Final Exam Assignment (Essay): Problems in Pollution

Name
Instructor
Course
Date
Problems with Pollution
Introduction
Most environmental problems arise from human activities. The causes of pollution have increased over the past years, because of the increase in demand for the pollutants by humans. The main categories of environmental pollution are air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution and soil contamination. Pollution has led to depletion of the natural resources, deteriorating plants and animal diversity, degradation of the ecosystem and climate change. Due to adverse effects of pollution, it has become a global problem that requires a lot of attention. The society is trying to implement immediate actions that will ensure a better environmental health for our planet. The government is also responsible for making policies that will help improve the environment. Pollution causes several environmental problems, but the effects may be eliminated through various ways.
Environmental Problems caused by Pollution
The different classifications of environmental pollution have different adverse effects on the environment. Air pollution is the biggest problem affecting the environment. In the environment, air and water are the two basic things that an individual cannot live without. The biosphere in which living beings acquire oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, and water vapour has become imbalance due to air pollution (Jacobson 7). Air pollution has many harmful effects on the environment. It affects the human respiratory system and causes diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, and cancer. The carbon monoxide released by motor vehicles and cigarette smoke may interfere with the normal functioning of the central nervous system. Air pollution also depletes the ozone layer and as a result allowing UV radiations to penetrate that causes skin cancer and eyes problems. Furthermore, air pollution may lead to acid rain, which may damage buildings and statues. Acidic rain also dissolves on soil making it acidic, which may result in degradation of the agricultural productivity. In addition, greenhouse gasses such as methane traps the heat being emitted from the earth and therefore, increasing the temperatures.
Water pollution is another classification of environmental contamination. Water is a primary necessity, and because of the increasing number of people depending on water, it has become scarce. The growing dependency on water has resulted in the physical, biological and chemical change in water quality that adversely affects living creatures. Human beings are the most affected by water pollution. It results from discharging pollutants directly or indirectly into the water sources. They are profoundly affected by water-borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and dysentery. The presence of acids in water also destroys marine life, thereby deterring the self-purification process in the water bodies (Karatas 9). Sewage wastes also stimulate the growth of phytoplankton in water bodies and as a result, hindering dissolution of oxygen. Moreover, toxic industrial wastes existing in water bodies reduce fish population and rob humans of one source of food. The quality of underground water is also contaminated due to the toxicity of the surface water.
Soi...