Environmental Pollution: A Global Phenomenon
The hydroelectric power
station in the northern part of India near a river was a center point of debate
among the many environmental issues facing India certain years ago. Many
environmental activists were adamant on preventing the building of the dam. The
reason was that the building of the dam can create pollution in the nearby
areas including vegetation, wild life, flora and fauna. The struggle between
the activists and the government continued for several years was a main
environmental issue in the leading newspapers of the country.
The above cited incident
is one of the many cases of environmental degradation caused by human beings.
There are many issues which needs immediate concern like the global warming,
endangered species, Ozone layer depletion, water pollution, air pollution and
the land pollution. Various efforts like formation of organizations at global
and country level are there to resolve and prevent many serious environmental
issues facing the world today. There are Environmental activist groups around
the world in different countries to face the issues.
The environmental
degradation was not so pronounced before the nineteenth century. However with
invention of steam engine and rapid industrialization in nineteenth century and
early part of twentieth century there arose many pollution problems.
Concentration of carbon dioxide and many other poisonous gases has increased ever since the mass hysteria of industrialization. The growth of these gases and effluents has been steadily increasing and thereby their concentrations has reached alarming levels today. Invention of various heat engines in vehicles, industries contributed much to the pollution problem the world is facing today.
Concentration of carbon dioxide and many other poisonous gases has increased ever since the mass hysteria of industrialization. The growth of these gases and effluents has been steadily increasing and thereby their concentrations has reached alarming levels today. Invention of various heat engines in vehicles, industries contributed much to the pollution problem the world is facing today.
The environment is in a
state of imbalance today in the twenty-first century. On the one hand there is
temperature increase and on the other there has been temperature decrease due
to environmental imbalance. The air pollution caused by industries, transport
systems, deforestation has increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. The plants including trees falls down worldwide massively to meet
the needs of industries. This has resulted in the phenomenon called
deforestation that is the rapid removal of forest including flora and fauna
from the earth's face. The reduction in number of trees and vegetation means
that there is less absorption of carbon dioxide emitted by humans and other
living species. This cumulative effect of deforestation and industrial
pollution is raising the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The increased amount of
this harmful gas has resulted in what the environmentalists call as the
greenhouse effect. In greenhouse effect the basic process is that the earth's
atmosphere with carbon dioxide allows the ultraviolet rays to pass through but
not the infra-red radiations present in the sun rays. The more concentration of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the more infra-red radiation (heating
properties) trapped by earth's atmosphere thereby increasing the earth's
temperature. So, increasing concentration of carbon dioxide has resulted in the
increase of temperature thereby causing the global warming.
The deforestation has
caused the reverse effect on temperature that is decrease in temperature of
earth. Due to rapid clearing of forests there is now more area available on
earth from where sunlight gets reflected. Reflection of sunlight from earth is
the albedo effect. With the rise in the surface area caused by deforestation
more light get reflects from earth. So the heat energy of sun rays that was
once absorbed by land in forests land now get reflects back to space thereby
decreasing concentration of heat near earth's surface. This has resulted in the
decrease of temperature of earth.
The ozone depletion is
another main issue in the environment. The chlorofluorocarbons emitted from
earth are depleting the ozone layer through a series of chemical reactions.
Depletion of ozone layer means that the harmful ultraviolet radiations can
escape the earth's atmosphere causing various diseases in human. This rapid
depletion of the ozone layer is harmful to the very existence of the human
beings.
The air pollution is
endangering the environment as already discussed as well as the other living
species habituating the earth. The water pollution like splitting of oil,
harmful chemicals in the water bodies is endangering the aquatic life. The land
pollution has created an all sorts of diseases and ailments in the humans. All
these three forms of pollution are serious threats to the life on earth.
Amazon is a forest in
America full of biodiversity. The forest has thousands of species of plants and
animals. Each species lives in a symbiotic relationship with one another. Even
if one species or wild tree leads to extinction then it can prove as disastrous
if not in the short-term then in the long-term for the forest. There are many
animals endangered and facing extinction, and if there is no action now to save
them then who will come forward? Someone should take the responsibility to save
our fellow creatures because indirectly if not directly our survival also
depends on them. And if there is no action now then our own survival is in
danger and our future generations might not see these beautiful creatures that
once roamed over on earth. Despite various initiatives taken by governments and
organizations worldwide there are many endangered species whose lives face
threats from human beings. A lot of trade of animal's skins, bones, skins etc.
through illegal means prevails worldwide. A ban or full control on such
activities through laws and regulations is in place but still such illegal
activities operates illegally unchecked in the background. So protection of
wild life and natural habitat is one of the many critical environmental issues
on the planet today. The issue needs a comprehensive approach and a worldwide
action.
Environment
Sustainability is the regular replenishment of the natural resources used. Once
a tree falls for paper industry then it is necessary to replant a tree to
compensate for the loss. Thereby keeping the natural resources unharmed over a
long-term so that they remain unaffected. Various initiatives like this by
corporations and organizations worldwide needs to put in.In the corporate
governance structure followed the environmental sustainability is one of the
main issues raised. Recent alarming growth rates in world have put tremendous
pressure on world's natural resources which has affected earth's environment
health. If depletion of resources continues at this alarming level then time is
not far enough when future generations will have to face scarcity of resources.
Sustainability calls for avoiding this thing to happen and save environment of
the world.
What the world desires
today is sustainability of environment through environmental protection. In the
sense whatever people consume today does not affect the natural resources so
that they are available for our future generations. What we do today to the
environment will affect the future generations and if we want our future
generations to live happily and prosperously we must take the action now otherwise
it will be too late. The global warming will cause large effect over a
long-term that could be disastrous for earth and its residents. Even a slight
increase in temperature could be devastating. Earth is our habitat, a precious
planet on which our survival depends if it's not there then there is no life
and hence no humans. If environment keeps on degrading like this then time is
not far when our grandchildren or their children's children will not share the
same environment that we enjoy today.
There have been many
bodies and programs launched worldwide to counter the environmental pollution
worldwide. The worldwide programs on raising environmental issues by United
Nations, creation of independent environmental protection agencies in various
countries are some of the initiatives taken worldwide. The carbon credits
scheme launched is particularly important in the sense that the scheme has
balanced world growth with the environment protection. The growth of the world
has led to the environment problem the world is facing today, seeing this world
environmental body created the carbon credits. The basic advantage of the
carbon credits is that the growth of the world is not jeopardized at the same
time the environment remains free from pollution. The scheme of carbon credits
is now practiced around the world. The corporations earn the carbon credits for
the environmental protection initiatives applied by them in their operations.
The carbon credits thus earned exchanges for cash from the designated world
authority. There are well-developed exchanges for carbon credits where they
trade and exchange for cash. Similar such innovative schemes could be provoked
such that it raises the environmental concern but at the same time benefit the
people.
So what is necessary is to give lust to people because it is in human nature to greed and do anything to fulfill that greed. Simple programs and other direct initiatives to save environment might be successful to some extent but the creative innovative schemes like the carbon credits will have significant impact on human psyche to understand the environmental problem better. If carbon credit scheme has forced the corporations to take environmental issues seriously than similar schemes will encourage other strata of society besides the corporations to take the issue seriously. Such schemes needs to encourage school children, old retirees, non-working women and other such people to care and encourage environmental protection.
We the humans have lived
with our natural surroundings including flora and fauna for centuries since the
dawn of our life on earth. The natural instinct should not allow us that the
nature with which we have shared everything the food, home and everything we
yearn for centuries. Earth is a place where we live in a symbiotic relationship
with other species and even a slight disturbance in this balance can affect our
very existence.
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Many pollution's are there which is pollute society like water pollution is a measure problem ,take some discision to iradicate these.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes from New Jersey!
Ric
Owner of Water Distiller company.
Yes there are a lot of issues with water pollution and there is so much we can do from rain water collection, to permeable roads and parking areas, to water conservation and conscious outdoor activities.
Deletein appreciation,
Lillian
http://brummet.ca
Environmental pollution is defined as the undesirable change in physical, chemical and biological characteristics of our air, land and water. As a result of over-population, rapid industrialization, and other human activities like agriculture and deforestation etc. Thanks.
DeleteAir Pollution Control