Water Pollution Harming Us All |
Posted: May 29, 2020 |
Water makes up 70% of the earth’s surface and is the most important thing on our planet. No living thing can survive without fresh water, yet humans are constantly polluting it. Water pollution is the process in which happens when pollutants contaminate the water. The contaminated water puts all humans and animals at risk. Thousands die every day, just from drinking contaminated water. Water pollution is a serious problem that has horrible consequences. Resource ProblemAnimal and human waste gets into water sources spreading disease and sickness. Not all countries have safe waste water removal systems. Unfortunately, rainwaters can wash human and animal waste into rivers, lakes and oceans. The waterways that catch the wastewater are the same water systems that the people drink from. Digesting this water causes many different disease and illnesses. Some countries also dump their trash right into the water system! Any trash that does not get recycled can end up on our waters. The trash is made of all different types of waste like plastic bottles, aluminum cans, paper, and even dangerous chemicals. It is known that paper takes about 6 weeks, aluminum takes about 200 years and glass takes even more years. Just like trash, oil spills into rivers, bays, and the ocean. Oil spills are most often are caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, drilling rigs, and storage facilities and many others that described at the essays about water pollution. They are caused by people making mistakes or being careless, equipment breaking down, natural disasters such as hurricanes or deliberate acts by terrorists, countries at war, vandals, or illegal dumpers. Oil spills are oil and grease leaking from tanks, especially marine tankers that form a coating on water surfaces. Oils form a thick layer on the water surface because it does not dissolve in water. Just 1 litre of oil can contaminate 1 million litres of water. A classic example is the BP oil spill in 2012 with killed thousands of animal species. Modern DisastersThese unfortunate disasters in the water have lasting effects. Oil covering the surface of the water can stop marine plants from receiving enough light for photosynthesis. If the oil goes in the ground and the plant drink it like it is water the oil can make it so the plant can also no longer do photosynthesis. It is also harmful to fish and marine birds. Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters and the water-repelling abilities of a bird's feathers, thus exposing these creatures to the harsh elements. Many birds and animals also ingest (swallow) oil when they try to clean themselves, which can poison them. Depending on just where and when a spill happens, from a few up to hundreds or thousands of birds and mammals can be killed or injured. Trash can hurt just as many innocent animals. When pieces of trash end up in the water, they harm sea animals and cause a lot of water animal deaths. The trash collects in the animals living areas and is dangerous to their babies if they even survive. The trash kills small creatures and plant life that many different, bigger, animals need to eat in order to survive. Food chains can be affected to, the food chains can be destroyed by water pollution, for example: Little fish eats tiny contaminated organic particles→Big fish eats tiny fish→Humans eat fish. Pollutants such as lead and cadmium are eaten by tiny animals. Later, these animals are consumed by fish and shellfish, and the food chain continues to be disrupted at all higher levels. Eventually, humans are affected by this process as well. People can get diseases such as hepatitis by eating seafood that has been poisoned. In many poor nations, there is always outbreak of cholera and diseases as a result of poor drinking water treatment from contaminated waters. Swimming in and drinking polluted water can cause health issues like rashes, cancer and reproductive problems. ConclusionLike I said before, pollution is a big problem that has horrible consequences! I think if we don't get working on this problem fast there won't be any clean water left. People are getting many different deadly diseases and animals are dying from these awful things humans are doing to the water that we so badly need!
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