Pollution is one of the biggest encounters challenged by the world today. A majority of the countries are coming up with and adopting more and more laws on pollution reduction. Nevertheless, governmental actions cannot secure the complete elimination of this problem. The main thing is to make all the run of the mill people understand the importance of this issue and to make them respect the environment that they live in. Pollution is atrocious and needs to be reduced because it is harmful to our lives and the lives of things around us, to help reduce and stop pollution we as a community can change our habits and the way we live. By simply recycling a water bottle instead of throwing it away or on the ground can make a huge environmental impact and if everyone did this, the positive change in the environment would be monumental. 

The definition of pollution is the introduction of harmful contaminants into air, water or soil. Another way of saying this is the intermixing of contaminants into the natural resources leading to their degradation and the most easily understood definition is the process of making land, water, air or any other part of the environment dirty, unsafe and unsuitable to use. These contaminants and harmful particles can have dire effect on our entire ecosystem, making life much more difficult for humans, plants and animals. Elderly people, children and people with weak immune systems are particularly susceptible to the health effects from the toxins. Most of the time exposure to pollution and bad toxins in our environment can have a cumulative detrimental affect on the body. 

The problem with pollution has always been a major issue around the globe and the need for proper steps to prevent and overcome it has been increasing but not fast enough to keep up with the rate that pollution is increasing. The increasing rate of pollution has caused severe damage to the ecosystems surrounding us. This can be seen by the rising rate of global warming and the increase in medical cases related to pollution. Pollution contributes to and can enhance human disease and cause the death rates to go up in various plants and animals, which can lead to an imbalance in the population. The growing rate of industry and the higher rate of consumption of fossil fuels can also give rise to this disagreeable pollution. 

Since we share everything on the Earth with every single living thing on this planet, whatever happens in one-area affects everything in every other area, no matter how far away something is. This can be seen with the Gulf Oil Spill that happened 5 years ago, due to the way water flows oils could be found half way around the world on the coasts of other countries.  We rely on everything around us to be functioning human beings so when something is put out of balance it messes up our way of life. Pollution doesn't have to be something tangible, anything such as simple as light, sound and temperature could be considered pollutants when presented artificially into the environment. 

There are many different types of pollution but some of the most common ones are air pollution, land pollution, water pollution and noise pollution. While these may sound unimportant, these are all bad for our ecosystems and all contribute to the poor state of our environment. These types of pollution are harmful because pollutants can get into our water supply and poison us or chemical fertilizer that is used to grow our food can be harmful to our health. 

One of the most obvious and most familiar indications of air pollution is when there is smog hanging over a city. But there are two major types of air pollution, visible and invisible, these both contribute to global warming and the endangerment of our environment. Usually any type of substance that people falsely introduce into the environment is considered to be air pollution. The air we breathe has a very precise chemical make up; 99% of it is made up of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. (Life Science)

Carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is one of the main pollutants that is warming the Earth. Any type of living organism that breathes releases carbon dioxide, which isn't harmful but is in fact normal, but the issue comes in when there is an excess of carbon dioxide. Cars, planes, power plants and many other types of human activities that involve burning fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas is when carbon dioxide starts to be considered a pollutant. In the past one hundred and fifty years, the activities listed above have produced and pumped enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to raise its level higher than they have ever been for hundreds and hundreds of years. (Essick)

Methane, another example of of green house gas, comes from places such as swamps and gas emitted by livestock. Methane and another gas called chlorofluorocarbons, CFC for short, were used in refrigerants and aerosol sprays, but because these products were so harmful to the environment and were causing the deterioration of the Earth's ozone layer they were banned. Unfortunately there is still the lasting and irreversible damage that these products left on our environment. 

Another impurity related with climate change is sulfur dioxide; this is a major component of the common smog that hangs around most industrial cities. Sulfur dioxide and many others closely relate chemicals are known mainly as the cause for acid rain. Acid rain is one of the many horrible results of air pollution, it can cause damage to lakes, streams and forests across the world. As stated earlier pollution isn't an isolated matter, it is a problem everywhere. 

Industrialized countries have tried to work to help and reduce levels of sulfur dioxide, smog and smoke so that they might help to improve people's health. What they didn't realize was that trying to lower the levels of sulfur dioxide might possibly make global warming worse. Naturally sulfur dioxide blocks sunlight and can help cool the planet, when there is a major reduction of this chemical in atmosphere it allows more sunlight to be let in which in turn warms the planet. This effect is inflated when raised levels of other green house gases in the atmosphere trap added heat. 

A study conducted by Environmental Research Letters stated that, air pollution kills more that 2 million people each year. The effects of air pollution on human health and the effect it has on the body can differ widely depending on the type of pollutant, according to Hugh Sealy, professor and director of the environmental and occupational health track at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, St. George's University, St George's, Grenada. An example of the affect on health was the release of methyl isocyanate gas in 1984 at the Union Carbide plant in 1984, which killed over 2,000 people and caused over 200,000 to suffer from respiratory problems. Irritants such as this can cause respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease and increased chance of asthma. (Sealy)

Much is being done to help reduce air pollution. Governments of industrial countries are taking measures to help limit and reduces emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Some examples of what's being done are agreements between countries to cut back on carbon emissions. Another method that is in effect is to tax carbon emissions or put a higher tax on gasoline, so that people and companies will have greater incentives to conserve energy and pollute less. 

Land pollution is the most common, everyday type of pollution done by the average person. People litter out of habit and it has come to the point where people don't even realize they're doing it. People have become so lazy that instead of finding a trashcan people throw stuff on the ground. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2010 Americans produced about two hundred and fifty million tons of garbage, this garbage consisted of product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, leftover food, newspapers, appliances, pain and batteries. (EPA) That's roughly about 4.3 pounds of waster per person per day. A little over half of the waste is gathered into landfills and only about 34% is recycled which is about double the amount recycled in 1980. (EPA) 

Food is one of the largest contributors to landfill waste, up to 40% of food produced in the United States is thrown away each year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Industrial and/or commercial waste also takes up a significant portion of solid waste. Industries use about 4 million pounds of materials in order to provide that average American family with needed products for one year. A majority of the products used are categorized, as not hazardous examples are construction materials and medical waste. (NRDC) Hazardous waste on the other hand is described as and liquid, solid or sludge that contains properties that can be potentially harmful to the environment or human health. Hazardous waste is generated from mining, petroleum refining, pesticide manufacturing and other chemical production industries. 

Water pollution on top of every other type of pollution is a serious issue in today's world. Not having clean water means that people are drinking impurities in the water that could be harmful to the human body. Water pollution occurs when hazardous external materials or harmful chemicals and introduced into the water system. This can include sewage, pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural runoff. The most recent known case of this is the water crisis that is happening in Flint Michigan. High levels of Lead was contaminating the drinking water and this led to sickness, hospitalization and in extreme cases death. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the most common impurities in the United States are bacteria, mercury, phosphorous and nitrogen. These chemicals come from sources such as agricultural runoff, air deposition, water diversions and channelization of streams. The EPA also states that 44% of streams, 64% of lakes and 30% of bay and estuarine areas are not clean enough for fishing and swimming. (EPA)

Water pollution isn't just a problem in the United States, according to the United Nations, 783 million people do not have access to clean water and around 2.5 billion do not have access to acceptable sanitation. Standard sanitation helps to keep sewage and other contaminants from entering the water supply. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 80% of the pollution in marine environments comes from the land through causes such as runoff. Water pollution can severely affect marine life. For example, sewage causes pathogens to grow, while organic and inorganic compounds in water can change and the composition of the water changes too. According to the EPA, low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water are also considered a pollutant. Dissolved oxygen is caused by the decomposition of organic materials, such as sewer in the water. (EPA)

Warming water can also be harmful. The artificial warming of water, which is also known as thermal pollution can happen when a factory or power plant that is using water to cool its machines ends up discharging hot water. When water is heated it holds less oxygen, which can kill fish and wildlife when released back into streams and lakes. The sudden change of temperature in the body of water can also kill fish. According to the University of Georgia, it is estimated that around 50% of the water coming out of water systems in the United States each year is used for cooling electric power plants. (UGA)

Nutrient pollution that is also known as eutrophication is another type of water pollution. This occurs when nutrients such as nitrogen are added to bodies of water.  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration the nutrient works the same way as a fertilizer and can make algae grow at excessive rates. When algae grow in too large quantities it blocks the light to other plants, which in turn kills them. When they start to decompose this leads to less oxygen in the water, which then leads to the death of more fish. 

One of less common and unknown types of pollution is noise pollution, although you can't see or smell it, noise pollution still affects the environment. Noise pollution comes from planes, industrial factories and many other sources. Research from the Oxford Journals shows a direct link between noise and health, this includes high blood pressure, hearing loss and stress related illnesses. Underwater noise pollution coming from ships has been shown to upset whales navigation systems and kill other species that depend on the underwater ecosystem. Noise can also make wild species communicate louder, which can in turn shorten their lifespan. (Stansfield)    

Some ways to help reduce pollution is to start converting to clean energy, clean energy is renewable energy, which doesn't deplete natural resources or cause environment harm. Renewable energy includes hydroelectricity, bioenergy, wind, solar and geothermal energy.  

Wind turbines are used to convert kinetic energy by moving air and turning it into mechanical energy this is then converted into electricity. When wind turbines are used there is no emissions or solid wastes that are produced. The only downside to this is that the turbines contribute to noise pollution.  Hydroelectricity is another alternative to producing energy; the gravitational force of flowing or falling water produces it. A majority of dams around the world also serve as hydroelectric plants. 

There are many ways to help prevent water pollution, these include, using natural lawn fertilizers such as organic brands instead of chemical fertilizers and buying organic food that is produced without the use of chemical pesticides of fertilizers. Lastly don't dispose of hazardous materials, such as paint, motor oil and antifreeze down the drain or in a gutter. 

While almost everyone believes that pollution is a real thing not everyone believes that it is harming the environment or causing negative effects on peoples health. For example Representative Joe Barton of Texas stated that he did not believe that exposure to air pollution from power plants is not linked to premature deaths. Doctors responded to this statement with shock but also with over 30 peer -reviewed studies that showed that his statement was scientifically proven false. (John Walke). It is clearly shown through many statistics and studies how detrimental pollution can be and how it negatively affects the ecosystem, environment, human health and plant and animal health. 

Stopping pollution is a complicated issue that takes the effort and time of everyone. It will take the cooperation of big industries as well as individual lifestyle changes. As long as people are cautious and aware of what they are putting in their environment then the road to reducing pollution will be long but effective. 

