Solutions for Ocean Pollution

We often hear of the causes of environmental issues, but do you know some solutions for ocean pollution? Many changes in the way we live could make the biggest differences on a global level as well as small steps you can take at home to save our oceans.

Ocean Pollution Causes

Human activity is destroying our oceans and the life that they contain. While some pollution occurs directly in or at the edge of the ocean from ships and coastal communities, a majority of it comes from land and air pollution that may occur miles and miles away. The biggest causes of ocean pollution include:

·         Oil spills and leaks

·         Agricultural runoff and pesticides

·         Industrial waste

·         Trash dumping, especially plastic

·         Air pollution and acid rain

·         Sewage and sludge

Large Scale Solutions for Ocean Pollution

It's hard to clean up pollution once it has occurred, so the best plan is prevention. Several big-picture changes must take place to keep industry in check and encourage sustainable practices, not only in the US but across the globe:

·         Stricter government regulations on industry and manufacturing

·         Renewable energy sources so off-shore drilling no longer needed

·         Limit agricultural pesticides

·         Proper sewage treatment

·         Cut down on waste and contain landfills

Changes to Make at Home

Surprisingly, some of the best solutions for ocean pollution can occur on the level of the individual or single home. Even if you live in a place that is completely landlocked, your actions still affect the health of these bodies of water. You've probably heard a lot about adopting a "green" lifestyle, and most of these basic tenements apply to protecting the oceans. Do your part by making these ocean-friendly choices:

·         Carry a reusable shopping bag instead of plastic bags

·         Store food in reusable containers instead of those you throw away

·         Avoid products that come with excess packaging

·         Don't litter

·         Recycle

·         Volunteer your time to clean up a beach if you live nearby

·         Visit the beach, tourism improves coastal communities

·         Lobby your politicians on environmental issues

·         Donate to an organization that protects the ocean

Organizations that Protect the Oceans

There are a plethora of organizations dedicated to preventing pollution and cleaning up the pollution that has already occurred. Don't watch the television helplessly and tear up over the images of oil-slicked birds and trash-covered beaches. Use these websites as resources to learn more about pollution solutions, and consider donating your money or your time.

·         Blue Ocean Society

·         Greenpeace

·         MarineBio Conservation Organization

·         National Coalition for Marine Conservation

·         Ocean Conservancy

·         Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA)

Fortunately, our oceans are resilient, but we must stop creating pollution if we expect the situation to improve. The best way to start fighting ocean pollution is to educate yourself on what causes it and start making small changes at home. We can't clean up all of the oceans today or even tomorrow, but we can begin working to improve them for subsequent generations.

Impact of Pollution

Pollution effects are indeed many and wide-ranging. There is no doubt that excessive levels of pollution are causing a lot of damage to human & animal health, tropical rainforests, as well as the wider environment.

All types of pollution – air, water and soil pollution – have an impact on the living environment.

The effects in living organisms may range from mild discomfort to serious diseases such as cancer to physical deformities; ex., extra or missing limbs in frogs.

Experts admit that pollution effects are quite often underestimated and that more research is needed to understand the connections between pollution and its effects on all life forms.

Environmental Pollution Effects on Humans

We know that pollution causes not only physical disabilities but also psychological and behavioral disorders in people.

We are discussing the effects of air pollution and specific air pollutants in more detail in our Air Pollution Effects article.

The following pollution effects on humans have been reported:

Air Pollution Effects

• Reduced lung functioning
• Irritation of eyes, nose, mouth and throat
• Asthma attacks
• Respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing
• Increased respiratory disease such as bronchitis
• Reduced energy levels
• Headaches and dizziness
• Disruption of endocrine, reproductive and immune systems
• Neurobehavioral disorders
• Cardiovascular problems
• Cancer
• Premature death

Water Pollution Effects

Waterborne diseases caused by polluted drinking water:

• Typhoid
• Amoebiasis
• Giardiasis
• Ascariasis
• Hookworm

Waterborne diseases caused by polluted beach water:

• Rashes, ear ache, pink eye
• Respiratory infections
• Hepatitis, encephalitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, vomiting, and stomach aches

Conditions related to water polluted by chemicals:

• Cancer, incl. prostate cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Hormonal problems that can disrupt reproductive and developmental processes
• Damage to the nervous system
• Liver and kidney damage
• Damage to the DNA
• Exposure to mercury (heavy metal):
• In the womb: may cause neurological problems including slower reflexes, learning deficits, delayed or incomplete mental development, autism and brain damage
• In adults: Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and even death

Soil Pollution Effects

• Causes cancers including leukaemia
• Lead in soil is especially hazardous for young children causing developmental damage to the brain
• Mercury can increase the risk of kidney damage; cyclodienes can lead to liver toxicity
• Causes neuromuscular blockage as well as depression of the central nervous system
• Also causes headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash

Other notes:

• Contact with contaminated soil may be direct (from using parks, schools etc) or indirect (by inhaling soil contaminants which have vaporized)
• Soil pollution may also result from secondary contamination of water supplies and from deposition of air contaminants (for example, via acid rain)
• Contamination of crops grown in polluted soil brings up problems with food security
• Since it is closely linked to water pollution, many effects of soil contamination appear to be similar to the ones caused by water contamination

Environmental Pollution Effects on Animals

Effects of Pollution on Animals - Air Pollution

·                Acid rain (formed in the air) destroys fish life in lakes and streams

·                Excessive ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun through the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere which is eroded by some air pollutants, may cause skin cancer in wildlife

·                Ozone in the lower atmosphere may damage lung tissues of animals

Effects of Pollution on Animals - Water Pollution

·                Nutrient pollution (nitrogen, phosphates etc) causes overgrowth of toxic algae eaten by other aquatic animals, and may cause death; nutrient pollution can also cause outbreaks of fish diseases

·                Chemical contamination can cause declines in frog biodiversity and tadpole mass

·                Oil pollution (as part of chemical contamination) can negatively affect development of marine organisms, increase susceptibility to disease and affect reproductive processes; can also cause gastrointestinal irritation, liver and kidney damage, and damage to the nervous system

·                Mercury in water can cause abnormal behavior, slower growth and development, reduced reproduction, and death

·                Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may cause declines, deformities and death of fish life

·                Too much sodium chloride (ordinary salt) in water may kill animals

Effects of Pollution on Animals - Soil Pollution

·                Can alter metabolism of microorganisms and arthropods in a given soil environment; this may destroy some layers of the primary food chain, and thus have a negative effect on predator animal species

·                Small life forms may consume harmful chemicals which may then be passed up the food chain to larger animals; this may lead to increased mortality rates and even animal extinction

Environmental Pollution Effects on Trees and Plants

Air Pollution

 Acid rain can kill trees, destroy the leaves of plants, can infiltrate soil by making it unsuitable for purposes of nutrition and habitation

·                Ozone holes in the upper atmosphere can allow excessive ultraviolet radiation from the sun to enter the Earth causing damage to trees and plants

·                Ozone in the lower atmosphere can prevent plant respiration by blocking stomata (openings in leaves) and negatively affecting plants’ photosynthesis rates which will stunt plant growth; ozone can also decay plant cells directly by entering stomata

Water Pollution

·                May disrupt photosynthesis in aquatic plants and thus affecting ecosystems that depend on these plants

·                Terrestrial and aquatic plants may absorb pollutants from water (as their main nutrient source) and pass them up the food chain to consumer animals and humans

·                Plants may be killed by too much sodium chloride (ordinary slat) in water

·                Plants may be killed by mud from construction sites as well as bits of wood and leaves, clay and other similar materials

·                Plants may be killed by herbicides in water; herbicides are chemicals which are most harmful to plants

Soil Pollution

·                May alter plant metabolism and reduce crop yields

·                Trees and plants may absorb soil contaminants and pass them up the food chain

Fact About Pollution

Below are 51 facts on Pollution

Fact 1: Pollution is one of the biggest killers, affecting more than 100 million worldwide.

Fact 2: More than 1 billion people worldwide don’t have access to safe drinking water.

Fact 3: 5000 people die every day as a result of drinking unclean water.

Fact 4: The garbage dumped in the ocean every year is roughly around 14 billion pounds. Plastic is the major constituent.

Fact 5: Pollution kills more than 1 million seabirds and 100 million mammals every year.

Fact 6: People who live in high-density air pollution area, have 20% higher risk of dying from lung cancer, than people living in less polluted areas.

Fact 7: Approximately 46% of the lakes in America are extremely polluted and hence risky for swimming, fishing and aquatic life.

Fact 8: In the great “Smog Disaster“, that happened in London in the year 1952, approximately four thousand people died in a few days due to the high concentrations of pollution.

Fact 9: United States produces 30% of the world’s waste and uses 25 % of the worlds natural resources

Fact 10: The Mississippi River dumps 1.5 million metric tonnes of nitrogen pollution in the Gulf of Mexico every year.

Fact 11: Every year around one trillion gallons of untreated sewage and industrial waste is dumped in the U.S water.

Fact 12: Children contribute to only 10% of the world’s pollution but are prone to 40% of global disease.

Fact 13: More than 3 million kids under the age of 5 years die every year due to environmental factors like pollution.

Fact 14: Composting and recycling alone have prevented 85 million tons of waste to be dumped in 2010.

Fact 15: China is the world’s largest producer of carbon dioxide. United States is number 2.

Fact 16: Almost 80% of urban waste in India is dumped in the river Ganges.

Fact 17: Noise pollution is the most neglected type of pollution.

Fact 18: The amount of money invested in nuclear test could be used to finance 8,000 hand pumps, giving villages across third world access to clean water.

Fact 19: Acidification of the ocean is the worst type of pollution. Oceans are becoming more acidic rue to green house emissions from fossil fuel.

Fact 20: Livestock waste majorly contributes to soil pollution. During monsoon, water runs over the fields carrying dangerous bacteria from the livestock into the streams.

Fact 21: More than 100 pesticides in any medium- air, water or soil can cause birth defects, gene mutation and  cancer.

Fact 22: There are more around 73 various kinds of pesticides in the groundwater, which is used as drinking water.

Fact 23: There are more than 500 million cars in the world and by 2030 the number will rise to 1 billion. This means pollution level will be more than double.

Fact 24: Major oil spills like those in the Gulf of Mexico, is the the worst type of pollution due to consistent oil spills in the water body which spreads everywhere else.

Fact 25: House owners use chemicals that are 10 times more toxic per acre, than the amount used by the farmers.

Fact 26: Around 1000 children die in India every year due to diseases caused from the polluted water.

Fact 27: In India, the Ganges water is gradually becoming septic, especially due to dumping of half burnt dead bodies and enshrouded babies.

Fact 28: 88% of the children in Guiyu, China suffer from various respiratory diseases as the area they live in is a huge e-waste site.

Fact 29: Antarctica is the cleanest place on Earth protected by anti-pollution laws.

Fact 30: Scientific research has proven that carbon dioxide emissions are lowering the pH of the ocean and are acidifying them even more.

Fact 31: A single car generates half a ton of CO2 and a NASA space shuttle releases 28 tons of C02.

Fact 32: Americans buy more than 29 million bottles of water every year. Only 13% of these bottles are recycled every year.

Fact 33: Tsunami in Japan during the year 2011,  has created a debris of 70 miles, which consists of cars, plastic, dead bodies and radioactive waste.

Fact 34: Cadmium is a dangerous pollutant that kills foetus’ sex organ cells. It is wide spread in many things that we eat and drink.

Fact 35: It takes only 5 days for a jet stream in Chine to carry the air pollution to the United States.

Fact 36: Pollution in China can change the weather in United States.

Fact 37: World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 6400 people die every year in Mexico due to air pollution.

Fact 38: A single person in United States produces 2 kilograms of garbage every day.

Fact 39: The UAE is one of the biggest waste producer and water consumer.

Fact 40: Every 1 million ton of oil that is shipped, approximately 1 ton from gets wasted in the form of spills.

Fact 41: Most of the hazardous pollutants that are discharged in the atmosphere each year are released to surface water, ground water, and land, combined.

Fact 42: Approximately 3 billion people without proper shelter and healthcare cook and heat their homes using open fires and leaky stoves, thus contributing more towards pollution and global warming.

Fact 43: Chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) that develop due to indoor air pollution is responsible for the death of more than 1 million people every year.

Fact 44: The people more susceptible to high ozone levels are children, elderly, people with lung disease, and people who are active outdoors.

Fact 45: A glass that is produced from recycled glass instead of raw materials can reduce related air pollution by 20%, and water pollution by 50%.

Fact 46: If you think that you don’t smoke and you will be spared by lung cancer, just remember that your lungs or heart may be similarly damaged simply from exposure to ozone and particulate matter.

Fact 47: Places which are near to high traffic roads, seaports or railyards are dangerous place to live or work as they contain more concentrated levels of air pollution.

Fact 48: In cities, where there is huge traffic and vehicles run bumper-to-bumper, the pollutants in the air can seep into your car making the air you breathe inside your car up to 10 times more polluted than typical city air.

Fact 49: In 1987, the U.S. released 1.2 million tons of toxic chemicals into our atmosphere, 670,000 tons into our soil, and 250,000 tons into our water. (International Wildlife magazine)

Fact 50: In the US, 41% of all insecticides are used on corn. Eighty per cent of these are used to treat a pest that could be controlled simply by rotating the corn for one year with any other crop.

Fact 51: Public transportation and car pooling can help you to reduce air pollution and save money up to a great extent.

Cause of Pollution

The humanity had known pollution, to some extent or another, at least since the times the fire had been invented.

But it was only with the onset of the industrial revolution in the 19th century that people realized the seriousness of the pollution problem and its often devastating effects.

In the last 200 years or so there appeared several fundamental trends which became the major forces behind the surge in levels of air, water & land pollution throughout the globe.

Industrialization is the first fundamental cause of pollution. Among other things, industrialization set in motion the widespread use of fossil fuels (oil, gas & coal) which are now the main sources of pollution.

Population growth is the second fundamental pollution cause. With population numbers literally exploding around the world, the demand for food and other goods goes up. This demand is met by expanded production and use of natural resources, which in turn leads to higher levels of pollution.

Globalization is another major cause of pollution. Globalization has become an effective facilitator of environmental degradation. Developing countries usually have much looser laws on environmental protection. With this “benefit” as well as the population growth and easy availability of cheap labor, big industry prefers to move its facilities to such “pollution havens” rather than work in more regulated markets.

So we won’t be wrong if we consider industrialization, population growth and globalization the fundamental drivers of pollution, the very roots of the gigantic pollution tree.

Environmental awareness

Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the importance of its protection. Promoting environmental awareness is an easy way to become an environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future for our children.

To define environmental awareness we must first understand the environmentalist movement. Environmentalism is an ideology that evokes the necessity and responsibility of humans to respect, protect, and preserve the natural world from its anthropogenic (caused by humans) afflictions.

Environmental awareness is an integral part of the movement’s success. By teaching our friends and family that the physical environment is fragile and indispensable we can begin fixing the problems that threaten it.

Numerous resources are available to promote environmental awareness; group learning (in or outside of class), informational and inspirational seminars, such as our Awakening the Dreamer Program, and environmental books and brochures are just a few of the tools that can get you involved in promoting the environment.

Environmental issues are harmful effects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.

The carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere has already exceeded 400 parts per million (NOAA) (with total "long-term" GHG exceeding 455 parts per million). (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report) This level is considered a tipping point. "The amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is already above the threshold that can potentially cause dangerous climate change. We are already at risk of many areas of pollution...It's not next year or next decade, it's now." Report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):

"Climate disasters are on the rise. Around 70 percent of disasters are now climate related – up from around 50 percent from two decades ago.

These disasters take a heavier human toll and come with a higher price tag. In the last decade, 2.4 billion people were affected by climate related disasters, compared to 1.7 billion in the previous decade. The cost of responding to disasters has risen tenfold between 1992 and 2008. Destructive sudden heavy rains, intense tropical storms, repeated flooding and droughts are likely to increase, as will the vulnerability of local communities in the absence of strong concerted action." (OCHA) "Climate change is not just a distant future threat. It is the main driver behind rising humanitarian needs and we are seeing its impact. The number of people affected and the damages inflicted by extreme weather has been unprecedented."

Environment destruction caused by humans is a global problem, and this is a problem that is on going every day. By year 2050, the global human population is expected to grow by 2 billion people, thereby reaching a level of 9.6 billion people (Living Blue Planet 24). The human effects on Earth can be seen in many different ways. A main one is the temperature rise, and according to the report ”Our Changing Climate”, the global warming that has been going on for the past 50 years is primarily due to human activities (Walsh, et al. 20). Since 1895, the U.S. average temperature has increased from 1.3 °F to 1.9 °F, with most of the increase taken place since around year 1970 (Walsh, et al. 20).