Major Environmental Threats: Water, Soil, Air Pollution
Inland Water Pollution
Freshwater is essential for life on Earth, but due to increasing population and industrial activity, pollution of rivers, lakes, and groundwater is steadily increasing.
Causes of Inland Water Pollution
- Industry: Inland waters are vulnerable to toxic poisoning.
- Sewage, Urban, and Industrial Waste: Everyday, collective discharges pollute inland water bodies.
- Farming: Use of products like herbicides and pesticides pollutes freshwaters.
- Accidents: Accidental dumping of radioactive waste.
Effects of Inland Water Pollution
- Accelerated sedimentation
- Loss of freshwater reserves on the planet
- Reduced water availability for living beings
- Extinction of river and lake animal species
Contaminated Inland Water Bodies
Rivers:
- North America: The Mississippi and St. Lawrence
- South America: The Amazon, The Magdalena, The Manzanares, El Tuy, The Orinoco, and The Caroni
- Europe: The Tiber, The Thames, The Danube, and The Rhine
- Asia: The Yellow, The Yangtze, The Indus, The Ganges, and The Brahmaputra
- Africa: The Nile and The Congo
Lakes:
- Lakes of the United States and Canada
- Lakes located in Finland, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom
- Lake Maracaibo and Lake Valencia
Ocean Water Pollution
Oceans and seas possess a natural treatment capacity, but this is often overwhelmed by human activities.
Causes of Ocean Pollution
- The discharge of chemicals
- The dumping of industrial and household waste
- Oil spills and their derivatives
Effects of Ocean Pollution
- Oil impedes water oxygenation, deteriorating water quality.
- Reduced self-cleansing capacity of water, affecting shellfish and bacteria.
- Inability to use beaches for tourism.
Contaminated Ocean Areas
Cities in Africa, Asia, and America experiencing significant ocean pollution include: Hong Kong, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, New York, San Francisco, Marseille, and Bordeaux.
Soil Degradation and Vegetation Loss
Soils are an essential component of the medium in which life develops. Vegetation consists of a set of plants that grow naturally on the ground. Soil degradation refers to the process where soil partially or completely loses its properties for a particular use.
Causes of Soil Degradation
- Agricultural activity (e.g., chemical use)
- Overgrazing
- Organic waste disposal
- Urban, industrial, and forestry activities
Effects of Soil Degradation
- Destruction of topsoil
- Loss of soil fertility
- Increased desertification
Recommendations for Soil Health
- Develop farming perpendicular to the line of maximum slope.
- Construct drainage channels for water runoff.
Vegetation Destruction
Human groups are generally responsible for the destruction of vegetation.
Causes of Vegetation Loss
- Demand for farmland
- Urban and industrial expansion
- Mining
- Deforestation
Impacts of Vegetation Destruction
- Reduced soil nutrient retention
- Biodiversity loss
- Accelerated erosion
- Increased desertification
- Alteration of river networks
- Climate changes
Atmospheric Pollution
Causes of Atmospheric Pollution
- General combustion processes from industries, vehicles, and heating.
- Waste incineration and other harmful particle emissions.
- Aerosols and products releasing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Effects of Atmospheric Pollution
- Greenhouse Effect
- Destruction of the Ozone Layer
- Climate Change
- Acid Rain
- Respiratory Diseases
The Greenhouse Effect
A phenomenon whereby certain gases in the planetary atmosphere retain some of the energy emitted by the Earth’s surface after being heated by solar radiation.
Ozone Layer Depletion
The disappearance of the ozone layer would lead to multiple effects, including climate change and increased skin cancer rates.
Climate Change Impacts
Currently, due to global warming and ozone layer depletion, the Earth’s surface is warming. This threatens various ecosystems and reduces the lifespan of animals and plants.
Acid Rain
Acid rain is the product of acid formation and toxic salts in rainwater.
The Earth’s temperature has increased at a rate of 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade over the past 30 years, impacting plants and animals. If global warming rises by two or three degrees Celsius, we will undoubtedly witness changes that transform Earth into a different planet than we know today. The last time it was this warm was in the Middle Pliocene, approximately three million years ago, when sea levels were estimated to be about 25 feet above current levels.