Essay/Term paper: Pollution

Essay, term paper, research paper:  English Papers

The Hidden Things That Are Killing Us



Pollution is the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment. It



is a major problem in America and as well as the world. Pollution not only damages the



environment, but damages us also. It has caused many problems ranging from lung cancer to the



greenhouse effect. It is all among us and yet we continue to live in our own filth. What is the



reason behind this flawed logic? The cars we drive, our left over trash, and the businesses we



depend on are to blame.



Automobiles are by far the greatest source of pollution. The noise pollution created



by cars is immense. Another polluting effect of cars is the heat it creates. This heat makes it



unpleasant to be near the car while its running. And of course the most famous of the automobiles



evils is the exhaust. The toxic fumes given off as a byproduct of the combustion engine are slowly



deteriorating our lungs and our atmosphere. The exhaust is extremely toxic to human beings. But



why do we do continue to drive these walking time bombs. Some people will say it is progress,



but the majority drives it for the convenience. Why walk four miles in four hours when you can



drive the same miles in four minutes?



Another popular source of waste is the post-consumer market. American citizens throw



away millions of tons of garbage each year, and this trash has to go somewhere. While there are



projects underway to clean and reuse this, most of it gets dumped into huge landfills. These



landfills are disgusting festering blisters on our country's landscape. But people continue to



consume and throw away more and more in the name of convenience. As they see it, when things



get old, throw it away and get a new one. They blame the government for the trash problem, but



the truth blame should be placed on themselves.



The last great source of pollution lays in the businesses. Although not common,



businesses have been known to dump their waste products into streams, lakes, and rivers. This



may seem like a relatively small occurrence that really is not your concern, but you're wrong.



According to Progressive Farmer, "Nearly 79 percent of all bussiness contribute to pollution and



that affects mainly the water source" . Each time one of these companies pollutes there are



horrible consequences to pay. Mutations, destroyed ecosystems, and human death have all



occurred as a direct result of illegal dumping. It contaminates our drinking water and soil. It



causes entire communities of humans (not to mention animals) to move on to new places not to



return for at least a century. The pollutants dumped by industry are so concentrated that a single



barrel can destroy an entire lake's ecosystem. Not only do companies dump chemicals, but also



hot water. This hot water kills most life it comes into contact with, but also causes an overgrowth



of algae that covers the surface of the lake, or pond, and blocks the light from reaching the



bottom. This means the plant life cannot grow, which mean the small bacteria and other



microorganisms can't grow which means fish can't feed which means the ecosystem dies.



Pollution like any other problem can be solved, but this is a long process. Individuals can



do their part to save the environment as well as themselves. Instead of driving, carpool, take the



or any other method of mass transit. This will cut down on pollution made by cars each year, not



to mention your gas bill. When it comes to the trash problem, take the time to sort your trash and



place it in the appropriate recycling bins. By recycling we reduce the amount of waste piled onto



the landfills. As for consumption, pay attention to how the products you buy are manufactured



and how they are packaged. Avoid those products made in 'unfriendly' ways towards our mother



earth. If a product encourages the destruction of land, or is of completely no use don't buy it. If



each individual did their part, we will be creating a better world for ourselves as well as our



children.