Pollution affects everyone

Pollution has affected the environment more and more in the past years. Pollution is when a substance that has harmful or poisonous effects is put out into the environment. There are different types of pollution: land pollution, water pollution, air pollution.

 

Land pollution is mostly solid waste. “In 2014 Americans produced about 258 million tons of solid waste, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” that’s more than half of the people in the U.S. Where does all the trash go? 136 million tons were put in landfills, and 34 percent were recycled or composted.

 

There is also water pollution. Water pollution occurs when chemicals or dangerous substances are put into the water. 783 million people don’t have access to clean water because of pollution. The pollution that gets in the water originates from the land. Marine life is severely affected by pollution. Fish can mutate and die from the chemicals in the water.

 

Then there’s air pollution, which is dangerous to us. The air gets polluted when particles get released in the air from burning fuels like gas and other fossil fuels. Gases can pollute the air such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide etc. secondhand smoking also takes part in polluting the air. Lastly greenhouse gases are common factor that contributes to air pollution.

 

The pollution is destroying our planet, but there is a way to save it, and it all starts with one person.  We can start by recycling; recycle plastic, aluminum, paper, cardboard, etc. Another way we can help stop/slow down pollution is by preventing garbage and chemicals from reaching our waters. Finally, we need to stop to putting harmful gases in our air; it is damaging the protective ozone layer.