Four Types Of Pollution

Pollution is an issue which comes in many forms and affects virtually everyone. Pollution exists everywhere, in various quantities, depending on the severity. There are four major types of pollution: land, water, air, and light pollution. Each type of pollution has its own effects on the environment: land pollution affects most people and animals which live in or near it; water pollution has a greater effect towards animals due to the precautions humans take to ensure safe drinking water; air pollution affects almost all parts of the environment through climate change as well as causing sickness and death; light pollution’s effects are minimal when compared to the other types of pollution, but they still can be quite dangerous to one’s

Over 780 million people are without access to clean drinking water, and around 2.5 billion people do not have access to an adequate sanitation facility (Bradford). There are two primary ways in which water pollution is caused. The first way consists of objects such as trash from a landfill or parts of a boat which have fallen into the water. The other cause is due to fertilizers and other chemicals being spilled into the water ("Pollution"). Once enough pollutants fill the water, it becomes likely for it to become contaminated with dangerous pathogens, which survive on the pollutants and can be dangerous to the wildlife. If the pathogens continue to spread algae blooms, or large growths of phytoplankton and algae, can form ("Pollution"). These algae blooms secrete poisonous chemicals which can kill the fish, marine mammals, and seabirds living in the water, as well as harm humans living nearby. Often times, even after the algae bloom is gone, the water remains uninhabitable due to the lack of oxygen caused by the algae ("Pollution"). Large factories and power plants can cause the temperature of the water around them to rise. This is also extremely dangerous to the fish living in the waters and can cause large populations to die (Bradford). While there are methods to rid water of its contaminates, a more effective way to keep the waters safe might be to reduce the number of

According to the International Dark-Sky Association, an organization focused on the reduction of light pollution, “exposure to artificial light at night can harm your health” ("Human Health"). Light pollution, or the use of non-natural light, can disrupt the rhythm and lead to various health disorders, including ones which affect mental strength. These disorders can include increased risk of obesity, depression, sleep disorders, diabetes, and breast cancer ("Human Health"). The issue is not only limited to humans, as many other species face similar problems. Light pollution is all around us, caused by street lights, as well as many electronic devices, and is constantly expanding.

Pollution exists in all aspects of the Earth. It can be found in the water, the air, the land, and through the light. In some cases, pollution is not severe, and in others, it is the cause of the loss of an entire ecosystem. Pollution is the cause of many health risks to both humans and animals and is continuing to spread. Each type of pollution comes in various forms and has many effects, all of which can cause harm to the environment and the people who live in it. As long as humans are on Earth there will be pollution, but the actions one makes every day have the ability to drastically reduce the