1. Environmental pollution is one of the serious problems we face all over the world today.

2. Let us read how each one of us can contribute to its betterment:

Pollution is a process of contaminating an area of the natural environment such as the air, soil, or water usually by introducing damaging substances such as chemicals or waste products. These substances are generally termed as pollutants. Pollutants can be naturally occuring substances or energies, but they are considered contaminants when they exceed the natural levels.

Pollution takes place when the environment cannot process and neutralize harmful by-products of human activities, for example, poisonous gas emissions. Pollution has negative impact on crucial environmental services such as provision of clean air and clean water. Environmental pollution is a problem both in developed and developing countries. Factors such as population growth and
urbanization place greater demands on the planet and stretch the use of natural resources to the maximum. Environmental pollutants are constituent parts of the pollution process. They are the actual executing agents of environmental pollution. They come in gaseous, solid or liquid form.

In order to develop and implement an effective international policy for pollutant management, it is important, among other factors, to understand their decomposition mechanisms. Decomposition of pollutants can occur either biologically or chemically. Nonbiodegradable pollutants are the ones that cannot be decomposed by living organisms and therefore, persist in the ecosphere for extremely long periods of time. They include plastics, metal, glass, some pesticides and herbicides, and radioactive isotopes.

A combination of many factors, such as wind, water and climate are required to work together to achieve neutralisation of pollutants of non-biological decomposition and the non-biodegradable pollutants.

 

Air pollutants, unlike the solid and liquid pollutants found on land and in water, may be removed from the atmosphere through wet deposition or dry deposition. In the case of wet deposition, pollutants make way into clouds or other precipitation and then get deposited onto the surface of the Earth by way of rain. In the case of dry deposition, pollutants are deposited directly onto the planet’s surface and vegetation, such as plants and trees or tropical rainforests.

There are many types of environmental pollution, but the most important ones are air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution.

 

Air pollution is caused by notable air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone depletion, volatile organic compounds and airborne particles. The radioactive pollutants are probably among the most destructive ones.

Water pollution is caused by pollutants including insecticides and herbicides, food processing wastes, pollutants from livestock operations, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, chemical waste and others.

Soil pollution is caused by pollutants like hydrocarbons, solvents and heavy metals. In modern industrialized societies, fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal transcended virtually all imaginable barriers and firmly established themselves in our everyday lives.

We use fossil fuels not only for our everyday needs as well as in the power generating industry, but they are also present in such products as plastics, solvents, detergents, asphalt, lubricating oils, a wide range of chemicals for
industrial use, etc.

Combustion of fossil fuels produces extremely high levels of air pollution and is widely recognized as one of the most important target areas for reduction and control of environmental pollution. Fossil fuels also contribute to soil
contamination and water pollution. For example, when oil is transported from the point of its production to further destinations by pipelines, an oil leak from the pipeline may occur and pollute soil and subsequently groundwater. When oil is transported by tankers in the oceans, an oil spill may occur and pollute ocean water.

There are other natural resources whose exploitation is a cause of serious pollution; for example, the use of uranium for nuclear power generation produces extremely dangerous waste that would take thousands of years to neutralize. But there is no reasonable doubt that fossil fuels are among the most serious sources of environmental pollution.

 

Power-generating plants and transport are probably the biggest sources of fossil fuel pollution. Motor vehicles, shipping industry and aircrafts cause a lot of pollution. Fossil fuel combustion is also a major source of carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions and perhaps the most important cause of global warming.

Among other sources of pollution, agriculture is worth mentioning as the largest generator of ammonia emissions resulting in air pollution. Chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers are also widely used in agriculture which may
lead to water pollution and soil contamination as well.

Residential sector is another significant source of pollution, generatingsolid municipal waste that may end up in landfills or incinerators leading to soil contamination and air pollution.

Some of the effects of air pollution include asthma, reduced energy levels, irritation of eyes, disruption of the immune system, malfunction of the central nervous system and cancer. Water pollution can cause skin rashes and allergies,
all sorts of water-borne infections, vomiting, stomach aches, malfunction of the central nervous system and so on. Soil pollution is, in a way, connected to water pollution and may cause cancer, headache, fatigue, skin rashes and so on.

Environmental pollution is causing a lot of distress not only to humans but also to animals, driving many animal species to endangerment and even extinction. The trans-boundary nature of environmental pollution makes it even
more difficult to manage it.

We should adopt a holistic view of nature. It is not an entity that exists separately from us. We are an inalienable part of it, and we should care for it in the most appropriate manner. Only then we can possibly solve the problem of environmental pollution. We can help to reduce the pollution of our environment to a great extent by paying attention to some important points in our daily routine. In our daily life, we do waste lots of stuff like paper, plastics and even water. Instead of throwing those wastes in trash-cans, we can categorize them into recyclable and non-recyclable product and send them to their right place like recyclable waste to recycling company and non-recyclable waste to proper dumping area.

We can reduce environmental pollution by planting trees near our houses, in our neighbourhood and the premises of the educational institutions and offices etc. Trees consume carbon dioxide and give out oxygen and spread it in the air for us.

We should avoid wasting useful products. Instead of throwing waste water away, we can recycle it for other purposes like watering gardens. We can start practising grey water and rain water recycling.

People think that electricity is eco-friendly and it helps to protect nature. Electricity, in fact, produces pollution and harms the environment. The methods used for generating electricity also cause pollution and harm our environment.
We should utilize the electricity effectively and wisely so that our government need not run additional plants to fulfil our electricity needs.

LPG cooking gas contributes to air pollution in a small amount. To extract these natural gases from the well, lots of energy is wasted. The method and setup used for extraction, purification and transportation of these petroleum products are major sources of air pollution and noise pollution. However, as an individual one cannot control pollution caused by extraction, purification and transportation, but can help in reducing the pollution by properly utilizing our LPG cooking gas.

 

Microwave is also a source of hidden pollution known as radiation which is invisible to our eyes. Microwave oven uses electricity to produce microwave radiation to heat food which is harmful to human being. Malfunctioning of microwave can cause damage to individual health and also effect the environment. If your microwave oven is malfunctioning, then it should be either repaired or replaced. Malfunctioning microwave not only consumes more electricity but also destroys food nutrients that will result in waste of energy. Use microwave when you really need it and avoid wasting energy by reheating again and again.

Nowadays vehicles have become our basic need for transportation and travelling. Vehicles are one of the major sources of air pollution as well as sound pollution. Vehicles contribute 47.5% of the total air pollution caused in one year. By controlling pollution caused by vehicles, we can reduce 32.5% of total air pollution. We should drive our vehicles within the fuel efficiency limit. We should turn off the vehicle engine when it is not in use for more than 2.5 minutes. Avoid turning your engine off when you need to start again in 1 minute, because starting the engine consumes more fuel than keeping the engine quite for 1 minute.

 

Our environment can also be protected by scientific construction of latrines, urinals and public toilets. Proper drainage system and maintaining a proper place for disposal of waste and garbage also contribute to a clean environment. It will improve the quality of our lives.

 

3. Word notes:
transcended : exceed
combustion : burning
neutralize : to stop something from having any effect
incinerators : machines that destroy waste by burning it
holistic view : thinking that man and nature are one whole
inalienable : something that cannot be taken away
grey water : water that has been used
microwave : oven that cooks food by passing electricity through it instead of heat

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
A. Answer the following questions in a word, phrase or sentence each

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Q1. What are the most important environmental pollutions?

Ans:- They are - air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution.

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Q2. Why is combustion of fossil fuels one of the most important target areas for control of pollution?

Ans:- Combustion of fossil fuels produces extremely high levels of air pollution. 

 

Q.3. What probably is the most important cause of global warming ?

Ans:- Fossil fuel combustion is the most important cause of global warming, as it is a major source of CO2 emissions.

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Q.4. How do pesticides and fertilizers cause water pollution?
Ans:- Pesticides and fertilizers causes water pollution by filtering through soil until they reach ground water.

Q.5.What kind of view should we have of nature?
Ans: We should have a holistic view of nature.

Q6. What do trees do to reduce environmental pollution?
Ans:- Trees consume carbon dioxide and give out oxygen and spread it in the air for us.

Q. 7. How do we recycle waste water?
Ans:- We can practice grey water harvesting for watering gardens and plants.

Q8. What happens when there is a malfunctioning of microwave oven?
Ans:- It can cause damage to individual health by unseen radiation, and can also negatively affect the environment.

B. Answer briefly:

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Q.1. What are the types of environmental pollution?
Ans: The types of environmental pollution are air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution.

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Q2. What are some of the major water pollutants?

Ans:- Some of the major water pollutants are insecticides, herbicides, food processing wastes, pollutants from livestock operation, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, chemical waste and others.

Q3. How is combustion of fossil fuel harmful to the environment?
Ans:- It produces extremely high levels of air pollution. Fossil fuel combustion is a major source of CO2 which is an important cause of global warming. It also contributes to soil contamination and water pollution.
 

Q.4. How are power generating plants and transport a big source of environmental pollution?
And:- They are the biggest sources of fossil fuel pollution. Motor Vehicles, shipping industries and aircraft cause a lot of pollution. They produce extremely dangerous waste that would take thousands of years to neutralize.

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Q.5. “Residential sector is another significant source of pollution” How?
Ans: The Residential sector generates solid municipal waste that may end up in landfills or incinerators leading to soil contamination and air pollution.

Q6. What are some of the effects of air pollution?
Ans: Some of the effects of air pollution are asthma, reduced energy levels, irritation of eyes, disruption of the immune system, malfunction of the central nervous system, and cancer.

Q7. “ The trans boundary nature of environmental pollution makes it even more difficult to manage it? Explain.
Ans: It means that environmental pollution is causing a lot of distress not only to humans but also to animals, driving many animal species to endangerment and even extinction.

Q8. “We should adopt a holistic view of nature ? Explain.
Ans: Adopting a holistic view of nature means accepting that man and nature are one. It is not an entity that exists separately from us. We should take care of it, as we are an inseparable part of it.

Q.9.What can we do with our household wastes in order to improve the environment?
Ans: Instead of throwing household wastes in trash-cans, we can categorize them into recyclable and non-recyclable products, and send them to their right places - like recyclable waste to recycling companies, and non-recyclable waste to the proper dumping areas.

 

Q10. Why is tree planting important for the environment?

Ans: This is important because trees consume carbon dioxide, and give out oxygen and spread it in the air for us. It can also reduce environmental pollution.

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Q11. Why should we use electricity wisely?

Ans: We should use electricity wisely so that our governments need not run additional plants to fulfill our electricity needs, as it produces pollution and harms our environment.

Q12. Why is it advisable that vehicle engines are turned off when they are not in use for more than 2-3 minutes?
Ans: This is advised because starting the engine consumes more fuel than keeping the engine idle for 1 minute.

EXTRA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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Q1. How are vehicles one of the major sources of air pollution?
Ans: Vehicles contribute around 47.5 % of the total air pollution caused in one year. It is one of the major sources of air pollution.

Q2. How can our environment be protected?
Ans: We can protect our environment by adopting a holistic view of nature. Scientific construction of latrines, urinals and public toilets, Proper drainage system and maintaining a proper place for disposal of waste and garbage also
contributes to a clean environment.