naturally live. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice in the Arctic. The melting ice is forcing polar bears to travel farther to find food , and their numbers are shrinking. People and governments can respond quickly and effectively to reduce air pollution. Chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a dangerous form of air pollution that governments worked to reduce in the 1980s and 1990s. CFCs are found in gases that cool refrigerators, in foam products, and in aerosol cans . CFCs damage the ozone layer , a region in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ozone layer protects Earth by absorbing much of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation . When people are exposed to more ultraviolet radiation, they are more likely to develop skin cancer, eye diseases, and other illnesses. In the 1980s, scientists noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica was thinning. This is often called the “ ozone hole .” No one lives permanently in Antarctica. But Australia, the home of more than 22 million people, lies at the edge of the hole. In the 1990s, the Australian government began an effort to warn people of the dangers of too much sun. Many countries, including the United States, now severely limit the production of CFCs. Water Pollution Some polluted water looks muddy, smells bad, and has garbage floating in it. Some polluted water looks clean, but is filled with harmful chemicals you can’t see or smell. Polluted water is unsafe for drinking and swimming. Some people who drink polluted water are exposed to hazardous chemicals that may make them sick years later. Others consume bacteria and other tiny aquatic organisms that cause disease. The United Nations estimates that 4,000 children die every day from drinking dirty water. Sometimes, polluted water harms people indirectly. They get sick because the fish that live in polluted water are unsafe to eat. They have too many pollutants in their flesh. There are some natural sources of water pollution. Oil and natural gas, for example, can leak into oceans and lakes from natural underground sources. These sites are called petroleum seeps . The world’s largest petroleum seep is the Coal Oil Point Seep, off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The Coal Oil Point Seep releases so much oil that tar balls wash up on nearby beaches . Tar balls are small, sticky pieces of pollution that eventually decompose in the ocean.

Human activity also contributes to water pollution. Chemicals and oils from factories are sometimes dumped or seep into waterways. These chemicals are called runoff. Chemicals in runoff can create a toxic environment for aquatic life. Runoff can also help create a fertile environment for cyanobacteria , also called blue-green algae . Cyanobacteria reproduce rapidly, creating a harmful algal bloom (HAB) . Harmful algal blooms prevent organisms such as plants and fish from living in the ocean. They are associated with “ dead zones ” in the world’s lakes and rivers, places where little life exists below surface water. Mining and drilling can also contribute to water pollution. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major contributor to pollution of rivers and streams near coal mines . Acid helps miners remove coal from the surrounding rocks . The acid is washed into streams and rivers, where it reacts with rocks and sand. It releases chemical sulfur from the rocks and sand, creating a river rich in sulfuric acid . Sulfuric acid is toxic to plants, fish, and other aquatic organisms. Sulfuric acid is also toxic to people, making rivers polluted by AMD dangerous sources of water for drinking and hygiene . Oil spills are another source of water pollution. In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, causing oil to gush from the ocean floor. In the following months, hundreds of millions of gallons of oil spewed into the gulf waters. The spill produced large plumes of oil under the sea and an oil slick on the surface as large as 24,000 square kilometers (9,100 square miles). The oil slick coated wetlands in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi, killing marsh plants and aquatic organisms such as crabs and fish. Birds, such as pelicans , became coated in oil and were unable to fly or access food. More than two million animals died as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Buried chemical waste can also pollute water supplies. For many years, people disposed of chemical wastes carelessly, not realizing its dangers. In the 1970s, people living in the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls, New York, suffered from extremely high rates of cancer and birth defects . It was discovered that a chemical waste dump had poisoned the area’s water. In 1978, 800 families living in Love Canal had to a bandon their homes. If not disposed of properly, radioactive waste from nuclear power plants can escape into the environment. Radioactive waste can harm living things and pollute the water. Sewage that has not been properly treated is a common source of water pollution. Many cities around the world have poor sewage systems and sewage treatment plants. Delhi, the capital of India, is home to more than 21 million people. More than half the sewage and other waste produced in the city are dumped into the Yamuna River. This pollution makes the river dangerous to use as a source of water for drinking or hygiene. It also reduces the river’s fishery , resulting in less food for the local community. A major source of water pollution is fertilizer used in agriculture . Fertilizer is material added to soil to make plants grow larger and faster. Fertilizers usually contain large amounts of the elements nitrogen and phosphorus , which help plants grow. Rainwater washes fertilizer into streams and lakes. There, the nitrogen and phosphorus cause cyanobacteria to form harmful algal blooms. Rain washes other pollutants into streams and lakes. It picks up animal waste from cattle ranches. Cars drip oil onto the street, and rain carries it into storm drains , which lead to waterways such as rivers and seas. Rain sometimes washes chemical pesticides off of plants and into streams. Pesticides can also seep into groundwater , the water beneath the surface of the Earth. Heat can pollute water. Power plants, for example, produce a huge amount of heat. Power plants are often located on rivers so they can use the water as a coolant . Cool water circulates through the plant, absorbing heat. The heated water is then returned to the river. Aquatic creatures are sensitive to changes in temperature. Some fish, for example, can only live in cold water. Warmer river temperatures prevent fish eggs from hatching. Warmer river water also contributes to harmful algal blooms. Another type of water pollution is simple garbage. The Citarum River in Indonesia, for example, has so much garbage floating in it that you cannot see the water. Floating trash makes the river difficult to fish in. Aquatic animals such as fish and turtles mistake trash, such as plastic bags, for food. Plastic bags and twine can kill many ocean creatures. Chemical pollutants in trash can also pollute the water, making it toxic for fish and people who use the river as a source of drinking water. The fish that are caught in a polluted river often have high levels of chemical toxins in their flesh. People absorb these toxins as they eat the fish. Garbage also fouls the ocean. Many plastic bottles and other pieces of trash are thrown overboard from boats. The wind blows trash out to sea. Ocean currents carry plastics and other floating trash to certain places on the globe, where it cannot escape. The largest of these areas, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. According to some estimates, this garbage patch is the size of Texas. The trash is a threat to fish and seabirds, which mistake the plastic for food. Many of the plastics are covered with chemical pollutants. Land Pollution Many of the same pollutants that foul the water also harm the land. Mining sometimes leaves the soil contaminated with dangerous chemicals. Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural fields are blown by the wind. They can harm plants, animals, and sometimes people. Some fruits and vegetables absorb the pesticides that help them grow. When people consume the fruits and vegetables, the pesticides enter their bodies. Some pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases. A pesticide called DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was once commonly used to kill insects, especially mosquitoes. In many parts of the world, mosquitoes carry a disease called malaria , which kills a million people every year. Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize for his understanding of how DDT can control insects and other pests. DDT is responsible for reducing malaria in places such as Taiwan and Sri Lanka. In 1962, American biologist Rachel Carson wrote a book called Silent Spring , which discussed the dangers of DDT. She argued that it could contribute to cancer in humans. She also explained how it was destroying bird eggs, which caused the number of bald eagles, brown pelicans, and ospreys to drop. In 1972, the United States banned the use of DDT. Many other countries also banned it. But DDT didn’t disappear entirely. Today, many governments support the use of DDT because it remains the most effective way to combat malaria. Trash is another form of land pollution. Around the world, paper, cans, glass jars, plastic products, and junked cars and appliances mar the landscape. Litter makes it difficult for plants and other producers in the food web to create nutrients . Animals can die if they mistakenly eat plastic. Garbage often contains dangerous pollutants such as oils, chemicals, and ink. These pollutants can leech into the soil and harm plants, animals, and people. Inefficient garbage collection systems contribute to land pollution. Often, the garbage is picked up and brought to a dump, or landfill . Garbage is buried in landfills. Sometimes, communities produce so much garbage that their landfills are filling up. They are running out of places to dump their trash. A massive landfill near Quezon City, Philippines, was the site of a land pollution tragedy in 2000. Hundreds of people lived on the slopes of the Quezon City landfill. These people made their living from recycling and selling items found in the landfill. However, the landfill was not secure. Heavy rains caused a trash landslide, killing 218 people. Sometimes, landfills are not completely sealed off from the land around them. Pollutants from the landfill leak into the earth in which they are buried. Plants that grow in the earth may be contaminated, and the herbivores that eat the plants also become contaminated. So do the predators that consume the herbivores. This process, where a chemical builds up in each level of the food web, is called bioaccumulation . Pollutants leaked from landfills also leak into local groundwater supplies. There, the aquatic food web (from microscopic algae to fish to predators such as sharks or eagles) can suffer from bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals. Some communities do not have adequate garbage collection systems, and trash lines the side of roads. In other places, garbage washes up on beaches. Kamilo Beach, in the U.S. state of Hawai'i, is littered with plastic bags and bottles carried in by the tide . The trash is dangerous to ocean life and reduces economic activity in the area. Tourism is Hawai'i’s largest industry . Polluted beaches discourage tourists from investing in the area’s hotels, restaurants, and recreational activities. Some cities incinerate , or burn, their garbage. Incinerating trash gets rid of it, but it can release dangerous heavy metals and chemicals into the air. So while trash incinerators can help with the problem of land pollution, they sometimes add to the problem of air pollution. Reducing Pollution Around the world, people and governments are making efforts to combat pollution. Recycling, for instance, is becoming more common. In recycling, trash is processed so its useful materials can be used again. Glass, aluminum cans, and many types of plastic can be melted and reused . Paper can be broken down and turned into new paper. Recycling reduces the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills, incinerators, and waterways. Austria and Switzerland have the highest recycling rates. These nations recycle between 50 and 60 percent of their garbage. The United States recycles about 30 percent of its garbage. Governments can combat pollution by passing laws that limit the amount and types of chemicals factories and agribusinesses are allowed to use. The smoke from coal-burning power plants can be filtered. People and businesses that illegally dump pollutants into the land, water, and air can be fined for millions of dollars. Some government programs, such as the Superfund program in the United States, can force polluters to clean up the sites they polluted. International agreements can also reduce pollution. The Kyoto Protocol , a United Nations agreement to limit the emission of greenhouse gases, has been signed by 191 countries. The United States, the world’s second-largest producer of greenhouse gases, did not sign the agreement. Other countries, such as China, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, have not met their goals. Still, many gains have been made. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River, in the U.S. state of Ohio, was so clogged with oil and trash that it caught on fire. The fire helped spur the Clean Water Act of 1972. This law limited what pollutants could be released into water and set standards for how clean water should be. Today, the Cuyahoga River is much cleaner. Fish have returned to regions of the river where they once could not survive. But even as some rivers are becoming cleaner, others are becoming more polluted. As countries around the world become wealthier, some forms of pollution increase. Countries with growing economies usually need more power plants, which produce more pollutants. Reducing pollution requires environmental, political, and economic leadership. Developed nations must work to reduce and recycle their materials, while developing nations must work to strengthen their economies without destroying the environment. Developed and developing countries must work together toward the common goal of protecting the environment for future use.

How Long Does It Last? Different materials decompose at different rates. How long does it take for these common types of trash to break down?

  • Paper: 2-4 weeks
  • Orange peel: 6 months
  • Milk carton: 5 years
  • Plastic bag: 15 years
  • Tin can: 100 years
  • Plastic bottle: 450 years
  • Glass bottle: 500 years
  • Styrofoam: Never

Indoor Air Pollution The air inside your house can be polluted. Air and carpet cleaners, insect sprays, and cigarettes are all sources of indoor air pollution.

Light Pollution Light pollution is the excess amount of light in the night sky. Light pollution, also called photopollution, is almost always found in urban areas. Light pollution can disrupt ecosystems by confusing the distinction between night and day. Nocturnal animals, those that are active at night, may venture out during the day, while diurnal animals, which are active during daylight hours, may remain active well into the night. Feeding and sleep patterns may be confused. Light pollution also indicates an excess use of energy. The dark-sky movement is a campaign by people to reduce light pollution. This would reduce energy use, allow ecosystems to function more normally, and allow scientists and stargazers to observe the atmosphere.

Noise Pollution Noise pollution is the constant presence of loud, disruptive noises in an area. Usually, noise pollution is caused by construction or nearby transportation facilities, such as airports. Noise pollution is unpleasant, and can be dangerous. Some songbirds, such as robins, are unable to communicate or find food in the presence of heavy noise pollution. The sound waves produced by some noise pollutants can disrupt the sonar used by marine animals to communicate or locate food.

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  • Environmental Pollution Essay

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Essay on Environmental Pollution

The environment is the surrounding of an organism. The environment in which an organism lives is made up of various components like air, water, land, etc. These components are found in fixed proportions to create a harmonious balance in the environment for the organism to live in. Any kind of undesirable and unwanted change in the proportions of these components can be termed as pollution. This issue is increasing with every passing year. It is an issue that creates economic, physical, and social troubles. The environmental problem that is worsening with each day needs to be addressed so that its harmful effects on humans as well as the planet can be discarded.

Causes of Environmental Pollution 

With the rise of the industries and the migration of people from villages to cities in search of employment, there has been a regular increase in the problem of proper housing and unhygienic living conditions. These reasons have given rise to factors that cause pollution. 

Environmental pollution is of five basic types namely, Air, Water, Soil, and Noise pollution. 

Air Pollution: Air pollution is a major issue in today’s world. The smoke pouring out of factory chimneys and automobiles pollute the air that we breathe in. Gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulphur dioxide are emitted with this smoke which mixes with air and causes great harm to the human body, flora, and fauna. The dry-farm waste, dry grass, leaves, and coal used as domestic fuels in our villages also produce harmful gases. Acid rain occurs due to an excess of sulphur dioxide in the air.

The Main Sources of Air Pollution are as Follows:  

Automobile pollution 

Industrial air pollution 

Burning garbage 

Brick kilns 

Indoor air pollution 

Decomposed animals and plants 

Radioactive elements

Water Pollution: Water pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues. The waste products from the growing industries and sewage water are not treated properly before disposing of the wastewater into the rivers and other water bodies, thus leading to water pollution. Agricultural processes with excess fertilizers and pesticides also pollute the water bodies. 

The Main Sources of Water Pollution as Follows:  

Marine commerce. 

Industrial effluents joining seas and oceans. 

Dumping of radioactive substances into seawater. 

Sewage is disposed of into the sea by rivers. 

Offshore oil rigs. 

Recreational activities. 

Agricultural pollutants are disposed of into the water bodies.

  

Soil or Land Pollution: Soil pollution or land pollution results from the deposition of solid waste, accumulation of biodegradable material, deposition of chemicals with poisonous chemical compositions, etc on the open land. Waste materials such as plastics, polythene, and bottles, cause land pollution and render the soil infertile. Moreover, the dumping of dead bodies of animals adds to this issue. Soil pollution causes several diseases in man and animals like Cholera, Dysentery, Typhoid, etc.

The Main Causes of Soil Pollution are as Follows:  

Industrial waste 

Urban commercial and domestic waste 

Chemical fertilizers 

Biomedical waste 

Noise Pollution: With an increasing population, urbanization, and industrialization, noise pollution is becoming a serious form of pollution affecting human life, health, and comfort in daily life. Horns of vehicles, loudspeakers, music systems, and industrial activities contribute to noise pollution. 

The Main Sources of Noise Pollution as Follows:  

The machines in the factories and industries produce whistling sounds, crushing noise, and thundering sounds. 

Loudspeakers, horns of vehicles. 

Blasting of rocks and earth, drilling tube wells, ventilation fans, and heavy earth-moving machinery at construction sites.

How Pollution Harms Health and Environment

The lives of people and other creatures are affected by environmental pollution, both directly and indirectly. For centuries, these living organisms have coexisted with humans on the planet. 

1. Effect on the Environment

Smog is formed when carbon and dust particles bind together in the air, causing respiratory problems, haze, and smoke. These are created by the combustion of fossil fuels in industrial and manufacturing facilities and vehicle combustion of carbon fumes. 

Furthermore, these factors impact the immune systems of birds, making them carriers of viruses and diseases. It also has an impact on the body's system and organs. 

2.  Land, Soil, and Food Effects 

The degradation of human organic and chemical waste harms the land and soil. It also releases chemicals into the land and water. Pesticides, fertilisers, soil erosion, and crop residues are the main causes of land and soil pollution. 

3. Effects on water 

Water is easily contaminated by any pollutant, whether it be human waste or factory chemical discharge. We also use this water for crop irrigation and drinking. They, too, get polluted as a result of infection. Furthermore, an animal dies as a result of drinking the same tainted water. 

Furthermore, approximately 80% of land-based pollutants such as chemical, industrial, and agricultural waste wind up in water bodies. 

Furthermore, because these water basins eventually link to the sea, they contaminate the sea's biodiversity indirectly. 

4. Food Reaction

Crops and agricultural produce become poisonous as a result of contaminated soil and water. These crops are laced with chemical components from the start of their lives until harvest when they reach a mass level. Due to this, tainted food has an impact on our health and organs. 

5. Climate Change Impact 

Climate change is also a source of pollution in the environment. It also has an impact on the ecosystem's physical and biological components. 

Ozone depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming are all examples of environmental pollution. Because these water basins eventually link to the sea, they contaminate the sea's biodiversity indirectly. Furthermore, their consequences may be fatal for future generations. The unpredictably cold and hot climate impacts the earth’s natural system. 

Furthermore, earthquakes, starvation, smog, carbon particles, shallow rain or snow, thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions, and avalanches are all caused by climate change, caused entirely by environmental pollution.

How to Minimise Environmental Pollution? 

To minimise this issue, some preventive measures need to be taken. 

Principle of 3R’s: To save the environment, use the principle of 3 R’s; Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. 

Reuse products again and again. Instead of throwing away things after one use, find a way to use them again.  Reduce the generation of waste products.  

Recycle: Paper, plastics, glass, and electronic items can be processed into new products while using fewer natural resources and lesser energy. 

To prevent and control air pollution, better-designed equipment, and smokeless fuels should be used in homes and industries. More and more trees should be planted to balance the ecosystem and control greenhouse effects. 

Noise pollution can be minimised by better design and proper maintenance of vehicles. Industrial noise can be reduced by soundproofing equipment like generators, etc.  

To control soil pollution, we must stop the usage of plastic. Sewage should be treated properly before using it as fertilizers and as landfills. Encourage organic farming as this process involves the use of biological materials and avoiding synthetic substances to maintain soil fertility and ecological balance. 

Several measures can be adopted to control water pollution. Some of them are water consumption and usage that can be minimized by altering the techniques involved. Water should be reused with treatment. 

The melting icebergs in Antarctica resulted in rising sea levels due to the world's environmental pollution, which had become a serious problem due to global warming, which had become a significant concern. Rising carbon pollution poses a risk for causing natural disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, and other natural disasters. 

The Hiroshima-Nagasaki and Chernobyl disasters in Russia have irreversibly harmed humanity. Different countries around the world are responding to these calamities in the most effective way possible. 

Different countries around the world are responding to these calamities in the most effective way possible. More public awareness campaigns are being established to educate people about the hazards of pollution and the importance of protecting our environment. Greener lifestyles are becoming more popular; for example, energy-efficient lighting, new climate-friendly autos, and the usage of wind and solar power are just a few examples. 

Governments emphasise the need to plant more trees, minimise the use of plastics, improve natural waste recovery, and reduce pesticide use. This ecological way of living has helped humanity save other creatures from extinction while making the Earth a greener and safer ecology. 

 Conclusion

It is the responsibility of every individual to save our planet from these environmental contamination agents. If preventive measures are not taken then our future generation will have to face major repercussions. The government is also taking steps to create public awareness. Every individual should be involved in helping to reduce and control pollution.

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FAQs on Environmental Pollution Essay

1. What do you understand by ‘Environmental Pollution’?  

Environmental pollution is the contamination of the environment and surroundings like air, water, soil by the discharge of harmful substances.

2. What preventive measures should be taken to save our environment?

Some of the preventive measures that should be taken to save our environment are discussed below. 

We can save our environment by adopting the concept of carpooling and promoting public transport to save fuel. Smoking bars are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations that prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and other public places.  

The use of Fossil fuels should be restricted because it causes major environmental issues like global warming.  

Encourage organic farming to maintain the fertility of the soil.

3.  What are the main sources of soil pollution?

The main sources of soil pollution as follows:

Industrial waste

Urban commercial and domestic waste

Chemical fertilizers

Biomedical waste

4. What is organic farming?

 It is a farming method that involves growing and nurturing crops without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Essay on Environmental Pollution for Students and Children

500+ words essay on environmental pollution.

Essay on Environmental Pollution – Environment is the surroundings in which we live. But the contamination of our environment by pollutants is environmental pollution. The current stage of the earth that we are seeing is the cause of centuries of exploitation of earth and its resources.

Moreover, the earth cannot restore its balance because of environmental pollution . The human force has created and destroyed life on earth. Human plays a vital role in the degradation of the environment.

Essay on Environmental Pollution

Effect of pollution on the health

The environmental pollution, directly and indirectly, affects the lives of humans and other species. These living beings co-existed on the earth with human from centuries.

Effect on Air

Carbon and dust particles string up with the air in the form of smog, damaging respiratory system , haze, and smoke. These are caused by the emission of industrial and manufacturing units by burning of fossil fuels, vehicle combustion of carbon fumes.

Moreover, these factors affect the immune system of birds which become a carrier of viruses and infections.

Besides, it also affects the body system and body organs.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Effects on Land, Soil, and Food

Human’s organic and chemical both waste harm the land and soil with its decomposition. Also, it introduces some chemical in the soil and water. Land and soil pollution mainly caused by the use of pesticides, fertilizers , soil erosion, and crop residues.

Effect on Water

Water gets contaminated easily with any pollutant whether it is human waste or chemical discharge from factories. Also, we use this water for irrigation of crops and drinking. But, because of infection they become contaminated too. Besides, an animal dies because they drink this same contaminated water.

Moreover, around 80% of pollutants of land such as chemical, industrial and agricultural waste end up in the water bodies.

Besides, these water bodies ultimately connect to the sea which means it indirectly pollutes the biodiversity of the sea.

Effect on Food

Because of contaminated soil and water, the crop or agricultural produce also get toxic. Furthermore, this contaminated food effect our health and organs. From the beginning of their life, these crops are laced with chemical components that reach a mass level until the time of harvest.

Effect on Climate

Climate change is also a cause of environmental pollution. Also, it affects the physical and biological components of the ecosystem.

Moreover, ozone depletion, greenhouse gases, global warming all these climate changes are a cause of environmental pollution.

environmental essays on pollution

Furthermore, some unstable climate changes are earthquakes, famine, smog, carbon particles, shallow rain or snow, thunderstorms, volcanic eruption, and avalanches are all because of climate change that happens all because of environmental pollution.

In conclusion, man has exploited the wealth of nature at the cost of his and environments health. Also, the effect that is now emerging rapidly is all because of the activities of humans for hundreds or thousands of years.

Above all, if we wish to survive and continue our life on earth then we have to take measures. These measures will help is securing our as well as our next generation future.

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Essay on Environmental Pollution

essay on environmental pollution

Here we have shared the Essay on Environmental Pollution in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 250, 400, 500, or 1000 words.

You can use this Essay on Environmental Pollution in any assignment or project whether you are in school (class 10th or 12th), college, or preparing for answer writing in competitive exams. 

Topics covered in this article.

Essay on Environmental Pollution in 150-200 words

Essay on environmental pollution in 250-300 words, essay on environmental pollution in 500-1000 words.

Environmental pollution is the contamination of the natural environment by harmful substances, resulting in adverse effects on living organisms and ecosystems. It encompasses air, water, and soil pollution caused by human activities such as industrialization, transportation, and waste disposal.

Pollution poses severe threats to human health and the environment. It leads to respiratory problems, waterborne diseases, and ecosystem disruptions. Air pollution affects air quality, causing respiratory illnesses and contributing to climate change. Water pollution degrades water sources, impacting aquatic life and jeopardizing human access to clean drinking water. Soil pollution affects agriculture and food safety.

Addressing environmental pollution requires collective action. It involves adopting sustainable practices, promoting renewable energy sources, and implementing strict regulations on industrial emissions and waste management. Awareness campaigns and education about environmental conservation are vital to inspire behavioral changes.

Efforts to reduce pollution can help create a healthier and more sustainable environment for future generations. By prioritizing pollution control and embracing eco-friendly practices, we can protect human health, preserve biodiversity, and safeguard the planet’s natural resources.

Environmental pollution refers to the contamination of the natural environment by various pollutants, resulting in harmful effects on living organisms and ecosystems. It is a pressing global issue that poses significant threats to the health and well-being of both humans and the planet.

Various forms of pollution contribute to environmental degradation. Air pollution occurs when harmful gases and particles are released into the atmosphere from industrial activities, transportation, and the burning of fossil fuels. Water pollution occurs when pollutants such as chemicals, sewage, and waste are discharged into rivers, lakes, and oceans, endangering aquatic life and contaminating drinking water sources. Soil pollution occurs when harmful substances like pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial waste contaminate the soil, affecting plant growth and the food chain.

The consequences of environmental pollution are far-reaching. It leads to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and other health issues in humans. It also disrupts ecosystems, causing the decline of plant and animal species, and damaging habitats. Pollution affects the quality of air, water, and soil, posing a threat to biodiversity and the overall balance of nature.

Addressing environmental pollution requires collective efforts from individuals, governments, and organizations. Sustainable practices such as reducing emissions, conserving resources, recycling, and using eco-friendly technologies are crucial in mitigating pollution. Strict regulations and policies need to be implemented to control industrial emissions and ensure proper waste management. Awareness campaigns and education on the importance of environmental conservation can inspire individuals to make conscious choices and adopt environmentally-friendly lifestyles.

In conclusion, environmental pollution poses a significant threat to our planet and its inhabitants. It is imperative that we take immediate and proactive measures to reduce pollution levels and preserve the environment for future generations. By adopting sustainable practices and promoting environmental awareness, we can work towards creating a cleaner and healthier planet for all.

Title: Environmental Pollution – A Global Crisis in Need of Urgent Action

Introduction :

Environmental pollution is a pressing global issue that threatens the health and well-being of both humans and the planet. It refers to the introduction of harmful substances or pollutants into the natural environment, resulting in adverse effects on living organisms and ecosystems. Pollution can take various forms, including air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and noise pollution. Each of these forms poses unique challenges and impacts different aspects of the environment. Addressing environmental pollution is crucial to protect human health, preserve biodiversity, and ensure the sustainability of our planet.

Air Pollution

Air pollution is one of the most significant forms of environmental pollution. It occurs when harmful gases, particles, and chemicals are released into the atmosphere, primarily as a result of industrial activities, transportation, and the burning of fossil fuels. The main pollutants include carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Air pollution poses severe health risks, particularly to vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. It can cause respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular problems, and even premature death. Additionally, air pollution contributes to climate change, global warming, and the depletion of the ozone layer.

Water Pollution

Water pollution refers to the contamination of water bodies, including rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater sources. It occurs when pollutants such as chemicals, sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff are discharged into waterways without adequate treatment. Water pollution not only affects aquatic life but also endangers human health, as polluted water is often used for drinking, irrigation, and recreational activities.

The consequences of water pollution are far-reaching. It leads to the destruction of aquatic ecosystems, the loss of biodiversity, and the contamination of food sources. Waterborne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid, are prevalent in areas with contaminated water supplies. Moreover, the pollution of oceans and seas poses a threat to marine life and can cause widespread ecological damage.

Soil Pollution

Soil pollution occurs when the soil is contaminated by toxic substances, including heavy metals, pesticides, chemicals, and industrial waste. It can result from improper waste disposal, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and mining operations. Soil pollution not only affects plant growth and agricultural productivity but also poses risks to human health through the ingestion of contaminated food.

The impact of soil pollution extends beyond the immediate area of contamination. It can lead to the loss of fertile land, soil erosion, and the disruption of ecosystems. The accumulation of pollutants in the soil can enter the food chain, affecting the quality and safety of agricultural products. Long-term exposure to contaminated soil can lead to various health issues, including cancers, respiratory problems, and neurological disorders.

Noise Pollution

Noise pollution refers to excessive or unwanted noise that disrupts the environment and causes discomfort. It can arise from various sources, including transportation, industrial activities, construction sites, and urbanization. Prolonged exposure to high levels of noise can have detrimental effects on human health, including hearing loss, stress, sleep disturbances, and impaired cognitive function.

Effects on Human Health

Environmental pollution poses significant risks to human health. The inhalation of air pollutants can lead to respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Waterborne diseases caused by contaminated water sources can result in gastrointestinal issues, skin infections, and even death. Exposure to soil pollution can lead to various health problems, including organ damage, developmental disorders, and certain types of cancer. Additionally, noise pollution can have detrimental effects on mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders.

Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystems

Environmental pollution also has devastating effects on biodiversity and ecosystems. Air pollution harms plant and animal life disrupts ecosystems, and contributes to the loss of biodiversity. Water pollution affects aquatic habitats, leading to the decline of fish populations, the destruction of coral reefs, and the loss of other marine species. Soil pollution impairs soil fertility and affects the growth and survival of plants, which are the foundation of terrestrial ecosystems. The contamination of land and water by pollutants disrupts natural processes, jeopardizing the delicate balance of ecosystems and leading to ecological imbalances.

Solutions and Mitigation Strategies

Addressing environmental pollution requires a multi-faceted approach involving individuals, communities, governments, and international organizations. Some key solutions and mitigation strategies include:

  • Transitioning to clean and renewable energy sources to reduce air pollution and combat climate change.
  • Implementing stricter regulations on industrial emissions and promoting sustainable industrial practices.
  • Encouraging sustainable agricultural practices that minimize the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers to reduce soil pollution.
  • Improving waste management systems, including recycling and proper disposal of hazardous waste.
  • Promoting water conservation and implementing effective wastewater treatment methods to reduce water pollution.
  • Raising awareness and educating communities about the importance of environmental conservation and responsible behavior.
  • Investing in research and technological innovations that support sustainable development and pollution control.

Conclusion :

Environmental pollution is a global crisis that demands immediate and collective action. The consequences of pollution on human health, biodiversity, and ecosystems are severe and far-reaching. By adopting sustainable practices and implementing effective pollution control measures, we can mitigate the impacts of environmental pollution. It requires the commitment and collaboration of individuals, communities, governments, and international entities to address this pressing issue.

Through a combination of policy interventions, technological advancements, and behavioral changes, we can create a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations. It is essential to prioritize sustainable practices, reduce emissions, conserve resources, and promote responsible consumption and production patterns.

Ultimately, the fight against environmental pollution requires a global effort to protect our planet and ensure a sustainable future. By working together, we can preserve the beauty of our natural world, safeguard human health, and create a harmonious coexistence between humans and the environment. It is our collective responsibility to take action today for a cleaner and greener tomorrow.

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Environmental Pollution Essay

Pollution is the presence and inclusion of unwanted items in the environment. The state of the environment is altered when it has become contaminated with potentially dangerous compounds as a result of human activity. Water, air, and land are dangerously affected by the pollution. Here are a few sample essays on environmental pollution:

100 Words Essay on Environmental Pollution

200 words essay on environmental pollution, 500 words essay on environmental pollution.

Environmental Pollution Essay

When it comes to protecting the environment, awareness is the key. As more and more people become aware of the causes, types, and impacts of environmental pollution, they are more likely to take steps to prevent it. Air pollution is created as a result of burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Water pollution results from industrial activities, such as the dumping of chemicals into rivers and lakes, as well as from agricultural runoff. Land pollution is caused by the misuse of land and improper disposal of waste. The causes of environmental pollution are numerous and varied. Some of the main culprits are industrial activities, burning of fossil fuels, use of pesticides, and deforestation.

Awareness and taking necessary resolving steps is essential when it comes to protecting the environment from the impacts of environmental pollution. By teaching people the importance of taking steps to prevent environmental pollution, we can ensure a brighter future for our planet. We must understand the causes of environmental pollution, the types of pollution, the impact it has on the environment, and how we can prevent it.

Causes | Environmental pollution is the contamination of the environment through the emissions of pollutants including harmful gases, chemicals, and particulate matter. It is caused by human activities such as burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial pollution. These activities have caused global warming, acid rain, and water and air pollution, leading to global environmental degradation.

Types | There are different types of environmental pollution. The most common type is air pollution, which is caused by burning of fuels and other industrial activities. Water pollution is another common type of pollution which is caused by sewage and industrial waste. Soil pollution is caused by overuse of pesticides and other chemicals. Noise pollution is caused by traffic, construction activities, and industrial noise. Light pollution is caused by the emission of artificial light.

Impact | The impact of environmental pollution is far-reaching and devastating. Air pollution can lead to respiratory diseases, while water pollution can contaminate drinking water and cause health issues. Land pollution causes reduction in soil fertility and even destruction of natural habitats for animals. In addition, it can lead to the destruction of ecosystems, which in turn leads to a decrease in biodiversity.

Environmental pollution has serious impacts on both humans and the environment. It affects air quality, water quality, soil fertility, and public health. Poor air quality affects the respiratory system, leading to respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis. Water pollution can lead to the spread of diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. Soil pollution can reduce crop yields, leading to food insecurity.

Types of Environmental Pollution

Air | Air pollution is the introduction of dangerous compounds into the atmosphere, which has a negative influence on the environment and humanity. Air pollution simply makes the air impure or contaminated. It happens when noxious gases, scents, dust, or fumes are discharged into the air in concentrations that endanger human and animal comfort or health or even kill plant life.

Water | The act of contaminating water bodies, such as rivers, oceans, lakes, streams, aquifers, and groundwater, is known as water pollution. It happens when foreign, dangerous substances—such as chemicals, garbage, or polluted materials are released into bodies of water, either directly or indirectly.

Land | When the quality of the earth's land surfaces in terms of use, landscape, and capacity to support life forms is compromised or destroyed, this is referred to as land pollution. It is frequently brought on by human activity and the misuse of land resources, both directly and indirectly.

Soil | Chemical pollutants can pollute soil or cause it to degrade through activities like mining, clearing vegetation, or topsoil erosion. Typically, it occurs when human activities bring harmful chemicals, substances, or items into the soil.

Noise | Noise pollution is an unpleasant sound or a sound that causes excruciating ear pain. Noise pollution is described as unpleasant and unwanted sound levels that cause significant distress to all living beings. It is measured in decibels (dB).

Factors Responsible For Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution has a variety of causes. One of the most prominent is the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas by power plants, factories and automobiles. This produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, which is a major contributor to global climate change. Other sources of environmental pollution include agricultural practices, such as over-fertilization and the use of pesticides, and industrial processes, such as mining, manufacturing and waste disposal.

What Can We Do

To prevent environmental pollution, we must reduce the emissions of various pollutants. We can do this by switching to renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. We should reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and use more efficient transportation methods. We should also reduce the emissions of harmful industrial chemicals and practise sustainable agriculture. Additionally, we should increase public awareness of environmental pollution and its impacts, and promote eco-friendly lifestyles.

By understanding the causes and effects of environmental pollution, we can work towards preventing it and ensuring a cleaner, healthier environment for all. Awarness and knowledge is essential in this regard, as it helps us to become more conscious and informed citizens. It helps us understand the importance of protecting and preserving the environment and make us more responsible citizens.

The world is facing an ever-growing threat from pollution, which if left unchecked will have catastrophic consequences. Education and taking conscious action plan can play a key role in helping to reduce environmental pollution.

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Bio Medical Engineer

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The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

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Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

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The role of geotechnical engineer in mining includes designing and determining the type of foundations, earthworks, and or pavement subgrades required for the intended man-made structures to be made. Geotechnical engineering jobs are involved in earthen and concrete dam construction projects, working under a range of normal and extreme loading conditions. 

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How fascinating it is to represent the whole world on just a piece of paper or a sphere. With the help of maps, we are able to represent the real world on a much smaller scale. Individuals who opt for a career as a cartographer are those who make maps. But, cartography is not just limited to maps, it is about a mixture of art , science , and technology. As a cartographer, not only you will create maps but use various geodetic surveys and remote sensing systems to measure, analyse, and create different maps for political, cultural or educational purposes.

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Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Product Manager

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Investment Banker

An Investment Banking career involves the invention and generation of capital for other organizations, governments, and other entities. Individuals who opt for a career as Investment Bankers are the head of a team dedicated to raising capital by issuing bonds. Investment bankers are termed as the experts who have their fingers on the pulse of the current financial and investing climate. Students can pursue various Investment Banker courses, such as Banking and Insurance , and  Economics to opt for an Investment Banking career path.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Operations manager.

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Bank Probationary Officer (PO)

Welding engineer.

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

An expert in plumbing is aware of building regulations and safety standards and works to make sure these standards are upheld. Testing pipes for leakage using air pressure and other gauges, and also the ability to construct new pipe systems by cutting, fitting, measuring and threading pipes are some of the other more involved aspects of plumbing. Individuals in the plumber career path are self-employed or work for a small business employing less than ten people, though some might find working for larger entities or the government more desirable.

Construction Manager

Individuals who opt for a career as construction managers have a senior-level management role offered in construction firms. Responsibilities in the construction management career path are assigning tasks to workers, inspecting their work, and coordinating with other professionals including architects, subcontractors, and building services engineers.

Urban Planner

Urban Planning careers revolve around the idea of developing a plan to use the land optimally, without affecting the environment. Urban planning jobs are offered to those candidates who are skilled in making the right use of land to distribute the growing population, to create various communities. 

Urban planning careers come with the opportunity to make changes to the existing cities and towns. They identify various community needs and make short and long-term plans accordingly.

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Naval Architect

A Naval Architect is a professional who designs, produces and repairs safe and sea-worthy surfaces or underwater structures. A Naval Architect stays involved in creating and designing ships, ferries, submarines and yachts with implementation of various principles such as gravity, ideal hull form, buoyancy and stability. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Veterinary Doctor

Pathologist.

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Speech Therapist

Gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

Hospital Administrator

The hospital Administrator is in charge of organising and supervising the daily operations of medical services and facilities. This organising includes managing of organisation’s staff and its members in service, budgets, service reports, departmental reporting and taking reminders of patient care and services.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Videographer

Multimedia specialist.

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning). 

Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French , German , Italian . 

Public Relation Executive

Travel journalist.

The career of a travel journalist is full of passion, excitement and responsibility. Journalism as a career could be challenging at times, but if you're someone who has been genuinely enthusiastic about all this, then it is the best decision for you. Travel journalism jobs are all about insightful, artfully written, informative narratives designed to cover the travel industry. Travel Journalist is someone who explores, gathers and presents information as a news article.

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

Merchandiser.

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Metallurgical Engineer

A metallurgical engineer is a professional who studies and produces materials that bring power to our world. He or she extracts metals from ores and rocks and transforms them into alloys, high-purity metals and other materials used in developing infrastructure, transportation and healthcare equipment. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

ITSM Manager

Information security manager.

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

Business Intelligence Developer

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Essay on Pollution: Samples in 100, 150 and 200 Words

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  • Updated on  
  • Nov 23, 2023

Essay on Pollution

As the world embraced urbanization, mother nature witnessed the greener lands getting transformed into modern cities and metropolises. What followed is a trail of natural disasters signalling that something is wrong with the planet earth. Pollution is increasingly asked under the writing section in school and college tests as well as competitive exams . This is because it is a relevant environmental issue today. This blog aims to help you with the necessary knowledge as well as tips and tricks to draft a well-written essay on pollution.

Related Read: Women Empowerment Essay

What is Pollution?

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These materials are called pollutants. They can be created by human activity like trash and natural like volcanic ash. Pollutants damage the quality of water, air and land. Pollution is a global problem. Air and water carry pollution into the ocean currents and migrating fish. Pollution is among the many things that harm our planet- once greener and healthier than it is now. Pollution is a dangerous phenomenon that is contributing to an array of health issues.

Essay on Pollution

Types of Pollution

In simple terms, pollution is defined as the contamination of the physical and biological constituents in the earth’s atmosphere. It affects human life and the natural environment to a very great extent. It degrades our natural resources, from the water we drink to the air we breathe. While writing an essay on Pollution, you must mention the major four types of pollution which are as follows:

  • Air Pollution : Air pollution is the contamination of air in the atmosphere when harmful or excessive quantities of substances such as smoke and harmful gases from industries, CFCs and oxides produced by automobiles, the burning of solid wastes, etc. are introduced into the environment.
  • Water Pollution : This refers to the contamination of natural resources of water, due to the addition of harmful chemical, biological or physical materials, which includes industrial wastes, oil spills, domestic and farm wastes, pesticides, as well as mining and agricultural wastes, to water resource which make it unusable.
  • Soil Pollution : Land/Soil Pollution occurs due to the degradation of the earth’s surface by different commercial, industrial, agricultural and domestic activities. Causes of soil pollution also include mining, deforestation, dumping of e-waste and other industrial wastes, usage of harmful chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides, etc.
  • Noise Pollution : Excess noise due to sounds created by machines, loudspeakers, microphones, loud music, noise from industries, construction and civil engineering works etc. lead to noise pollution.

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Causes and Health Effects of Pollution

You can include various causes and health effects in your essay on Pollution from the following table:-

Add the causes and effects in your essay on Pollution depending upon the word limit allowed to you.

essay on pollution

Format for Essay on Pollution

Before writing an essay on Pollution, students must be familiarised with the format of essay writing. The key elements of the essay format are Introduction, Body of Content and Conclusion. Take a look at the following paragraphs which delve deeper into the details of these features as per a 200-250 word essay:

  • Introduction – The introduction of the essay must be on providing an overview of the given topic. For an essay on Pollution, you can begin with a simple definition or thought-provoking sentence and complete it in about around 60 words. Since, it is the first thing the reader looks at, try to make it interesting by adding recent instances and impactful questions.
  • Body of Content – This area of the content comes after the introduction and can be explained in around 100-120 words, describing the given topic in detail. So, in writing about pollution, you can describe how the atmosphere and the environment are getting affected due to Pollution and list down various ways to prevent pollution.
  • Conclusion – Wrapping up your essay, this part comprises around 50 words. Try to bring a positive outlook on the issue you are discussing or conclude by summing up in a concise way.

Also Read: Essay on Pollution in Hindi

environmental essays on pollution

Sample Essay on Pollution in 100 Words

Polllution is the addition of unwanted susbstances which are incorporated into the environment that can damage our Earth. There are mainly four tyoes of pollutions, these inlcude water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution, and noise pollution. One should note that any form of pollution is the result of careless activity carried out by man. We, humans on a daily basis dump waste directly into water bodies which leads to water pollution. Vehicle emissions of smoke into the atmosphere impede the ability of all living things to breathe, leading to air pollution. Our garbage is dumped into landfills directly, which results in soil pollution. Although it cannot be seen, noise pollution is a severe type of pollution that can harm our ears.

Sample Essay on Pollution in 250- 300 Words

The biggest threat planet earth is facing is pollution. Unwanted substances leave a negative impact once released into an environment. There are four types of pollution air, water, land, and noise. Pollution affects the quality of life more than any human can imagine. Due to air pollution, even teenage kids have developed various respiratory diseases. Water pollution has led to diseases in children. The waste we humans dump on the land or chemical fertilisers which are put on the land for agricultural purposes causes land/ soil pollution. If the soil quality deteriorates due to such practices, the soil will become infertile and no crops could be grown in future. The government has launched various schemes over the years to fight pollution but individual efforts can also play a vital role. Start by replacing plastic bags for shopping with cloth bags, stopping littering on roads and stop wasting water are some of the basic things to start with that can lead to big changes in the environment.

Sample Essay on Pollution in 300-350 Words

One of the most critical threats faced by our planet in the present day scenario. Environmental pollution is a global issue affecting people around the world. It is occurring in different forms, whether by affecting the air we breathe or the water resources we utilise for several purposes. Air pollution came into being with an increase in the level of carbon dioxide, with the increase in pollutants which are contaminating the air and causing breathing discomfort as well as skin diseases to human beings. Talking about the other aspect, there is no life without water. The water bodies are polluting and becoming unsafe for drinking or any other use because of industrial development, rapid urbanisation and various other reasons. Due to air pollution, diseases that can occur to human beings are asthma, various skin diseases, cancer, etc. Therefore, it is the essential need of the hour to take serious steps to reduce pollution to its core. At a personal level, we can minimise environmental pollution by taking public transport or carpools to reduce vehicular smoke, avoiding firecrackers at festivals and celebrations can also cut down on air and noise pollution, and not using fertilisers and pesticides which can cause both water and soil pollution, and switching over to organic farming. The government can also bring strict rules and regulations to lessen industrial pollution.  To sum up, any type of pollution is harmful to the environment with serious consequences like global warming, uneven climatic changes, etc. Due to our greediness and illegal human activities, the innocent lives of animals are lost. The time has come to join our hands and work towards preserving and protecting the environment for the present as well as future generations.

Also Read: Essay on Environment: Examples and Tips

environmental essays on pollution

Tips on How to Write an Essay on Pollution

Before you start writing your essay on Pollution, make a note of the following things:-

  • Make points of what types of pollution and compulsorily add air, water and noise pollution
  • Make a list of what causes and effects do you want to write about
  • Ensure that everything you want to write about is factually correct
  • Try to write shorter and readable sentences. There should be a connection amongst all 3 parts of the essay on Pollution- introduction, body and conclusion

How to Reduce or Prevent Pollution?

Everyone has a responsibility to take action to prevent pollution after learning about its negative impacts. Every preventive measure that can be taken to lessen pollution should be known to us. For example, to reduce air pollution, we should refrain from lighting fireworks during festivals, take public transportation or carpool, limit the use of loudspeakers, and reduce noise pollution by honking in public. This circumstance should always be on our minds so that we can respond appropriately. In the beginning, it is up to us to exercise caution and to raise awareness among those around us. We should take environmentally beneficial measures, such as increasing tree planting, lowering plastic usage, utilising more sustainable household products, etc. Always keep in mind that every tiny action now will have a greater effect tomorrow when discussing global pollution.

Tips on Reducing Pollution

environmental essays on pollution

  • Say NO to Crackers
  • Use Public Transportation
  • Turn off the lights, fans and water taps when not in use
  • Recycle and Reuse
  • Segregate your waste
  • Say NO to Plastic
  • Plant more trees
  • Use of fans instead of ACs

How Often Does an Essay on Pollution Come in School Exams?

In your school exams, an essay on Pollution will come in your English language paper. Environmental Science is a subject every school teaches so you can pick up some points from the chapters on Pollution and add them to your essay. An essay on Pollution is asked very often if not every year (with one or two other choices of topic) because of its significance in today’s world.

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Nikita Puri

Nikita is a creative writer and editor, who is always ready to learn new skills. She has great knowledge about study abroad universities, researching and writing blogs about them. Being a perfectionist, she has a habit of keeping her tasks complete on time before the OCD hits her. When Nikita is not busy working, you can find her eating while binge-watching The office. Also, she breathes music. She has done her bachelor's from Delhi University and her master's from Jamia Millia Islamia.

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Essay on Environmental Pollution

Students are often asked to write an essay on Environmental Pollution in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Environmental Pollution

Introduction.

Environmental pollution refers to the introduction of harmful substances into the environment. These pollutants can damage our natural resources, making them unsafe or unsuitable for use.

Types of Pollution

There are several types of pollution including air, water, soil, and noise pollution. Each type poses a unique threat to our environment and health.

Pollution affects every aspect of the environment. It harms wildlife, damages habitats, and can cause health problems in humans.

To protect our environment, we must reduce pollution. This involves conscious efforts from everyone to make sustainable choices.

Also check:

  • Paragraph on Environmental Pollution
  • Speech on Environmental Pollution

250 Words Essay on Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution, a global menace, has been escalating at an alarming rate, posing a significant threat to our planet’s biodiversity and human health. The reckless exploitation of natural resources and relentless industrialization have been the primary contributors to this predicament.

Types of Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is primarily classified into air, water, and soil pollution. Air pollution, caused by the release of harmful gases and particulates, leads to respiratory diseases and global warming. Water pollution, on the other hand, is the result of dumping untreated waste and chemicals into water bodies, causing harm to aquatic life and contaminating drinking water. Soil pollution, caused by the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, affects plant growth and can lead to food contamination.

Impacts of Environmental Pollution

The impacts of environmental pollution are far-reaching and devastating. It not only disrupts ecosystems but also contributes to biodiversity loss, climate change, and human health issues. The increase in the Earth’s average temperature, melting ice caps, and rising sea levels are all consequences of pollution-induced global warming.

In conclusion, environmental pollution is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention and action. It is crucial for us, as responsible inhabitants of this planet, to adopt sustainable practices and encourage others to do the same. The future of our planet rests in our hands, and every step taken towards its preservation counts.

500 Words Essay on Environmental Pollution

Introduction to environmental pollution.

Environmental pollution, a global concern, is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment causing adverse changes. These pollutants, usually generated by human activities, upset the balance of ecosystems, affecting their inhabitants and the environment itself.

The Different Types of Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution manifests in various forms. Air pollution, caused by industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust, leads to global warming and respiratory illnesses. Water pollution, resulting from industrial waste, oil spills, and plastic waste, has devastating effects on aquatic life and water quality. Soil pollution, due to agricultural chemicals and waste disposal, impairs plant growth and can contaminate food sources. Noise pollution, often overlooked, can cause stress and hearing loss in both humans and animals.

The Impact of Environmental Pollution on Biodiversity

Environmental pollution severely affects biodiversity. Pollutants can cause immediate harm to organisms or subtly alter habitats over time, leading to reduced species diversity. For instance, oil spills can kill marine life instantly, while acid rain, a byproduct of air pollution, slowly makes lakes uninhabitable for many species. Such changes can disrupt ecosystems, as species interdependencies are complex and often poorly understood until a key species is lost.

Human Health and Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution also poses significant risks to human health. Air pollution can lead to respiratory diseases and cancer, while contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illnesses and other diseases. Prolonged exposure to noise pollution can result in hearing impairment and stress-related conditions. Furthermore, pollution-induced changes in the environment can lead to resource scarcity, contributing to conflicts and migration.

The Role of Legislation and Public Awareness

Effective legislation and public awareness are crucial in combating environmental pollution. Strict laws can regulate pollutant emissions, waste disposal, and resource use. However, laws alone are not enough. Public awareness and education about the harmful effects of pollution are necessary to stimulate behavioral changes. When individuals understand the impact of their actions, they are more likely to adopt sustainable practices.

Conclusion: The Urgency of Addressing Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is a complex issue that requires immediate attention. Its impacts are far-reaching, affecting biodiversity, human health, and social stability. While legislation can provide a framework for action, public awareness and individual responsibility are key to achieving a sustainable future. By understanding and addressing environmental pollution, we can help ensure the health and longevity of our planet.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

  • Essay on Environment
  • Essay on Empathy
  • Essay on Education

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Essay on Environmental Pollution for Students in 1200 Words

Essay on Environmental Pollution for Students and Children in 1000 Words

In this article we have published an essay on environmental pollution for students and children in 1000+ words. It includes history, sources, types, effects and control measures for environmental pollution.

You can also read a detailed article on Pollution – What is Pollution? Complete Guide (Click Here)

Table of Contents

Essay on Environmental Pollution (1000 Words)

Mixing of contaminants into the natural environment, which causes an adverse change in the environment, is known as environmental pollution.

Environmental pollution can take the shape of chemical substances or energy, like noise, heat, or light. Pollutants, the components of Pollution, are often either foreign substances/energies or present contaminants. Pollution is usually classed as the beginning or non-point source pollution.

In 2015, Pollution killed 9 million people within the world. Significant sorts of environmental Pollution include Pollution, light pollution, littering, sound Pollution, plastic Pollution, soil contamination, radioactive contamination, Pollution, visual Pollution, Pollution.

History of Pollution

Air pollution has always accompanied civilizations and has been a significant lead in environmental Pollution.

Pollution started from prehistoric times when man created the primary fires, “soot” was found on ceilings of ancient caves provides ample evidence of the high levels of air pollution was created because of inadequate ventilation of open fires.”

The creation of metal forging has played a crucial turning point in creating severe air pollution levels outside the houses. Core samples of glaciers in Greenland show increases in Pollution related to Greek, Roman, and Chinese metal production.

What Are Sources of Pollution?

The burning of coal and wood, the presence of many horses in concentrated areas, made the cities the first sources of Pollution. The economic Revolution brought an infusion of untreated chemicals and wastes into local streams that served because of the water system.

The burning of sea-coal was banned in London by King Edward I of England after its smoke became a problem; the fuel was so prevalent in England that this earliest of names for it had been gained because it might be carted far away from some shores by the wheelbarrow.

It was the economic Revolution that gave birth to environmental Pollution as we all know it today. London also recorded one among the sooner extreme cases of water quality problems with the excellent Stink on the Thames of 1858, which led to the construction of the London sewerage system soon afterward.

Pollution issues escalated as an increase far exceeded the viability of neighborhoods to handle their waste problem. The reformers claimed the demand for sewer systems and clean water.

The large quantities of coal were consumed by the emerging factories giving rise to unprecedented Pollution. This led to an enormous volume of chemical discharge, which added to the growing load of untreated wastes — the first two American cities Chicago and Cincinnati to enact laws ensuring cleaner air in 1881.

In the early twentieth century, environmental Pollution became a severe issue as progressive reformers took effect with Pollution caused by coal burning. Pollution caused by inadequate sanitation and street pollution caused by the three million horses who worked in American cities in the 1900s generated vast quantities of urine and manure.

Nuclear weapons continued to be tested within the conflict, especially within the earlier stages of their development. Though extreme care has been taken but still disastrous, incidents like those at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima pose a lingering specter of public mistrust.

Worldwide publicity has been intense in those disasters. Widespread support for ban treaties has ended most nuclear testing within the atmosphere.

Pollution introduced by light in the dark is becoming a global problem, more severe in urban centers, but also contaminating vast territories, distant from towns. Increasing evidence of global and local Pollution and public information available over time has given rise to public awareness, which has to lead to the environmental movement to limit the human impact on the environment.

What Are the Major Types of Environmental Pollution?

1. air pollution.

Read more about – Air pollution

Air pollution may be a mixture of solid particles and gases within the air. Car emissions, chemicals from factories, dust, pollen, and mold spores could also be suspended as particles.

Ozone, a gas, maybe a significant part of Pollution in cities. When ozone forms Pollution, it is also called smog. Some air pollutants are poisonous.

2. Plastic Pollution

Read more about – Plastic Pollution

Plastic Pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g., plastic bottles, bags, and microbeads) within the Earth’s environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans. Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro – or macro debris supported size.

3. Soil Pollution

Read more about – Soil Pollution

Soil is the thin layer of inorganic and organic materials that covers the rocky surface of the Earth, which gets polluted because of the persistent toxic compounds, salts, radioactive material, etc. which has an adverse effect on the health of the soil.

4. Water Pollution

Read more about – Water Pollution

The contamination of water bodies because of human activities is known as water pollution. Water bodies include, for instance, lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, and groundwater; the release of waste and contaminants into surface runoff flowing to surface waters groundwater pollution from waste disposal and leaching into the bottom, including from pit latrines and septic tanks; eutrophication and littering.

It includes urban runoff and agricultural runoff, which can contain chemical fertilizers and pesticides; also including human feces from open defecation–still a severe problem in many developing countries.

5. Radioactive Pollution

Read more about – Radioactive Pollution

The dangerous Pollution is defined as the release of poisonous substance because of the results of freedom of radioactive materials into the environment during nuclear explosions and testing of atomic weapons, the weapon of mass destruction production and decommissioning mining of radioactive ores, handling and disposal of radioactive material, and accidents at nuclear power plants.

Effects of Environmental Pollution

There are adverse effects of Pollution on all living organisms on Earth. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory illness, disorder, throat inflammation, pain, and congestion. Pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly thanks to contamination of beverage by untreated sewage in developing countries.

About 500 million Indians haven’t any access to a correct toilet, over ten million people in India fell ill with waterborne illnesses in 2013, and 1,535 people died, most of them children.

Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to a safe beverage. A 2010 analysis estimated that 1.2 million people died prematurely annually in China because of Pollution. The top smog levels China has been facing for an extended time can damage to civilians’ bodies and generate uncommon diseases.

The WHO estimated in 2007 that Pollution causes half 1,000,000 deaths per annum in India. Studies have determined uncommon diseases that the number of individuals killed annually within us might be over 50,000.

Also read – Rainwater Harvesting

Environmental Health Information

The Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP) at our National Library of drugs (NLM) maintains a comprehensive toxicology and environmental health internet site that has access to resources produced by TEHIP and by other government organizations.

This links to the database, bibliographies, and tutorials are included in the internet site. TOXMAP may be a Geographic data system (GIS) that’s a part of TOXNET. TOXMAP uses maps of us to assist users visually explore data from our Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory and Superfund Basic Research Programs.

How to Control Environmental Pollution?

Environmental pollution management (Solutions) termed pollution control, to control emissions and effluents into the water, air, or soil.

The waste products generated from various types of human activities like agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation, overconsumption, heating, etc. with pollution control, whether they accumulate or disperse, will degrade the environment.

Within the hierarchy of controls, pollution prevention and waste minimization are more desirable than pollution control. Within the field of exploitation, low-affected development may be a similar technique to prevent urban runoff.

Hope you liked this educational essay on environmental pollution for students.

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Water Pollution: a Global Imperative for Health and Environment

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environmental essays on pollution

Environmental Pollution and Human Health Essay

Understanding where and how individuals are exposed to environmental toxins is essential. The essay compares and contrasts five different articles that relate to the environment. However, the articles differ because Pohanka et al.’s article focuses on the environmental impacts on health. Some people rely on vehicles, increasing air pollution, while others do not (Pohanka, 2004). In contrast, Segedy’s article emphasizes how car dependency impacts people negatively, mainly how some individuals depend on cars when traveling, which later ruins their health, while others do not depend on cars. Nations should establish various laws and strategies to lessen Sprawl impacts and overdependence on cars to prevent several grave health issues and fatalities.

Urban sprawl has been a major problem impacting various nations. The effects of sprawl on health workers are discussed in the article by Pohanka. The problem of urban sprawl, which affects the entire country, will be around for a while. Sprawl can have various adverse effects on one’s health, ranging from minor to severe (Pohanka, 2004). Frumkin’s article explores the connection between sprawl and health (Frumkin, 2002).

Environmental influences include air contamination, heat, corporeal activity patterns, traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries, water amount and quality, mental well-being, and social investment. People are not equally affected by sprawl, and those most impacted need special consideration (Frumkin, 2002). The development of policies must take health into account. It is similarly essential to take social justice and fairness into account because the effects of sprawl on population health are unevenly distributed. Workers cannot be isolated from the potential consequences of pollutants in their surroundings as they travel to and from work. Therefore, occupational health nurses must address these issues at work and in their communities.

Owen praises the incredible density of urban areas like Manhattan for their “greenness” in the article “Green Manhattan.” According to him, New York is the greenest biosphere’s largest metropolises and the greenest neighborhood in the United States. Due to the city’s densely populated, New Yorkers mostly use public transportation, consume fewer fossil fuels, and rely on skyscrapers, which require less energy to heat and cool each square foot of internal space than houses (Owen, 2004). Owen’s use of the word “density” makes it possible to imagine Seoul as a “green” location. Seoul produces fewer greenhouse gasses, is more energy conserved, and has less garbage per capita than suburban areas, resembling numerous qualities of Manhattan that Owen lists.

The overreliance on automobiles is a topic covered in Segedy’s article, “Baby Boomers Aging in a Car-Dependent World.” Humans started reorienting our towns and communities around the car much earlier than that, even though this shift to an engine society is typically seen as occurring after World War II (Segedy, 2018). There was almost one car for every American home, even in 1930, at the start of the Great Depression. Our surroundings will not be the same again because the genie was released from the bottle.

The goal of Zipper’s article, “The Incredibly Obvious Way to Reduce Road Deaths That Goes Ignored,” is to lessen the number of people who die on the roads due to collisions. For various reasons, taking public transportation is generally safer than operating a vehicle. The exclusive right of way given to trains (and occasionally buses) reduces the likelihood of collisions (Zipper, 2022). In comparison to automobiles, buses and trains are pretty hefty; “you are effectively in a steel suit,” as Savage put it; this provides passengers with more safety (Zipper, 2022). Another problem is the comparatively slow speed of city buses; when horrible things happen, they usually are not all that bad.

In conclusion, several people worldwide die yearly due to living or working conditions, such as environmental conditions that eventually cause death and overdependence on cars, which eventually exposes people to accidents and hence death. Heart disease, lymphoma, and respiratory conditions can all be made worse by environmental contaminants. People with lower incomes are more likely to live in polluted areas and have exposure to polluted water. Additionally, children and pregnant individuals are more in danger of pollution-related medical conditions.

Frumkin, H. (2002). Urban sprawl and public health. Public Health Reports , 117 (3), 201. Web.

Owen, D. (2004). Green Manhattan . New Yorker . Web.

Pohanka, M., & Fitzgerald, S. (2004). Urban sprawl and you: How sprawl adversely affects worker health. AAOHN Journal , 52 (6), 242–246. Web.

Segedy, J. (2018). Baby boomers are aging in a car-dependent world . The American Conservative . Web.

Zipper, D. (2022). The incredibly obvious way to reduce road deaths that goes ignored . Slate. Web.

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  • Published: 06 March 2024

Plastic pollution amplified by a warming climate

  • Xin-Feng Wei   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7165-793X 1 ,
  • Wei Yang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0198-1632 2 &
  • Mikael S. Hedenqvist   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6071-6241 1  

Nature Communications volume  15 , Article number:  2052 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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  • Climate-change impacts
  • Environmental chemistry
  • Environmental impact

Climate change and plastic pollution are interconnected global challenges. Rising temperatures and moisture alter plastic characteristics, contributing to waste, microplastic generation, and release of hazardous substances. Urgent attention is essential to comprehend and address these climate-driven effects and their consequences.

Earth’s global average temperature has increased by approximately 1 °C above pre-industrial levels with a current rate of ca. 0.2 °C per decade, primarily due to huge greenhouse gas emissions 1 . The Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C is projected to be breached in the near term 2 . Extreme regional heatwaves are also showing immediate and marked temperature spikes, sometimes exceeding 10 °C above normal levels 3 . In 2022, extreme heatwaves led to temperature records in many regions (e.g., 40.3 °C in the United Kingdom and 49.1 °C at Smara (Morocco)) 4 . In 2023, the trend continued with July being the hottest month ever recorded 3 . The frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves have all increased 5 . In Phoenix, Arizona, during July 2023, all days except one, exhibited a maximum temperature exceeding 110 °F (43 °C) 3 . The high temperatures have caused severe impacts on ecosystems and societies, including excess mortality, wildfires, and harvest failures 4 . This will get even worse in the future as heatwaves are projected to be more intense, frequent, and prolonged due to the enhanced global warming 5 , and developing El Niño conditions 6 , 7 . In addition, a warmer atmosphere increases the evaporation of moisture and, with each 1 °C rise in temperature, saturated air can hold 7% more water vapor 8 . The average moisture content of the atmosphere has increased by approximately 4% since the 1970s 8 .

Deteriorated properties and increased waste

Polymer materials, mainly plastics and rubbers, are notably sensitive to temperature and moisture fluctuations. As temperatures rise, polymers undergo thermal expansion, leading to inferior properties 9 . Commonly used plastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride can experience an over 20% decrease in stiffness with a service temperature rise from 23/24 to 40 °C 10 , 11 . Time-dependent changes in mechanical properties, such as creep (slow deformation process of materials under constant or varying load), and stress relaxation (the decrease in stress response under sustained deformation), will also accelerate. Furthermore, rising temperatures negatively affect other important properties, such as gas and water vapor barrier properties in food packaging, essential for food preservation. For example, ethylene vinyl alcohol, a common gas barrier polymer, can experience a reduction of over 75 % in oxygen barrier efficiency as the temperature increases from 23 to 40 °C 12 , potentially leading to food spoilage.

In addition to these immediate effects, a warming climate speeds up long-term property loss due to accelerated ageing 9 . Polymers degrade/age over time from factors like heat, light, moisture, chemicals, and mechanical stress, involving oxidation, UV degradation, hydrolysis, biodegradation, and additive migration 9 , 13 . Temperature is a key factor in all these processes. According to the Arrhenius law, the degradation rate increases exponentially with increasing temperature – with a typical activation energy of 50 kJ/mol for plastic degradation, every 10-degree temperature rise doubles the degradation rate 13 .

For hygroscopic polymers, such as thermoplastic starch and other biopolymers, polyamides, and polyesters, moist conditions can add to the negative effects of rising temperature. Water is a powerful “plasticizer” in systems where the uptake is sizeable, leading to a softer and weaker material. Water uptake may also increase the creep rate and the risk of degradation through hydrolysis.

A warmer climate therefore exposes polymers to more challenging conditions, resulting in the deterioration of plastic properties in both the short and long terms. This leads to more frequent failures of plastic components and products, resulting in reduced durability and shorter service life. Consequently, failed products often need to be replaced, increasing the generation of plastic waste and exacerbating the problem of plastic pollution. Extensively degraded plastic waste is generally unsuitable for traditional recycling due to property loss, increasing the likelihood of such waste being excluded from current plastic waste management systems and ending up in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Escalated leaching risk of plastic-associated chemicals

Over 13,000 chemicals are associated with plastics and their production, and among them over 3,200 have been identified as potential concerns due to their hazardous properties 14 . These chemicals consist of residual monomers/oligomers from the polymerization process, compounds formed during polymer degradation, and a wide range of additives like lubricants, flame retardants, plasticizers, antioxidants, colorants, and UV/heat stabilizers 14 . These hazardous chemicals can be emitted and released throughout the plastic lifecycle, posing risks to ecosystems and humans. As temperatures rise, both the diffusion and evaporation rates of the species accelerate, intensifying the leaching of these substances into the air, soil, and water 15 . In addition, the accelerated ageing processes in a warmer climate result in faster production of hazardous degradation products 16 . This amplifies the risk of plastic-associated chemicals entering our ecosystems. As a common example, temperature significantly influences the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from automobile interior plastic and elastomer components, potentially causing ‘sick car syndrome’ 14 . In the case of hygroscopic polymers, the combination of high temperatures and high relative humidity may exacerbate the release of chemicals further.

Increased microplastic risk

Another concern regarding plastic pollution is the formation of microplastics (tiny particles under 5 mm), due to their persistence, wide distribution, and adverse effects. They originate from the manufacturing of plastics (primary sources) and the gradual degradation of plastic items (secondary sources) 17 . A warmer climate accelerates polymer degradation 9 and thus the breakdown of plastic items into smaller species, substantially expediting the generation of secondary microplastics. Accelerated ageing yields microplastics with a greater degree of degradation, which can increase their toxicity due to the accumulation of degradation products in the microplastic particles. The ageing process profoundly alters the physicochemical properties of these microplastics, subsequently affecting their environmental behaviors 16 . These changes encompass surface charge, biofilm formation, transportation, adsorption behaviors, and interactions with their surroundings 16 . For instance, as microplastics age, their surface roughness tends to increase and their hydrophobicity decreases. These changes make them more conducive to bacterial colonization and the subsequent formation of biofilms 16 . Therefore, the acceleration of plastic degradation, induced by a warmer climate, not only increases the rate at which microplastics are generated but also enhances the ecotoxicity of the formed microplastic particles. This further exacerbates the issue of microplastic pollution and poses long-lasting risks to living organisms in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. In aquatic environments, the rising water temperatures, often due to marine heatwaves and global warming, also hasten the degradation of plastic litter and the subsequent release of microplastics. Note that microplastics also experience accelerated ageing in a warming climate, which leads to quicker fragmentation into nanoplastics and their eventual disintegration. This implies that plastics have a reduced persistence in environments under conditions of climate warming.

Increased demands for plastics

Climate change may also significantly increase the demand for materials with the properties of plastics in various applications. With rising temperatures, the need for electrical appliances, such as air conditioners, fans, and refrigerators, all of which heavily rely on plastic components, escalates, as observed in Europe during hot summers 18 . Additionally, initiatives such as renewable energy projects, electrification of transportation, and climate-resilient infrastructure require a significant number of plastic components. Intensified climate-related disasters like wildfires, floods, hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons also contribute to plastic demand as they require plastics for reconstruction, emergency shelters, personal protective equipment (PPE), and humanitarian aid supplies. These disasters, unfortunately, lead to the widespread destruction of plastics in use, converting them into waste within the affected area on a massive scale. This heightened demand for plastics leads to increased production, consumption, and subsequent waste generation, exacerbating the issue of plastic pollution. Thus, carefully managing plastic use in climate projects is crucial, ensuring our efforts are both environmentally effective and sustainable in material use.

A vicious circle

To conclude, a warming climate has consequences for the use, ageing, and disposal of plastics, fueling plastic pollution with more waste generation, increased release of chemicals from plastics, and generation of more microplastics. On the other hand, the plastic industry is widely known as a significant contributor to emissions of greenhouse gases and, consequently, climate change 19 . This creates a paradoxical situation where the changing climate drives the demand for plastic, further contributing to plastic pollution, while at the same time, the increasing production of plastics and elastomers exacerbates climate change. Thus, a self-reinforcing cycle is formed, creating a vicious circle between climate change and plastic pollution (Fig. 1 ).

figure 1

The map in the upper left corner represents the air temperatures in the Eastern Hemisphere 13th of July, 2022 (Source: NASA Earth Observatory, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150083/heatwaves-and-firesscorch-europe-africa-and-asia ).

Despite the significant role of climate change in intensifying plastic pollution 20 , this particular impact remains underemphasized. As global warming and heatwaves intensify, and with plastic production, usage, and waste reaching unprecedented levels, it is imperative that we urgently draw attention and mobilize efforts across all sectors involved in the plastic lifecycle. This encompasses the plastics manufacturing industry, sectors utilizing these materials such as electronics, construction, and food packaging, retailers, consumers, regulatory authorities, governments, environmental organizations, waste management services, and the academic and research community in both the plastics and environmental fields. Such collaboration is essential to enhance our understanding of how climate change affects plastic properties and pollution, both immediately and in the long term.

To effectively tackle the intertwined challenges of plastic pollution and climate change, we need a multi-dimensional strategy that encompasses global policy and regulation, technological advances, improved waste management, public engagement, and international collaboration. This approach should emphasize sustainable practices, economic incentives, community participation, and continual research to reduce environmental impacts effectively. For example, implementing a ban on single-use plastics, advocating for a circular economy through enhanced reuse and recycling of plastic items, and transitioning to alternative materials with lower carbon footprints and diminished environmental impacts, such as certain bio-based or biodegradable options, are crucial measures. These steps are critical in disrupting the vicious cycle of plastic pollution and climate change, addressing both issues collaboratively, and reducing their economic and environmental toll, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and resilient future.

An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)]. (2018) Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, pp. 49–92. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157940.003 .

IPCC, 2023: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, H. Lee and J. Romero (eds.)].IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. 1–34, 10.59327/IPCC/AR6-9789291691647.001. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf .

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Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE–100 44, Stockholm, Sweden

Xin-Feng Wei & Mikael S. Hedenqvist

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Environmental Pollution Essay for Students in English [Easy Words]

January 16, 2021 by Sandeep

Essay on Environmental Pollution: The contamination of our surrounding environment due to hazardous pollutants and unchecked exploitation of natural resources has led to an alarming situation. The degradation of our environment has led to a severe decline in the quality of life. They are damaging the respiratory system and affecting the immunity of living species. Agricultural and industrial wastes have contaminated drinking water and land. There is an overall rise in greenhouse gases, global warming and ozone layer depletion.

Essay on Environmental Pollution in 500 Words

Below we have provided Environmental Pollution Essay in English, suitable for class 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10.

Environmental pollution occurs when artificial substances are introduced into the environment, which over an extended period of exposure, accumulates in the environment and cause adverse effects. Such harmful substances and products are identified as pollutants. As reported by The Guardian in 2017, pollution had already been responsible for about 9 million deaths worldwide. Other than the loss of human lives, it has also severely affected other plant and animal species.

Types of Environmental Pollution

Based on the type and target of the pollutants, pollution is classified in the following types-

Air Pollution : This type of pollution has existed since prehistoric times, ever since man discovered fire. Greenhouse gases are the leading cause of air pollution according to a report by National Geographic published in 2016. Other than them, volatile free radicals, particulate matter (dust), ammonia and chlorofluorocarbons also play a vital role in spreading air pollution.

Water Pollution : When anthropogenic contaminants and natural phenomena (like algal blooms, eutrophication, etc.) impair the natural bodies of water, the process is called water pollution. It has been the reason for the death of 1.8 million people till 2015. Water pollution can be further divided into surface water, marine and groundwater pollution.

Soil Pollution : Contamination of soil through xenobiotic agents (man-made compounds) leads to soil pollution. Most common of these chemicals include petroleum, heavy metals, lead, synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, and industrial wastes. Toxic material also sometimes seeps through the soil and contaminate groundwater, which leads to water pollution too.

Noise Pollution : Noise pollution is defined as the propagation of sound, which has a harmful impact on human and animal lives. Most common noise pollutants are vehicles, machines, construction sites, loud music, etc. This leads to loss of hearing, hypertension and increased risk of CVDs in humans and anxiety and disorientation in animals.

Radioactive and Thermal Pollution: Nuclear energy is one of the most efficient non-conventional sources of energy. Various nuclear power plants have been set up around the world, but the technology and ideas for effective management of power plant wastes have not developed at the same rate. Radioactive waste disposal is a priority waste management issue as it directly affects humans and flora and fauna of the regions. Inefficient disposal techniques cause radioactive pollution.

Measures to Counter Environmental Pollution

Various nations and governments have recognised that exploitation and brazen use of natural resources has been causing serious damage to the environment and have come together to fight pollution and degradation on national and international levels. The impact of human activity on the environment is calculated by using a mathematical formula- I=P×A×T, where I stands for the human impact on the environment, P denotes population, A signifies affluence and T represents technology. Hence, the three key factors that affect the environmental health are human population, economic growth and application of resource depleting and/or polluting technologies.

Environmental scientists have set the following goals which will be beneficial for the people and the natural systems-

  • Controlling pollution by eliminating pollutants and toxicant from the environment
  • Protecting and preserving the biodiversity and ecological habitats
  • Sustainable use and development of natural resources
  • Putting a check on anthropogenic global warming
  • Finding renewable sources of energy and limiting the use of fossil fuels as a source of energy
  • Establishing a higher number of nature reserves, sanctuaries and protected regions to preserve the ecosystem
  • Find a more efficient, sustainable waste management model to reduce littering.
  • Stabilising and gradually decelerating human population growth.

Environmental Pollution Essay

The essay on environmental pollution explains how the earth and its natural resources are under the ever-increasing threat of pollution. All life on earth is threatened by this vicious process initiated by human intervention. The pollutants released from all kinds of human activity, including industrial processes, have had devastating effects on the delicate balance of nature. The most common forms of environmental pollution are air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution. Environmental pollution has to be addressed as the most pressing problem facing humanity now, and solutions have to be implemented before it is too late. Pollution has been causing damage to natural resources in every corner of the world for decades, but it seems that we have been running away from taking any positive measures to mitigate its impact on the environment. This environmental pollution essay in English will help children realise these factors and instruct them to conserve the environment and handle natural resources with the care they deserve.

Environmental Pollution Essay

Reasons for Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is a significant problem in the world today. Some industries release chemicals into the air, which cause harm to the ozone layer that shields us from UV radiation. Some industries release harmful chemicals into water resources. These emissions will be carried by wind and rain and deposited on land or ocean surfaces.

Overpopulation is one of the primary reasons for massive environmental pollution. Besides, it has resulted due to improper waste disposal, hazardous chemical emissions, an increase in the number of factories, and overuse of natural resources.

Suggested Article: Causes of Environmental Pollution

Measures to Avoid Environmental Pollution

With the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, it is possible to limit global warming and reduce pollution at the same time. One of the leading causes of environmental pollution is the production, transportation and disposal of electronic waste. Companies should install recycling systems for computers and cell phones to reduce their need for landfills.

One of the measures to avoid pollution is to reduce the use of plastics. This includes using fewer disposable containers, choosing reusable bags, and reducing the use of plastics. Another way to avoid pollution is by recycling and disposing of waste responsibly.

Help kids learn how to write an essay on environmental pollution by asking them to read this essay.

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Essay on Environmental Pollution: Causes, Effects and Solution

Profile image of Nagaraj Shervegar N

Environmental pollution refers to the introduction of harmful pollutants into the environment. The major types of environmental pollution are air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution, soil pollution and light pollution. Deforestation and hazardous gaseous emissions also leads to environmental pollution. During the last 10 years, the world has witnessed severe rise in environmental pollution. We all live on planet earth, which is the only planet known to have an environment, where air and water are two basic things that sustain life. Without air and water the earth would be like the other planets – no man, no animals, no plants. The biosphere in which living beings have their sustenance has oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and water vapor. All these are well balanced to ensure and help a healthy growth of life in the animal world. This balance does not only help the life-cycles of animals and plants, but it also creates the perennial sources of minerals and energies without which the human civilization of today could not be built. It is for this balance that the human life and other forms of existence have flourished on earth for so many thousands of years. But man, as the most intelligent animal, never stopped being inquisitive, nor was he content with the bounties of nature. His quest for knowledge and search for security succeeded in exploring newer and wider avenues of mysteries that remained baffling so long. Man's excursions into the darkest regions of mysteries laid foundations for the stupendous civilization, for the conquests of men had ensured their domination in their world and gave them a key to control all the forces in nature. With the dawn of the age of science and technology, there has been huge growth and development of human potentials. And, it is here that man first began losing control and became prisoner of his own creations. Sources and Causes The sources and causes of environmental pollution includes the following: • Industrial activities: The industries all over the world that brought prosperity and affluence, made inroads in the biosphere and disturbed the ecological

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CENTRAL ASIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCE

Central Asian Studies

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring contaminants. Although environmental pollution can be caused by natural events, the word pollution generally implies that the contaminants have an anthropogenic source – that is, a source created by human activities. Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution. In 2015, pollution killed nine million people worldwide (one in six deaths). This remained unchanged in 2019, with little real progress against pollution being identifiable. Air pollution accounted for ¾ of these earlier deaths.Major forms of pollution include air pollution, light pollution, litter, noise pollution, plastic pollution, soil contamination, radioactive contamination, thermal pollution, visual pollution, and water pollution.

environmental essays on pollution

Md. Hasib Uddin

Md. H A S I B Uddin

Introduction:-Now a days, environmental pollution is a major cause for concern, not only for us, but also for the whole mankind. In the last century, the rise of this menace assumed so gigantic that it has cast its melancholic shadow on nature itself. The diminishing ozone ionosphere leading to global warming and the unpredictable seasonal variations are some of the adverse effects of worldwide environmental pollution that are threatening to the existence of human beings on this planet.

International Journal of Natural Disasters & Health Security (IJNHS) SciDoc Publishers

Pollution induces harmful effects on environment and health security. Main deep causes will be analyzed including natural disasters like volcanoes eruption, climate change as well as and men-caused disasters which are nuclear explosions and dioxin sprays.

Prof.Dr.Suaad AL-Taai

The importance of the environmental pollution lies in its great impact on human life and the surrounding environment. In addition to its disastrous results that extend for many years, it contributes to crystallize the life of man, animal, and plant. The research discusses the concept of environmental pollution, and all the undesirable changes that occur in the environment. It sheds light on the causes of pollution, especially radiation and chemical types result from cars, fumes, gases, smoke and industrial wastes, which included liquid, solid wastes and others. It emphasizes air pollution, its causes, sources, and effects on humans, animals, plants, and the weather. It has a major role in making a foremost change in temperatures degree. Conceivably, the waste is extremely dangerous, and the smoke, fumes, toxins and unpleasant odors of factories and cars cause a fuel combustion with all its preventive measures and procedures. There is no doubt that the expansion of transportation means will negatively affect the percentage of environmental pollution. The research debates the most important factors and causes of water pollution due to throwing liquid and solid wastes into rivers and lakes. The causes of soil and plant pollution can be linked to the use of large quantities of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which affect the quality of agricultural crops and reduces their fertility. They contribute to the loss of their beneficial organic materials, which harmfully disturbs the life of both humans and animals.

IJERA Journal

Environment Pollution is one of the greatest problems today which is increasing with every passing year and causing crucial and severe damage to the earth. It has become a real problem since the beginning of the industrial revolution. It is the contamination of physical and biological components of the Earth / atmosphere system to such an extent that normal environmental processes are harmed. Pollution of the environment consists of five main types of pollution, namely air, water, soil, noise and light. Development activities such as construction, transport and manufacturing not only deplete natural resources, but also produce large quantities of waste which leads to air pollution, water, soil and the oceans; global warming and acid rain. This paper provides the insight view about the affects of environment pollution in the perspective of air pollution, water and land/ soil waste pollution on human and also provide the ways to save the environment with all these pollution.

Earth is the only known planet which supports life. The environment of earth has made the existence, growth and development of all living beings possible. The word "environment" means surroundings. The environment is polluted in various ways. The dictionary explains pollutions as "The presence dictionary explains pollutions as "The presence in or introduction into the environment of substance which has harmful or poisonous effect." Pollution is the effect of undesirable changes in our surroundings that have harmful effects on plants, animals and human beings. This occurs when only short-term economic gains are made at the cost of the long-term ecological benefits for humanity. No natural phenomenon has led to greater ecological changes than have been made by mankind. During the last few decades we have contaminated our air, water and land on which life itself depends with a variety of waste products. Pollutants: include solid, liquid or gaseous substances present in greater than natural abundance produced due to human activity, which have a detrimental effect on our environment. The nature and concentration of a pollutant determines the severity of detrimental effects on human health. An average human requires about 12 kg of air each day, which is nearly 12 to15 times greater than the amount of food we eat. Thus even a small concentration of pollutants in the air becomes more significant in comparison to the similar levels present in food. Pollutants that enter water have the ability to spread to distant places especially in the marine ecosystem.

Siniša Franjić

The environment is everything that surrounds us. The environment is subject to constant changes that can be caused by natural factors such as soil erosion, earthquakes, floods, fires, and anthropogenic factors such as urbanization, industry, traffic, population growth, the accumulation of waste, and others. Due to the ubiquitous interaction of man in the environment, most often without respecting the natural rhythm in nature, man changes the environment with a harmful effect on biological and landscape diversity and often with negative consequences for human health and quality of life. By neglecting the environment in favor of economic growth and development, man has changed the environment more than any other biological species in a relatively short time with such irresponsible behavior. The consequences of such actions are unsustainable and call into question the future of that same environment. Therefore, protecting and preserving the environment in all spheres of life and work on the basis of sustainability becomes the biggest challenge for modern man and society as a whole.

QUEST JOURNALS

Developmental activities such as construction, transportation and manufacturing not only deplete the natural resources but also produce large amount of wastes that leads to pollution of air, water, soil, and oceans, global warming and acid rains. Untreated or improperly treated waste is a major cause of pollution of rivers and environmental degradation causing ill health and loss of crop productivity. In this research paper a study is undertaken about the major causes of pollution, their effects on our environment and the various measures that can be taken to control such pollutions

Pureheart Irikefe

MATTHIAS OKORO

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A street in Paris.

Air pollution levels have improved in Europe over 20 years, say researchers

But 98% of Europeans live in areas WHO says have unhealthy levels of PM2.5

Air pollution levels have improved in Europe over the past 20 years, research has found.

However, despite these improvements, most of the European population lives in areas exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended levels. About 98% of Europeans live in areas the WHO says have unhealthy levels of small particles known as PM2.5, 80% for larger ones known as PM10, and 86% for nitrogen dioxide.

The study, led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), looked at pollution levels in more than 1,400 regions in 35 European countries, representing 543 million people.

“Targeted efforts are needed to address PM2.5 and ozone levels and associated compound unclean days, especially in the context of rapidly increasing threats from climate change in Europe,” said Zhao-Yue Chen, ISGlobal researcher and lead author of the study.

The results, published in the journal Nature Communications , show that overall suspended particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) levels have decreased in most parts of Europe.

PM10 had annual decreases of 2.72%, PM2.5 had an annual drop of 2.45% and there was a yearly fall in NO 2 of 1.72%.

The tiny particles defined as PM2.5 and PM10 are small enough to embed themselves deep into the lung and have been linked to a wide range of health problems including heart disease, cancer and premature births. They have been estimated to be linked to the early death of more than 400,000 people across Europe each year.

Experts say more than 200,000 of these could be prevented if the air in Europe met World Health Organization guidelines. Particulate pollution comes from the burning of solid and liquid fuels, mostly through power generation, domestic heating and motor traffic. It can also form in the air from chemical reactions between other pollutants.

“Our consistent estimation of population exposure to compound air pollution events provides a solid basis for future research and policy development to address air quality management and public health concerns across Europe,” said Carlos Pérez García-Pando, one of the study authors.

Many European cities have implemented low-emissions zones for vehicles, reducing particulate pollution, and some countries including Poland have reduced their reliance on coal-fired stoves. EU directives on industrial emissions have helped businesses reduce pollution.

However, hotspots remain. During the study period, PM2.5 and PM10 levels were highest in northern Italy and eastern Europe. High NO 2 levels were recorded in northern Italy and in some areas of western Europe, such as in the south of the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. High nitrous oxide levels can contribute to the development of asthma and potentially increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.

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This Shouldn’t Be New York City’s Most Common Tree

The london planetree is a symbol of european settlement, biodiversity collapse, and robert moses..

A nature walk in Bryant Park introduced me to a tree I have come to resent.

Urban naturalist Gabriel Willow was leading a group of birdwatchers around the Midtown square in search of migrating birds. He pointed to the tall, graceful trees branching over the paths—their patterned bark; their soft, pale green leaves—and named them for us. They were London planetrees, and no birds flitted in their boughs.

“You don’t really bother looking at London planes because there’s just not much there,” Willow told me in a recent interview, by which point I’d spent years cultivating a loathing of London planetrees.

Oaks, tulip trees, and other native species attract throngs of songbirds, especially in the spring and fall migration seasons. London planetrees do not. While all trees have physical or chemical defenses, insects in New York City haven’t adapted to the planetrees’ fortifications the way they have with native trees, causing cascading effects throughout the food web. This means fewer plant-eating bugs; in turn, fewer bug-eating birds grace these trees.

Devoid of most critters, the London planetrees are about as sterile as trees can be. And they’re just about everywhere. You might not yet have a strong feeling about these trees, but they’re probably familiar to you. New York City is home to over 87,000 London planetrees, per the Department of Parks and Recreation’s 2015 tree census . That’s 13 percent of all the trees. There are about 23,000 more London planes than the next most abundant species, the honeylocust.

They’re prized in cities throughout the temperate zone for their hardiness and generic good looks—“the city tree par excellence,” according to Henry Lawrence’s book City Trees . By 1900, Lawrence writes, the planetree “was on the way to becoming the most widely planted of all city trees,” having spread from England to continental Europe to North America.

While they do some good, like all trees do, experts say that their negative impacts on biodiversity can’t be ignored.

“If you’re going to put a tree in a city, make it do a number of things—not just be a decoration, not just sequester carbon, but do the best you can in terms of supporting biodiversity as well,” said Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware and a leading native plant advocate.

Their main appeal is that they are tough. London planes became New York City’s street tree of choice in the mid-20 th century because they can tolerate all sorts of disturbances that get thrown at urban street trees. Droughts, downpours, vandalism—even cleaning solutions poured onto the sidewalk don’t seem to affect them.

“It was seen as a gold standard of urban design and was praised for its longevity and hardiness,” said Georgia Silvera Seamans, an urban forester at New York University whose work explores the roles that trees play in cities. “It was seen as a tree that you would plant and it would be able to survive whatever New York City conditions it was planted in.”

Even in the concrete jungle, London planes can grow tall and wide, providing shade and shelter. Those broad canopies absorb rainfall while the roots soak up water in the soil, helping to mitigate flooding. They even capture particulates in the air, which cling to their exterior. When the trees shed their puzzle-piece bark, it’s like they’re exfoliating: They deposit pollutants into the soil, preventing them from entering local waterways or our lungs, while jettisoning damaged bark.

As the name implies, London planes have roots in England , but neither parent species is native to there (a native species being one that has evolved alongside the rest of an ecosystem). They’re a hybrid of the American sycamore (native to what’s now the eastern United States) and Oriental plane (native to eastern Europe and western Asia). They were popularized in London sometime in the 17 th century, but might have originated in Spain—a lot about this tree’s history, including when exactly it arrived in North America , is murky. What matters is that the hybrid London planetree is native to nowhere.

Precise details aside, the same Old World parentage that wards off native insects, plus the crossbreed’s own renowned hardiness, helped planetrees resist the diseases that all but wiped out the American elm and American chestnut, two previously popular street trees. And they’re long-lived—some of the original London planes in England are still alive, now centuries old .

“I don’t want to say they’re indestructible, but they seem to put up with a lot,” said Silvera Seamans.

London planes survived in the city well enough to serve as decorations in an era where trees were mostly seen as objects of aesthetic appeal. In later decades, they’ve also been praised for their role in resisting climate change.

In a 2021 piece for Curbed about stewarding urban nature, Stephanie Foo drew motivation from a London plane that annually sequesters an estimated 10,500 tons of carbon dioxide. As Alison Kinney wrote in a 2017 New Yorker essay romanticizing the planetree, they also help filter rainwater and provide green spaces for New Yorkers.

“Here, like other hardworking immigrants, they performed tireless, invisible labor for the city, sequestering carbon, countering the heat-island effect, and reducing the pollution of storm-water runoff,” Kinney wrote.

I’d say they’re more like settlers than immigrants, though, brought in to impose a colonizer’s ideals upon the landscape.

This was the role of the London plane in Robert Moses’ New York. The pivotal factor in this tree’s spread was how much powerful white men loved the European aesthetic that the preferred street tree of London, Rome , and Paris helped evoke.

It was during Moses’ reign over the Department of Parks and Recreation that the planetree was popularized in the city’s parks and streets. Like expressways tearing through low-income neighborhoods, London planes are said to have been a personal favorite of that shrewd tyrant. Moses seemed to love this tree almost as much as he loathed poor New Yorkers , people of color , and public transit . When Moses consolidated the boroughs’ parks departments into a single citywide office in 1934, the new parks department got a now-familiar logo . That leaf, while officially unspecified, seems to depict a London plane.

Moses and the landscape architects he hired planted London planes everywhere they could as they went. Moses’ subsequent park-building spree featured the tree in every one of his parks. The virtual extinction of both the American elm and chestnut in the first half of the 20 th century cleared the way for planetrees to become urban America’s default tree. They were fashionable, popular, and European—Silvera Seamans described the popularity of the London plane as “a European fever dream in city planning.”

This fad came at a cost to native wildlife, starting with bugs, the vast majority of which are adapted to survive by eating the plants they’ve evolved with. Nonnative species like the London plane are associated with declines in species richness and abundance. A 2012 study in England—where, again, planetrees aren’t native either—found that London planes “are especially poor for insect herbivores and may be particularly unprofitable food sources” for birds. No bugs; no birds.

In my hundreds of hours birdwatching in New York City’s parks, I’ve found that I rarely see birds foraging in a London plane, and even then only when there are no other options. In Bryant Park, species that are typically arboreal can be seen foraging on the ground, which Willow, the naturalist, speculates is due to the sterility of the ubiquitous planetrees. (European starlings are one exception; these invasive birds love to nest in the hollows of London planes.)

With fewer native plants, animals like birds that depend on bugs as a food source are threatened . Reducing the spread of nonnative species, on the other hand, can help prevent declines in insect populations .

One native oak tree can support hundreds of species of caterpillars, while an American sycamore (native, but not especially prolific) can support fewer than 50. Cross that sycamore with a nonnative Oriental plane to get a London planetree, and the number likely plummets even lower. That kind of drop in food availability may have “serious conservation implications,” one study warns . In another study , Tallamy and his co-authors likened the ecological effect of nonnative plantings to that of a food desert.

Nonnative plants can still play important roles in human communities. Lara Roman, a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service, pointed out that while biodiversity is a high priority, it isn’t the only priority. A nonnative species might shade more of the sidewalk or hold special cultural significance.

“It’s not possible to necessarily have win-win-win scenarios every time and always simultaneously achieve all benefits,” Roman said. But if wildlife habitat is the priority, “then yeah, go with the natives,” she said.

“Is the cultural value enough to keep planting a species that doesn’t have a lot of wildlife value?” Silvera Seamans said. “Personally, I think London planetrees are beautiful, but beauty is not enough anymore.”

These days, the New York City parks department recommends planting London planes only sparingly . Though, really, why plant them at all ? They are a relic of a worse time in New York’s history and should be phased out.

We have a model to look toward in the case of the Norway maple, a formerly popular shade tree that was placed on the parks department’s do-not-plant list in 2006 because its prolific seedlings displaced those of native species. In the 2015 tree census, it was down from nearly one-quarter of the city’s trees in 1995 to just 5 percent in 2015.

While the London planetree doesn’t spread as aggressively as Norway maple, we could take the same strict do-not-plant approach in the interests of native biodiversity. It would be counterproductive to cut down the London planes that are currently standing. But we could replace them exclusively with native trees as they die off.

A London plane can sequester carbon dioxide, sure, but so can every other tree, including native species adapted to local ecosystems. Besides, cutting down on CO2 emissions isn’t their responsibility—it’s ours.

Trees these days also don’t have to deal with the same pollution as London planes did in pre–Clean Air Act New York. Tallamy described the idea that native plants aren’t hardy enough to survive in cities as “ridiculous,” pointing to the example of the oaks and elms of Washington, D.C.

If we care about our environments, we ought to reshape our urban forests to better support their ecological communities. Practically speaking, resilient ecosystems also provide innumerable services to the humans living around them, like filtering air and water, mitigating extreme heat, reducing flooding, and supporting populations of crop-pollinating insects. Native plants, according to Tallamy, help keep cities alive.

“Everybody requires functioning ecosystems,” Tallamy said. “It’s not optional. Everybody requires it. That means everybody has the responsibility to help sustain it. Everybody, not just tree huggers.”

I’m with him on this. But just know that I won’t be hugging a London planetree any time soon.

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Nearly Half the States Sue E.P.A. Over New Limits on Deadly Pollution

Republican attorneys general from 24 states said the crackdown on fine industrial particles would raise costs. The E.P.A. said it would save lives.

White clouds of pollution pump out of  several smokestacks into a clear blue sky.

By Lisa Friedman

Manufacturers and 24 states sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday over the Biden administration’s decision to tighten limits on fine industrial particles, one of the most common and deadliest forms of air pollution.

The state lawsuits are led by Republican attorneys general and argue that the E.P.A. overstepped its authority last month when it lowered the annual limits for fine particulate matter to nine micrograms per cubic meter of air, down from the current standard of 12 micrograms.

It was the first time in a decade that the E.P.A. had made it harder for power plants, factories and other polluting facilities to spew fine particulate matter. The tiny particles, known as PM 2.5 because they are 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller, can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and increase the risk of heart disease, asthma and low birth weight.

Michael S. Regan, the E.P.A. administrator, has said the new rule would prevent an estimated 4,500 premature deaths every year, as well as 290,000 lost workdays because of illness. The E.P.A. maintained that the rule also would deliver as much as $46 billion in net health benefits in the first year that the standards are fully implemented.

But the attorneys general said the change would raise costs for manufacturers, utilities and the public. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers filed a separate petition to overturn the regulation. They argued the E.P.A. broke the law by revising the standard without considering “the tremendous costs and burdens,” of its decision, Linda Kelly, the association’s chief legal officer, said in a statement.

Both petitions were filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The lawsuits are part of a campaign led by Republican attorneys general to fight President Biden’s environmental regulations and to weaken the federal government’s ability to regulate industry. They also amount to an election-year attack on Mr. Biden’s campaign message that he is reviving American manufacturing.

“This rule will drive jobs and investment out of Kentucky and overseas, leaving employers and hardworking families to pay the price,” Russell Coleman, Kentucky’s attorney general, said in a statement. Ms. Kelly charged that the regulation “undermines the Biden administration’s manufacturing agenda — stifling manufacturing investment, infrastructure development and job creation in communities across the country.”

Nick Conger, a spokesman for the E.P.A., declined to comment on the lawsuits.

Over the next two years, the E.P.A. is expected to use air sampling to identify areas that do not meet the new standard. States would then have 18 months to develop compliance plans for those areas. By 2032, any that exceed the new standard could face penalties. The Republican attorneys general said that as many as 30 percent of all counties could be out of compliance with the new rule. E.P.A. officials said that they estimate that as few as 59 counties might exceed the new standard.

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce voted along party lines to advance a Republican bill that would make it more difficult for the E.P.A. to set new health standards for air pollution. Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the committee, called the bill a “compilation of misguided handouts to corporate polluters” and predicted it would not become law.

States joining Kentucky in the lawsuit include West Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming.

While all of the states are led by Republican attorneys general, Kentucky and Kansas have Democratic governors, and both had written to the Biden administration before the regulation was finalized to seek changes.

Lisa Friedman is a Times reporter who writes about how governments are addressing climate change and the effects of those policies on communities. More about Lisa Friedman

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