When huge quantities of harmful chemicals, substances, smoke, and gasses are let out into the environment, it causes pollution. These gasses and chemicals are extremely damaging to human, plant, and animal life. Share some pollution facts with kids so they know about pollution and the inevitable need to control it. Keep reading as we tell you about the various types of pollution and the bitter pollution facts you can share with children.
What is pollution?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines pollution as “the action of polluting especially by environmental contamination with man-made waste”. According to the European Environment Agency, pollution is “the introduction of substances or energy into the environment, resulting in deleterious effects of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources and ecosystems, and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment (1)”.
What are the various types of pollution?
The major types of pollution are air pollution, land pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, and thermal pollution. Let us take a look at each of them, their causes and effects on the environment.
1. Air pollution
Air pollution occurs when large amounts of poisonous gases are released into the atmosphere. The air is polluted due to industrial release of gases, the burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, petrol, etc.,) from automobiles, and the release of methane gasses from animal and landfill wastes. The gases that increase the earth’s temperature and are responsible for global warming are called greenhouse gases. Everyday vehicles like cars, trucks, and buses contribute to air pollution. These vehicles use fossil fuels that emit carbon monoxide into the air.
The effect of air pollution is such that it can lead to asthma, worsen existing respiratory problems, and develop chronic illnesses such as lung cancer, pulmonary diseases, etc.
When smoke and fog is combined, it forms smog, which can cause serious respiratory diseases, including asthma.
One can reduce air pollution by reducing the use of polluting vehicles and shifting to bicycles, and electric or hybrid vehicles, which do not operate on fossil fuels.
2. Land pollution
Land pollution is the result of billions of people dumping the waste on the land.
These wastes consist of harmful chemicals that leak underground and pollute the soil and the deeper layers of the Earth.
We should follow the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. If we reduce our waste and try to reuse them by recycling them, it will cause less harm to our environment.
We need to dispose of trash responsibly to prevent land pollution. Carry the waste to recycling centers, where it is recycled to make new products. This is the most effective way of reducing waste.
3. Water pollution
Water pollution is the pollution of water bodies at the source: like rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and groundwater.
One of the main causes of water pollution is the discharge of industrial effluent, insecticides, fertilizers, food waste, sewage, detergents, and garbage into the water bodies.
The water is also contaminated when people bath, drop feces and wash on the banks.
Maritime trade and increasing shipping activity also release toxic material into the waters, leading to the death of aquatic animals like dolphins, fish, and whales.
Drinking polluted water can cause diseases like typhoid, cholera, and dysentery.
Water is essential for human survival, but we are running out of safe drinking water.
We can prevent water pollution by installing water-efficient toilets, disposing of toxic or oily liquid waste carefully and never throwing plastic in water bodies.
We can also stop water pollution by treating the polluting residues from industries and manufacturing facilities before releasing them into the environment.
4. Noise pollution
Noise pollution occurs when we cross the decibels levels and emit harmful levels of noise-causing illnesses in human beings. 55-70 decibels for 24 hours is permissible for human hearing (2), beyond which it can affect a person’s health.
Noise pollution mainly happens due to loud honking, thunderous music, screeches, and sirens.
Sound pollution causes insomnia and increases stress. This can also disturb people from focusing on their daily activities.
Severe noise pollution can cause hearing loss, hypertension, and heart diseases (3).
5. Thermal pollution
When the temperature of a water body rises due to contamination caused by humans, it is known as thermal pollution.
The most common causes are the industries and power plants that use water as a coolant and then release it back without treatment.
This raises the temperature of water bodies, decreases oxygen in the water, and affects the marine life.
What is Global Warming?
Global warming or climate change is the continuous rise in the Earth’s temperature, leading to rising sea levels, expansion of deserts, and increasing precipitation. The biggest cause of global warming is the greenhouse gas emissions. Pollution, in all its forms, is dangerous both to the planet and the humans. You may use some facts to explain the gravity of the problem to your children.
Awful pollution facts for kids
It is good if children know about these worrisome facts to understand the problem at hand (4) (5).
Plastic pollution facts for kids
One of the most dangerous causes of land and water pollution is plastic, as it is non-biodegradable. Let us learn how plastic pollution is affecting our environment (6).
References:
