Water Pollution

Water pollution is increasingly becoming a large problem that we as humans need to confront. Water is our most valuable resource. Just think of how much we humans are dependent upon clean water. Water is way more valuable than gold, what can you go a day, week, year with out, gold or water? Besides the fact that we drink the water, we use it for irrigation of farm fields, cooking, washing clothes, flushing toilets, etc. and every industrial process requires water to function. Everyone knows that the Earth's surface is covered by 70% water, so why fuss of protecting water? Only 3% of all water is fresh and drinkable and of that 3%, 75% is frozen, which leaves a grand total of only 1% of the Earth's surface water that is readily available for consumption. After taking that fact into account, one can see why the conservation and protection of our remaining water supply is so vital. Before water pollution can be stopped, the sources of the pollution must be known. The major sources of water pollution are organic pollution, agricultural pollution, runoff, toxic waste, and thermal pollution. Organic pollution is becoming more and more pressing on theenvironment, because of the growing population of the world. It's a simple concept, the more people there are in one area, the more waste they will produce. For example, in a city there are so many people that the sewage plants and the environment can't take care of all of the waste and function in its usual manner. The sewage plants do their best, but the secondary discharge that gets into the water supply causes great problems. The excess waste acts as a fertilizer or food source for algae and the growth rate is uncontrollable. Everyone has been in a lake where there is a lot of dead algae on the shore and the water is clouded with algae. This situation is known as eutrophication, where algae growth is out of control and the water becomes oxygen depleted.

Automobiles and Pollution

In years past, levels of air, noise, and sight pollution were much lower than they are today. There are more cars on the road today, and because of this we experience higher levels of pollution than before. The automobile is probably the leading contributor pollution in our cities. They release toxic emissions into our atmosphere. Automobiles are linked particularly to carbon monoxide pollution. They are noisy (especially if you are living near the highway), and they take up valuable space in the form of vast parking lots that are unpleasing to the eye. Why are there more automobiles on the road today than there was in the past? Understanding the answer to this question is important when trying to propose an effective solution to the increasing levels of pollution that we are experiencing. Our current levels of high pollution are the result of an increased number of vehicles on the road. Air pollution concentrations have been rapidly increasing in the major urban areas of Brazil caused mainly by the increasing use of vehicles. Policies to control car emissions in Brazil have relied basically on mandatory emission standards and subsidies for specific cleaner technology resulting in substantial decrease of car emission rates. Nevertheless, taxes on car sales, differentiated by vehicles' size and fuel, have also influenced car emission patterns. This paper analyses the compliance trend of the Brazilian fleet with environmental standards between 1992 and 1997. We find that larger automobiles had the fastest compliance schedule while popular models adjusted very slowly. Also gasoline-fuelled models had a faster adjustment pattern than ethanol cars. Additionally, we analyse the current relationship between

pollution emissions and car characteristics in order to orient policy formulation. We find a positive relationship between emissions rates and horse power, concluding that although the current value-added sale car tax is not environmental harmful, a tax differentiating clean from dirty models, within each tax bracket, could create substantial incentives for emission control in the future.

The Effects of Ozone Pollution The term "ozone" has appeared in numerous magazine and newspaper articles and has been a subject of discussion on both radio and television. Despite all the publicity surrounding this term, however, many people are still confused by it. The confusion arises from the fact that ozone is both beneficial and harmful. We know that the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere acts as a filter for the sun's ultraviolet rays, reducing the amount of radiation that reaches the earth's surface. At ground level, though, high concentrations of ozone can be harmful. The Ozone Layer Ozone gas forms a layer all around the earth high in the stratosphere. It serves as a vital and effective protective barrier from the sun's ultraviolet rays. In recent years, scientists have sounded alarms internationally about the depletion of the ozone layer, citing chemical pollution as the major cause. Ozone Pollution Ozone pollution is really an increase in the concentration of ozone in the air at ground level. Because sunlight has a critical role in its formation, ozone pollution is principally a daytime problem in the summer months. Ground-level ozone is produced when sunlight combines with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide, two compounds produced by cars, trucks, factories, and power-generating plants, and found wherever gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, oil, or natural gas are combusted. Urban areas with heavy traffic, and large industrialized communities, are the primary areas with ozone problems.

Ocean pollution is now a big problem facing us in everyday life. For years we have been trying to stop the dumping of trash, chemicals, and toxic waste into our oceans but the people who do it, still find ways to get around the rules and laws we have created (Mulvaney 28) Why should we have to live with an ocean so polluted where in time we will not even be able to fish or swim in it? The solutions to the problem of ocean pollution are endless and worthwhile. Since we caused ocean pollution, it is our job to clean it up. We* are the futu...

Pollution has become a major issue over the years. It has caused death, disease, and many health problems. It is a major concern of our world today and not much is being done to prevent it. If not all, a lot of pollution is caused by humans. There are different types like industrial, agricultural, etc. Many people are realizing now the threat that pollution poses to humans. There are three main types of pollution. They are land, air, and water pollution. Land pollution deals with dumps or other harmful substances. Strip mining, digging, and irrigation are types of land pollution also. They arent as harmful to us but they scar and hurt the land. Landfills are a major source of pollution. Most are infested with disease or with animals carrying disease. Many contain harmful

chemicals that seep into the land or gasses that cause explosions or fires. Solid and hazardous wastes are found in landfills and dumps. Solid wastes are the most visible form of land pollution. Every year, humans dispose of billions of tons of solid wastes. Most of our disposal methods cause harm to the environment. Hazardous wastes are substances released into the environment that can cause death or harm to people and their surroundings. These wastes are very hard to dispose of and usually contaminate the environment quickly.