SOLUTIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

SOLUTIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

One of the greatest problems that the world is facing today is that of environmental pollution, increasing with every passing year and causing grave and irreparable damage to the earth. Environmental pollution consists of five basic types of pollution, namely; air, water, soil, noise and light. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances, energies or naturally occurring contaminants.

Having said this, the US $ 64, 000.00 question is; what mechanisms can serve as a panacea or solution to our current state of environment pollution? Let’s consider this from the various forms or angles of environmental pollution.

Now, air pollution is one of the forms of environmental pollution. What at all can serve as solutions to air pollution?

In the first place, air pollution refers to the contamination of air. A physical, biological or chemical alteration to the air in the atmosphere can be termed as pollution. It occurs when any harmful gases, dust, smoke enters into the atmosphere and makes it difficult for plants, animals and humans to survive as the air becomes dirty.

One mechanism that can serve as a solution to air pollution is the need to conserve energy. HOW? When going out, lights and fans must be switched off. The reason is because large amount of fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity and we can save the environment from degradation by reducing the amount of fossil fuels to be burned.

Also, an emphasis on clean energy resources: clean energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal can serve as another mechanism of solution to air pollution. Government of various countries must give a special attention to providing grants to consumers who are interested in installing solar panels for homes and business. This will go a long way to curb air pollution.

The use of energy efficient devices is also another solution factor. CFL lights consume less electricity as against their counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills and also help you to reduce pollution by consuming less energy. We can also look at the use of public mode of transportation. People must be encouraged to use more and more public modes of transportation to reduce pollution. Another thing to reckon with is the use of carpooling. If you and your colleagues come from the same locality and have same timings you can explore this option to save energy and money.

In view of this, these are some of the practical solutions we can deploy to solve the astronomical issue we have with air pollution.

Let’s turn our attention to another form of solutions that can be engaged to solve the issue of soil pollution. Soil pollution has many sources, from agriculture to industry to human activity. Polluted soils affect harm life and, in turn, wildlife. Solutions, therefore, involve not just removing a source of pollution but also cleaning up and restoring the polluted area.

Also, a reduction on our negative impact on the environment can be of help. Despite educational efforts, the average citizen generates more than four pounds of trash daily, more than seventy percent of which ends up in landfills, where toxins leach into the soil. Recycle whenever possible to help ease soil pollution. Use cloth bags instead of paper or plastic at the grocery store, and substitute polycarbonate bottles for plastic water bottles.

Contribute less waste to help prevent soil pollution. Purchase glass and other reusable containers instead of throwing away plastic or paper regularly. Recycle paper and plastic through your local waste management company to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to a landfill. The National Science Digital Library, NSDL, reports that reusing and recycling products will help conserve natural resources and save more land from contamination. Do not burn trash, particularly plastics or tires, because the residue in the smoke will settle and pollute the soil. Do not deposit any harmful substances down the drain, if it’s in the water, it will get into the soil.

In addition, the enforcement and obedience of anti-litter bylaws can contribute to the reduction and solution to soil or land pollution. On the other hand, avoid all chemical use, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides on gardens and lawns.

Finally, we shall consider the solutions to water pollution. Dealing with water pollution is something that everyone (including governments and local councils) needs to get involved with. Here are a few things we can do to help.

In the first place to solve water pollution, we should never throw rubbish away anyhow. This includes places like the beach, riverside and water bodies. Always look for the correct waste bin. Use water wisely. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing. If we do this, we can significantly prevent water shortages and reduce the amount of dirty water that needs treatment. Besides the above, if one lives close to a water body, try to plant lots of trees and flowers around your home, so that when it rains, chemicals from your home does not easily drain into the water.

To add up, do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. Not only but also, the chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides use for farms and gardens must be watched and overuse. This will reduce runoffs of the chemicals into nearby water sources. Start looking at options of composting and using organic manure instead.

In conclusion, the above submissions on the solutions to the various kinds of environmental pollutions are plausible and needs to be engaged by practicing the above provisions.

                                                                                                                                                    BY: A.K.