Kingdom of Bahrain
Ministry of Education
ALIMAN SCHOOL (BOYS' SECTION)
English Department
Report
Pollution: A Local and Global Problem
“What we are now doing to the world”
Name: Abdulla Mohamed AlKaabi
Class : 11D
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Introduction
It is true that the issues related to the environmental pollution have become one of the
most controversial issues nowadays, and every nation is wondering about how to tackle
the problem. In my opinion, both government and people have to contribute to solve these
problems or at least make it less dangerous. In the last century, environmental pollution
has become increasingly worse. One of the major causes of this phenomenon is human
activity. This topic is significantly important because there is only one Earth to live in.
This essay will suggest some possible solutions to this issue. Pollution is the process of
making land, water, air or other parts of the environment dirty and not safe or suitable to use. This
can be done through the introduction of a contaminant into a natural environment, but the
contaminant does not need to be tangible. Things as simple as light, sound and temperature can
be considered pollutants when introduced artificially into an environment. 200 years ago,
environment was better place than our environment today.
Types of pollutants
Air Pollution
Air Pollution is the contamination of air in the atmosphere that is important for every living
being on the planet to sustain life. The common air pollutants (the substances which
cause pollution) include smoke and harmful gases from industries, CFCs and oxides
produced by the automobiles, the burning of solid wastes, i.e. Sulphur oxides, CO, CO2,
particulate matter, NH3, smoke produced by explosives and other radioactive particles
(e.g. Radon gas is released into the atmosphere because of radioactive decay within the
Earth’s crust) being released into the atmosphere. Air Pollution can also be a
consequence of the natural disasters such as a volcanic eruption.
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Water Pollution
Water is one of the most important natural resources on the planet which is one of the
necessary elements to sustain life on earth. Addition of harmful products to water which
make is unusable is commonly known as Water Pollution. These products could be
chemical, biological or physical materials that deteriorate the quality of water and the lives
associated with it. Some of the most common water pollutants include industrial wastes
(which are directly dumped into the sea of lakes making the water unfit for fishes and
other organisms living in the water), domestic and farm wastes, oil spills, pesticides, as
well as mining and agricultural wastes. (Pollution, Water Pollution, Air Pollution)
Noise Pollution
It is the excessive cacophony in the environment, primarily due to sounds created by
machines. It is generally caused by loudspeakers, microphones, loud music, noise from
industries, from construction and civil engineering works .
Land Pollution
Degrading the earth’s surface by improper commercial, industrial, agricultural and
domestic activities is known as land pollution. Dumping of e-wastes and other industrial
wastes into the land causes land pollution. Insecticides, pesticides etc also harm the
agricultural land and the soil. Mining, deforestation, oil refineries construction debris, etc
are the most common land pollutants.
Sources of pollutants
Pollution always has a source and a recipient. The source is where the pollution comes
from, that is, where the pollution is released into the environment. The recipient is where
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the pollution ends up, which may be a part of the environment, people, or animals that
become contaminated or damaged.
Liquid pollutants usually come from liquid waste. Liquid waste includes human excreta
(both faces and urine), industrial wastewaters and other forms of waste from water-using
activities .Factories generate liquid waste from activities related to washing in the
manufacturing process, cleaning objects and chemical mixing. Sewage is a mixture of
human excreta from water-flushed toilets and other wastewater from houses and
businesses. Sewage and human waste from overflowing septic tanks and latrines are
frequent sources of pollution.
Pollutants also come in solid form. Plastic bags are one of the most common solid wastes.
Solid waste is any solid material that is assumed not to be useful and is therefore thrown
away. Factories, businesses and households produce different kinds of solid waste such
as paper, plastics, metals, chemicals in solid form, pieces of cloth or food and animal
remains .Sometimes you may have observed faecal matter discarded with solid waste,
which adds to the problems.
There is a fourth type of pollution that is common in urban communities. This is energy in
the form of noise pollution. Noise pollution means unacceptable levels of noise in work,
residential and recreational places. Noise makes it difficult to have a conversation and
also irritates and disturbs us and in the long term can damage our hearing. Loud music
from music shops and clubs in an urban community is a known source of noise
disturbance. Such noise may please some, but it disturbs many other people because it
interferes with communication in the daytime and sleeping at nigh
Pollution from the industrial sector in Ethiopia has been on the rise, posing a serious
problem to the environment. Many industrial processes produce polluting waste
substances that are discharged to the environment, frequently through chimneys (to the
air) or through pipes (to surface water) (Figure 7.6). Among the most polluting industries
are food processing, tanneries and textiles with processing plants and factories that
produce liquid effluents which are discharged into rivers, often without treatment (Ademe
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and Alemayehu, 2014; Wosnie and Wondie, 2014). In practice, rivers frequently receive
polluting discharges from many different sources all at the same time.
Effects of pollutants on world climate, humans, animals and plants
Air pollution changes our planet’s climate, but not all types of air pollution have the same
effect. There are many different types of air pollution. Some types cause global warming
to speed up. Others cause global warming to slow down by creating a temporary cooling
effect for a few days or weeks. Read on the learn more about the pollution that causes
Earth to warm and the pollution that causes Earth to cool. Beyond that, we are emitting
such a high level of pollutants that they are causing serious global environmental
problems: climate change and ozone depletion. The human race has become capable of
affecting the atmosphere that encircles the Earth, and the very planet itself.
High levels of air pollution can cause an increased risk of heart attack, wheezing,
coughing, and breathing problems, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. Air
pollution can also cause worsening of existing heart problems, asthma, and other lung
complications.Land pollution is really serious. But not just to the earth, to people too. Land
pollution can cause many things to the human body. People can be exposed to toxic
waste and chemicals. Land pollution is also caused by disposal of harmful toxic wastes.
Long term health effects can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart
disease, and even brain damage. Land pollution affects health and harms wildlife. The
conditions of land pollution is very expensive. Land pollutions is really messing up how
people live and how kids grow up. Poisoning from land pollution can occur from batteries,
and can intake sewage bone disease. In 1955 the great smog disaster in London caused
four thousand people to lose their lives in just a few days, and by the smog disaster the
land pollution really picked up . Over 10,000 houses were filled of just trash just land
pollution. toxic substances come into contact with the human body directly through eating
fruits and vegetables that have been grown in polluted soils, being consumed through
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drinking water that has been contaminated, direct contact with the skin, and breathing in
air polluted with particles and dust.
Like humans, animals can suffer from a number of health problems due to air pollution,
including birth defects, reproductive failure, and diseases.
Air pollution causes a number of environmental effects in addition to the effects on
humans and animals. By far the biggest consequence of water pollution is the death of
aquatic creatures, which can disrupt the entire food chain. Pollutants such as cadmium,
mercury, and lead are eaten by tiny aquatic organisms that are then eaten by fish and
shell fish, becoming more concentrated with each step up the food chain and causing
serious problems in humans and wildlife. Deforestation is the biggest concern when it
comes to land degradation and soil erosion. Clear cutting of vegetation and tree cover
creates harsh conditions that destroy ecosystems and habitats.
Deforestation also creates an imbalance in atmospheric conditions, reducing the amount
of carbon that is naturally taken out of the atmosphere. This is a serious problem
considering that most pollution created by people is carbon based. Many mammals,
insects, birds, and reptiles are photoperiodic meaning their movement, mating, growth
and development, and eating cycles are regulated by natural light patterns. Light pollution
can interfere with these natural behaviors and cycles, causing a decrease in wildlife
population.
Conclusion
To conclude, this essay has discussed some of the possible solutions in order to help
tackle the problem. In my opinion, reducing the numbers of cars and educating the next
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generation are key factors in helping to save the planet, perhaps in the future if those
ideas are approved the world will be greener and safer. To conclude, there are many
ways in which we can address the issue of environmental pollution, and both individual
and government have their own responsibility for this.
First of all, one solution to resolve this dilemma could be to reduce the number of cars on
roads by encouraging the use of public transports. This could be managed through
cooperation between governments and individuals. For illustrations, governments could
ensure that public transport is more affordable and convenient for the general public; this
might help to reduce car emissions to the atmosphere.
Another solution to combat environmental pollution is via education. By this, I mean that
both parents and educators should raise awareness by teaching children from a young
age how crucial it is to look after the environment. For instance, it has been proven that
younger children pick-up information more quickly and follows the instruction given by
teachers and parents. As this is the next generation who will inherit the Earth, their sense
of responsibility is important to address this issue. Also, the governments should
introduce laws to limit the deforestation in many countries around the world to ensure that
there are enough green forests, fortunately, there are many nations who have already
introduced these laws such as the USA.
Moreover, by using fewer packages and less plastic and papers, they will reduce a
massive threat to the environment. On the other hand, governments should take more
efforts to reduce the pollution. Firstly, by making public transport more convenient to
encourage more people to use them, this will save more money and energy. Secondly,
through the media and campaign, many people can learn more about the importance of
the environment. For example, in the UK there is a campaign called make Britain tidy and
such campaign encourages people to contribute more to keep the environment clean.
Finally, governments should introduce laws to limit the deforestation in many countries
around the world, to ensure that there are enough green forests.
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List of Resources
1- https://www.renewableresourcescoalition.org/pollution-causes-effects/
2- https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/pollution
3- https://www.renewableresourcescoalition.org/pollution-causes-effects/
4- Student’s Book of the school
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