Pollution is killing our planet.
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Pollution comes in many forms, and none of them are good.
Pollution.
Pollution is the introduction of harmful or poisonous substances into the environment. This becomes an issue if it harms and kills life, either directly or by destroying the resources they need to survive. Pollution can come in many forms like water, air, and even non-physical forms such as noise or light. A common example for air pollution is the carbon dioxide produced from many sources of combustion, but it also applies to aerosol sprays and even dust from land erosion. Pollution does not have to be harmful substances, but the materials may become harmful in high quantities.
Municipal Solid Waste
Humans in industrialized areas produce a lot of waste, commonly referred to as trash. This waste can become problematic if not handled properly, Although the United States produced 240 million tons of waste in 2017 according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only 69 million tons were recycled. This means that only 28% of waste is recycled.
Plastics
The most commonly used materials frequently become pollutants. Plastic is an example of this, with how much is produced and how little is recycled. Only around 9% of plastics are recycled, with the rest ending up in landfills or bodies of water. Marine animals try to eat plastics or are tangled in them, and this kills many of them. In fact, over 1.1 million sea animals are killed every year by plastic pollution.
Oil Spills
Oil is necessary for much of what we have today, such as the gasoline for engines. However, drilling for oil has many unintended consequences. Oil rigs occasionally spill, and can seep into water sources. There have been 44 major oil spills in the ocean with around 420,000 gallons spilled in each. Oil is incredibly toxic and smothers sea animals, killing many thousands every year.
