I know that my title probably implies that the earth needs saving, well yes it does. You will agree with me that the killings and the level of terrorism and the rate ar which terminal diseases spring up is a sign that the earth really needs to be saved. However in this post, I want to elaborate more on pollution and how it is gradually depleting the earth.
Pollution
According to findings in the U.K, Pollution is one of the major causes of asthma, which affects a whopping 1.1 million children in the U.K. Pollution not only affects the U.K, it is everywhere.
Pollution is the introduction of substances to the environment, up to a level where it becomes harmful.
It is very common in our society today, because we are fond of leaving harmful residues or wastes everywhere. The sad news however is that the level of pollution is rising and it is breeding more diseases, yet we have not done anything close to eradicating it.
Types of pollution
Air, water and land pollution are three types of pollution of the environment which affects biotic and abiotic components, thereby causing poisoning, resistance to drugs and worse still death.
Air pollution
Major pollutants involved in air pollution include hydroxarbon, carbonmonoxide, and trioxosulphate which are usually released into the atmosphere from vehicle fumes or burning of fossil fuels.
Water pollution
Water pollution sources include, sewage, agricultural pollutants e.g pesticides and fertilizers, heavy metals and detergents. This pollutants cause the death of aquatic life and this of course affects man.
Land pollution
The major pollutants on land are also fertilizers and pesticides used on agricultural fields which usually finds it way into animals in the food chain.
A food chain, is a feeding order in which organisms in an ecosystem are grouped into nutritional levels and are shown in a succession to represent the flow of food energy and the feeding relationships between them.source
Also oil spillage during exploration can become accumulated in the soil, this finds its way into food too.
Nature responds....
Once there is an alteration in the biological or chemical balance of the ecosystem, nature reponds. We all pay the price whenever nature responds. Some consequences we face includes :
What can we do to help?
A friend of mine in Lagos Nigeria, returns every plastic he uses to the company for recycling , some companies even pay for this.
Practice the 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
You can also spread the message, just like I have done.