Air pollution may have negative impacts on humans in the form of

allergies, diseases or even death. It also has an adverse effect on

animals and plants as well as on the whole ecological system.
Air pollution can be caused by both natural processes as well as by
human behavior. According to the World Health Organization

Carbon dioxide
Although it is a natural component of the atmosphere and essential for plant
life, carbon dioxide can be harmful to the environment in the sense that it is a
greenhouse gas and thus contributes to global warming.
Sulfur oxides
Sulfur oxides, especially sulfur dioxide, is produced in various industrial
processes like in the combustion of coal and petroleum, as well as in nature
through volcanoes.
Nitrogen oxides
Nitrogen oxides, especially nitrogen dioxide, is produced in industrial
processes like in high temperature combustions as well as in natural
processes like electric discharge in thunderstorms.
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is produced through the combustion of fuels like wood, coal
or natural gas. It can cause lung diseases and also has an adverse impact on
animals and the whole natural environment.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
VOCs are categorized as either non-methane or methane. Both are rated as
greenhouse gases and thus contribute to global warming. Some VOCs are
also suspected to cause cancer.
Toxic metals
Toxic metals such as mercury and lead are also a source of air pollution.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
CFCs are emitted, among others, by aerosol sprays, refrigerators and air
conditioning and cause harmful effects to the ozone layer which in turn can
lead to skin cancer and eye diseases. It can also hurt plants and other
creatures.
Ammonia
Ammonia is mainly produced by agricultural waste. Although it is important for
the production of fertilizer and pharmaceuticals, it can also have caustic and
hazardous effects on the environment.
Odors
Odors can be caused by industrial processes, garbage and sewage and may
pose negative effects on humans.
Radioactive material
Radioactive material is produced by nuclear explosions as well as through the
natural decay of radon. In high concentrations, nuclear material causes
severe health problems like cancer and other diseases.

Causes of air pollution:

Dust
Dust is composed of fine particles of solid matter. Dust is usually emitted
through natural processes, usually in areas with little or no vegetation.
Animals
Animals produce methane in their digestion process. The emission of
methane causes air pollution and also contribute to the global warming issue.
Although a big fraction of methane emission can be attributed to livestock
from domesticated farming practices, some of it also occurs from wild animals
which also emit methane in their daily habits.
Wildfires
Wildfires often occur in areas with dry climate. They are often caused by
human behavior like the incorrect disposal of cigarettes. There are some
cases where wildfires are also started intentionally.
For example, it is quite common for farmers in the Amazon Rainforest to burn
down large areas of forest in order to get more space for farming purposes.
Wildfires can cause carbon monoxide and smoke. Large concentrations of
carbon monoxide can lead to serious health problems and even death of
humans.
Volcanoes
Volcanic activity can cause ash particulates, chlorine and sulphur to enter the
air. Especially in eruptions, large amounts of these substances are released
into the air which could even lead to a temporary flight stop in the affected
area.
Aircraft
Aircraft is a big source of air pollution. Airplanes emit large amounts of
nitrogen-dioxide as well as carbon dioxide which in turn contributes to global
warming. Especially in the last decades, the number of flights increased
significantly.
More and more people are travelling to foreign countries. In addition, many
people also travel by plane for business purposes. Thus, the amount of flights
worldwide and therefore the level of air pollution from aircraft increased
substantially in the last decades.
Vehicles
The use of vehicles of all sorts are another great cause for air pollution.
Emissions from cars and other vehicles increase the levels of CO2 and other
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and thus increase the global warming
process. In our culture, it is quite common that almost everyone of us owns at
least one car.
Especially in suburbs or in rural areas, people rely on their cars to be able to
commute to work. However, even in areas where there is good public
transport, people are usually more likely to use their cars since this feels more
convenient to them.
Therefore, the emissions from cars and other vehicles increases with a steady
rate, which leads to an increase in air pollution and also contributes to the
global warming problem.
Marine vessels
Marine vessels burn fossil fuels and thus emit several air pollution gases.
These include nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. These
gases not only contribute to global warming but are also harmful for public
health.
Waste deposition in landfills
The deposition of waste in landfills generates methane which even has a
much higher global warming potential than CO2 and therefore ranks as one of
the most harmful greenhouse gases.
However, the total amount of methane emitted in our atmosphere compared
to the amount of CO2 is relatively low. Thus, CO2 is still the most harmful
greenhouse gas in absolute terms.
Military sources
Nuclear weapons, rocketry and toxic gases can also contribute to air pollution.
Many countries do weapon tests on a regular basis, either for training
purposes or also to threat other countries. By doing so, harmful substances
are released into the air, which can cause air pollution and other adverse
effects to the environment.
Fossil fuels
The combustion of fossil fuels is a main source of air pollution. Fossil fuels are
used in production of energy and other products. Moreover, vehicles like cars,
ships, trains and airplanes are heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
Since the burning of fossil fuels is our main source of energy in our daily lifes,
it has a large adverse impact on air pollution. When fossil fuels are burned,
they release methane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and particulates into the
atmosphere which in turn lead to acid rain, smog and contribute to the
greenhouse effect.
Mining
During the mining process through blasting, drilling hauling, collection, and
transportation, the air is polluted with chemicals and dust which in turn affects
the health of miners and of the residents in the polluted area.
The effect of coal mining is especially serious since large amounts of gases
including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and methane
(CH4) are released in the air.
Agriculture
The production of ammonia as by-product of agricultural activities heavily
contributes to the air pollution problem. Ammonia is caused by livestock waste
and heavily fertilized fields. In combination with pollutants from combustion of
power plants and industrial processes like sulfates and nitrogen oxides they
create tiny solid particles or aerosols. These particles can cause heart and
lung diseases.
Industry
Industries and power plants produce large amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other chemicals. Since we need these industries for our daily
energy demand and food supply, industrial processes contribute heavily to the
air pollution issue.
Especially since the industrial revolution period, air pollution from industries
has become a serious problem. Since the prices for goods dropped
significantly due to mass production, people were able to afford much more
things than prior to the industrial revolution period.
Although this development sounds positive on the first glance, it also implies
adverse environmental effects. An increase in production also leads to an
increase in air pollution and usually also leads to all other kinds of pollution.
Private households
Private households contribute to the air pollution process through their use of
cars and other vehicles as well as through their consumption behavior.
People usually prefer to take their cars even for small distances instead of
walking or taking the public transport since it is usually considered to be more
convenient.
Moreover, many people are quite picky regarding their consumption behavior.
Food that would still be good for consumption purposes is often disposed in
the garbage if it has minor blemishes.
This daily behavior of people leads to an enormous level of air pollution and
thus harms our environment in a significant way.

Effects
Mortality
According to the World Health Organization, 7 million people die from air
pollution each year. 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of
pollutants. The country with the highest death rate from air pollution is India.
Children are more at risk than adults since their respiratory organs are not yet
fully developed.
Cardiovascular diseases
Air pollution plays a major role in the development of cardiovascular diseases.
Air pollution can also cause strokes, especially in countries with a high
pollution concentration. This problem is especially severe for people working
in jobs where they are exposed to high concentration of harmful substances.
For instance, a construction worker who works in an environment with high
levels of dust and doesn’t use protection masks or other mitigating devices
may have a high probability for strokes and other cardiovascular diseases
since he is inhaling large amounts of harmful substances on a daily basis.
Lung diseases
Air pollution can cause lung diseases like COPD including chronic bronchitis
and emphysema or asthma. Especially people who are exposed to high
concentrations of dust or other harmful substances in the air are at a higher
risk to suffer from lung diseases.
This is even more true in countries that do not have high protection standards
for workers. For example, in many developing countries, people do not protect
themselves properly when they are working with harmful substances or when
they are exposed to contaminated air.
Cancer
Exposure to polluted air also increases the probability for lung cancer. The
exposure to contaminated air is considered to be able to affect the human
DNA structure and thus to cause health issues like cancer or other diseases.
Effects on the central nervous system
The central nervous system can also be adversely affected by air pollution
and thus can, among others, damage the brain and other neurological
functions. Examples for this kind of health problems are Alzheimer’s disease
or Parkinson’s diseases.
Acid rain
The combustion of fossil fuels leads to a release of sulfur and nitrogen oxides
into the atmosphere which in turn leads to the formation of acid rain. Acid
rain can affect the whole ecosystem in an adverse way, since it has harmful
effects on humans, plants, animals and the water cycle.
Global warming
Global warming is one of the biggest challenges to humanity. One cause for
global warming is air pollution. The consequences of global warming are
disastrous.
Global warming adversely affects all living organisms. It contributes, among
others, to the melting of ice and thus to a rise in the sea level as well in an
increase in temperature.
Depletion of the ozone layer
Through air pollution, the ozone layer is eventually depleted which can cause
skin cancer or eye-related diseases. Through the emission of harmful gases
from industrial processes or vehicles, substances related to bromine and
chlorine are emitted into the air.
These substances are known to contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer.
Thus, air pollution is a cause for the ozone depletion problem.
Effects on animals
Animals are also affected by air pollution. Since they have to breathe, they
inhale toxic elements in the air and thus are also vulnerable to diseases
caused by these toxic substances.
Especially in areas with high concentrations of polluted air, the life expectation
of animals is lower than in clean air areas since these animals are at higher
risk for serious diseases related to air pollution.
Effects on agriculture
There can also be agricultural pollution from air pollution. For example, crop
yields could be adversely affected by high concentration of harmful chemicals
in the air. Moreover, air pollution causes acid rain which in turn may harm the
growth of plants and also decrease crop yields.
Economic effects
According to a joint study of the World Bank and the University of Washington,
the worldwide cost of air pollution amounts to 5 trillion USD per year. This
includes the loss in productivity as well as the loss in life quality through
polluted air.
The air pollution issue is especially severe in developing countries. Small
children under age 5 in developing countries are more than 60 times as likely
to die from air pollution than children in high-income countries.
Since there are many additional costs of air pollution like health costs which
have not been taken into account in this study, the real costs are much higher
than 5 trillion USD per year.

Solution:
Change in energy consumption behavior
To mitigate the air pollution problem, it is crucial to reduce our energy demand
since energy production is a cause of air pollution. This can be accomplished
in many forms. For example, people can turn off their lights or other electronic
devices when they don’t use them.
Reduce material consumption
All kinds of products of our daily life are manufactured in industries which use
large amounts of energy. Therefore, if we reduce our need of material things,
we could contribute significantly to less air pollution.
Avoid the use of cars
In order to reduce air pollution, using public transport instead of cars can be
an effective measure. Even better would be a switch to bicycle to further
reduce the air pollution problem.
Especially in rural areas, switching from cars to public transport can be quite
difficult since the public transport infrastructure may often be quite bad.
However, for people living in areas with good public transport infrastructure, a
switch from cars to public transport should not be a big deal at all.
Moreover, using car-sharing or other carpooling methods may be a good way
to reduce air pollution even further.
Reuse and recycle
Instead of throwing away things you don’t use anymore, try to find another
purpose for them. If you are sure you do not want to use them anymore, find
another person who still wants to use your item. With this procedure, waste
and the implied air pollution can be reduced.
Biodigesters
Biodigesters can contribute to a reduction of air pollution, especially in poor
countries where slash and burn is prevalent. This way, a useless commodity
can be turned into income through the production of energy out of plants.
Use of energy-efficient devices
Switching to more energy-efficient household appliances would further reduce
energy consumption and thus would reduce air pollution. Energy-efficient
devices are usually not much more expensive than energy-consuming
devices. Thus, almost everyone should be able to afford energy-efficient
household devices.
Convince others
All the measures mentioned above could reduce the problem of air pollution.
We can all contribute a small part to the reduction in energy consumption and
thus to less air pollution.
However, not only our own behavior makes a difference, we also have to
convince other people that it is worth to reduce their energy demand.
If everyone convinces enough people, every single person can make a
significant direct and indirect contribution to mitigate the air pollution problem

Water Pollution:
Pollution of rivers
Rivers are usually polluted through three major factors, namely industry,
domestic and agriculture. This is due to the fact that each of them is usually
located quite near rivers for historical reasons. This causes problems since
farmers put their fertilizers on their fields.
Due to heavy rainfalls, this fertilizer may be washed through the soil and
eventually end up in rivers. This can cause a dramatic increase in phosphate
and nitrate concentration. In turn, this leads to an increase in algae.
At the end of the lifespan of an alga, it is decomposed by bacteria which grow
exponentially and use up quite a lot of oxygen.
At one point, there is too much algae contamination and thus due to a lack of
oxygen, fishes and other animals die. Another source of polluted rivers is the
chemical industry.
Waste products from chemical processes are often accidentally or even
intentionally disposed into rivers, including toxic substances like cyanide, lead
or mercury.
This contamination through chemical substances is also a huge source of
river contamination and destroys many river environments.
Pollution of lakes
Analogous to the pollution of rivers, the main sources for lake pollution are the
excessive use of fertilizers and metals from industrial waste disposal.
Moreover, lakes are also polluted through natural sediments like silt and clay
which in large amounts can become a vast pollution problem.
Marine pollution
Since rivers end in lakes and oceans, they carry their contaminants in these
environments. Oceans pollution thus is caused by the previous pollution of
rivers and lakes and has similar pollution sources.
Groundwater contamination
Groundwater pollution occurs from man-made products such as oil, gasoline,
chemicals road salts and other human-made substances get eventually
through the soil into the groundwater.
These substances include, among others, motor oil, substances from mining
activities, toxic chemicals and untreated waste.

Causes of water pollution

Water pollution caused by natural phenomena
But there are also natural causes for water pollution. Natural sources of water
pollution can be volcanoes, storms or earthquakes, which can have a
dramatic impact on the ecological status of water.
Water pollution caused by human behavior
There are many sources of water pollution caused by humans, including the
disposal of industrial waste and sewage, littering, using harmful and/or
excessive fertilizers or dumping industrial waste into rivers and lakes.
Moreover, the improper disposal of batteries, personal care products and
household chemicals contribute to water contamination.
Sewage
Wastewater and sewage are a by-product of daily life and thus produced by
each household. It is produced through various activities in our daily lives, like
from using dishwashers, toilets soaps and detergents.
Wastewater contains chemicals and bacteria which are harmful for human
and environmental health. Germs in the sewage can cause severe health
problems, which in the worst case even cause death.
Moreover, when these germs make their way into rivers or lakes, animals also
may get infected. They can act as carriers for the potentially deadly diseases
and thus spread them back to humans through wildlife interactions or even
only from consuming animals like infected deer.
Industrial waste
Industries located near rivers and lakes are a huge problem to water quality.
Since they want to get rid of their industrial by-products, chemicals like
mercury, asbestos, sulfur, nitrates and many others are often dumped into
nearby water. Since rivers often end in oceans, this problem impacts the
whole worldwide water system.
Due to this contamination, there can be a serious adverse impact on water
animals and in turn even on us consuming fish or other sea food. This is a
problem which is mostly prevalent in developing countries. Developed
countries usually have strict environmental standards to prevent this kind of
environmental pollution.
Private Waste
ndustrial waste is a much bigger factor when it comes to water pollution than
private waste. However, if households do not dispose their garbage properly,
pollutants can get into the groundwater. Thus, it is necessary even for private
persons to pay attention how to dispose different forms of garbage properly.
Mining
When miners extract gold, diamonds, coal or other elements, they have to
take great care not to pollute the groundwater. Many of the raw minerals are
containing chemicals that are harmful to the environment. If not disposed
properly, these by-products can cause severe contaminations of rivers and
lakes as well as of the groundwater.
Moreover, in some countries, the use of toxic substances to extract metals is
a big danger to the people operation with them an also for the groundwater.
For example, there are people in Africa extracting gold with the help of
mercury, not even wearing gloves.
Apart from the deadly consequences for the workers, if the mercury is not
disposed properly, it would have an enormous severe impact on the water
cycle.
Oil leakages
Accidental oil leakages are a huge problem to the marine water conditions. If
due to an accident, a ship which is carrying large amounts of oil starts to leak,
this impacts almost every sea creature in a severe adverse way.
The bad part about oil is that it doesn’t dissolve in water, so it basically will last
forever and cause health problems for fish and other animals.
Dumping
A part of our daily garbage is not burned but is carried to other countries
which then dispose this garbage into the sea. This process is devastating to
the whole ecological system since items like plastic and rubber take more
than a century to decompose.
If this process is not stopped soon, this will have dramatic consequences for
ocean animals and thus in turn for us consuming fish and other seafood.
Fossil fuels
The burning of fossil fuels leads to acid rain, which in turn spills into rivers,
lakes, oceans and the groundwater. By no longer using fossil fuels and transit
to renewable energies, water contamination could be vastly mitigated.
Increasing meat consumption
Our worldwide increasing appetite for meat is indirectly causing water
pollution. Since our farm animals have to be fed, a higher consumption of
meat means a higher demand for animal feed which means a higher level of
used fertilizer in order to be able to meet this demand which indirectly
translates into a higher concentration of nitrate and phosphate in our
groundwater.
Chemical fertilizers
For farmers, using chemical fertilizers in order to increase crop yields is
considered the worldwide standard today. However, the chemicals contained
in the fertilizer can sink in the groundwater and cause severe damage to water
conditions.
Pesticides
Similar to chemical fertilizers, the use of pesticides increases the yield of
farmers since it protects the crops of plants from animals. However, these
pesticides often contain harmful substances which will get in the ecosystem
sooner or later and thus foster water pollution.
Leaking sewer lines
A leak in or even a broken sewer line can pollute the groundwater to a
significant degree. Leakages in the sewer line may often not be detected for a
while and can contaminate the groundwater for this timespan until the
leakages are fixed.
Radioactive garbage
Radioactive waste is a by-product in the production of nuclear energy. It takes
a high level of caution to store the nuclear waste in a safely manner. The
disposal of nuclear waste is quite difficult and takes enormous effort.
Thus, it is quite expensive to safely dispose the nuclear garbage. Mistakes in
the disposal process of nuclear waste can result severe damage of the
ecosystem through the nuclear contamination of the groundwater.
Leakage of landfills
Leakages of landfills can result in the pollution of water in a severe manner.
There are many toxic substances which can flow through the leakages and
thus contaminate the groundwater.
Urban development
In our daily lifes, our standards and entitlement continually grow. We need the
hippest clothes, trendy food and other amenities. The downside to this is that
we dispose things that are still working but are not trendy anymore quite faster
than decades ago.
This leads to a huge waste of resources, since the production of material
things causes huge water and resource demand.
Thus, more fertilizer and other chemicals have to be used in order to meet the
demand for resources which in turn leads to an increased contamination of
our water supply.
Population growth
Similar to the urban development issue, the growth in population leads to an
increase in demand for food and other things for daily life. Thus, an increase
in population is likely to cause an increase in water pollution if we do not adopt
properly and develop an overall strategy that on the one hand meets the
demand for material goods and on the other hand is in line with sustainable
ecological behavior.
Animal waste
Animal waste is a natural product. However, when it rains, it reaches rivers
and can under some circumstances to diseases which may impact humans in
the form of Cholera or Diarrhea.
Underground storage leaks
Oil and other substances are often carried through pipelines. If this pipelines
leak, oil and other harmful substances can get in the groundwater and cause
an adverse impact on the water quality.
Airplane fuel drops
Prior to the landing, airplanes usually drop their fuel if there is still too much of
it in the plane’s tank. This drop of fuel causes air pollution which in turn can
harm water quality through contaminated rain.

Effects of water pollution:

Effects on humans
Water pollution poses severe threats to humanity. Since water is crucial for all
life on earth, a lack of pure drinking water could result in a decrease of
population numbers. Moreover, if water becomes a scarce resource, people
are likely to fight for their share and this may even lead to wars.
This problem will be especially severe in countries which are heavily affected
by the global warming problem. In these countries, the water shortage will be
a quite severe problem.
If we continue to pollute our rivers, lakes and oceans, the time will come when
water will be an extreme precious resource and prices for water will increase
dramatically.
Effects on animals
Animals are also severely affected by water pollution. In contrast to humans,
animals are not able to recycle or treat water but they still need it to survive.
Thus, they have to consume the contaminated water and risk to get sick.
If the water is too polluted, local animals may either move to other places or if
they are not able to move will eventually die from the contaminated water and
its adverse health effects.
Effects on plants
Plants can also be affected by water pollution. Since the water system is
connected, pollution in rivers can transfer into a pollution of lakes and the
groundwater. Plants which grow in a contaminated area may use this polluted
water and die off.
Moreover, if farmers use the contaminated water for their fields, the plants will
suffer and therefore crop yields may decrease.
Effects on water animals and plants
There are also significant adverse effects on water animals and plants from
water pollution. Rivers, lakes or oceans are the natural living habitat for
countless animals and plants.
These animals and plants are usually quite sensitive to their living conditions.
If their living environment gets polluted, they may not be able to adapt
properly and eventually die due to the contaminants.
Disruption of the food chain
Moreover, water pollution can also have adverse effects on the food chain.
Since we consume fish and other water animals, we also indirectly consume
the pollutants which these fish have consumed. Thus, we could also be
contaminated by eating contaminated fish.
Diseases
The consumption of polluted water can cause many serious health conditions.
Among others, it can lead to cholera, hepatitis or typhoid fever. Thus, water
pollution poses a serious threat to the health of humans as well as to the
health of animals.
Eutrophication
Water pollution can also lead to the eutrophication of lakes or oceans,
meaning that the growth of algae will be supported. Since algae need certain
chemicals and nutrients to grow, water contaminated with those nutrients will
give algae the opportunity to spread.
Destruction of whole ecosystems
Ecosystems are quite sensitive to changes in their natural conditions. Even
small changes can lead to big effects. If the level of water pollution increases,
some animals and plants may die off which in turn could cause chain
reactions regarding predator and prey animals and therefore harm the
ecosystem in a significant way.

Solution of waterpollution

Responsible use of fertilizer and pesticides

Through the reduction in the use of fertilizers and pesticides, the
contamination of the groundwater through nitrates and phosphates can be
significantly reduced. Thus, we have to make sure that farmers are aware that
their efforts can be a big contribution in order to mitigate water pollution.
Discourage firms from disposing their trash in rivers, lakes
or oceans
We have to make sure that firms do not dispose their industrial by-products in
rivers or other water environments. There are already strict regulations in
developed countries, but this principle should also be standard in developing
countries in order to solve our water pollution problem.
Replace fossil fuels by renewable energies
Private people and firms are getting more and more aware that fossil fuels
have to be replaced by renewable energies. This is the right approach in order
to reduce water pollution from acid rain.
Minimize stormwater runoff
Water pollution from stormwater runoff and the resulting sediment pollution
can be avoided by private persons as well as by big firms. Sediment pollution
may not seem to be a big problem to you, but it has a significant ecological
impact.
Sediment in an aquatic environment can change the water temperature,
screens out sunlight, disrupts the food chain, inhibits photosynthesis and
eventually can lead to a decline of species in the water ecosystem.
You can mitigate sediment pollution through seeding or installing a silt fence
to control and contain a potential erosion.
Reduce meat consumption
Consuming lots of meat is quite common in our society today. However, this
has an adverse effect on water pollution since in order to produce more meat,
the intensity of fertilizer usage is likely to increase and thus the pollution of the
groundwater increases. Reducing the consumption of meat can thus
contribute to a reduction in water pollution.
Support other countries to improve their technologies
We have to hand developing countries the knowledge and awareness on how
our actions affect water pollution and how to fix this issue. Moreover, we have
to stop shipping our trash to other countries and instead deal with our trash at
home. This will increase the incentive for each country to reduce trash
production significantly.
Convince people
The ultimate weapon to fight water pollution is to convince people to change
their behavior. This includes convincing farmers to use less fertilizers and
pesticides but also refers to the behavior of private persons in their daily life.
People have to be aware that reducing trash is major contribution to the
reduction in water pollution. Moreover, disposing different kinds of trash
appropriately makes a big difference.

Land pollution:
Causes:
Agriculture
Since our growing population strives for higher consumption levels and
demands more meat and vegetables, in order to meet this demand, farmers
have to increase their yields.
However, by doing so, farmers have to get rid of by-products and also have to
overuse their ground. Thus, the soil can be harmed in an adverse manner.
Use of fertilizers
The excessive use of fertilizers can be a big problem since they are washed
through the soil and thus lead to a contamination of our groundwater. It is also
washed in our rivers and lakes and increases the nutrition concentration.
As a result, there is an increased load of algae which in turn leads to a low
oxygen environment. Fishes and plants may die because of that since they
are usually quite sensitive to their oxygen demand.
Use of pesticides
A similar problem results through the use of excessive levels of pesticides.
These chemicals harm the environmental system as a whole. They are also
washed in our groundwater and pollute our lakes and rivers.
Moreover, part of the crop yield is eaten by animals. By eating crops treated
by pesticides, these animals are contaminated and may even die.
Deforestation
Deforestation is another serious cause for land pollution. Forest are cut down
because people want more settlement space and also for farming purposes.
For example, large areas of the Amazonian rainforest are burned down
intentionally by farmers in order to get more land for farming.
However, deforestation can lead to an increase of soil erosion and also to an
increase of floods since trees hold back large amounts of rain water.
Mining
Through mining activities, people extract large amounts of coal, iron, gold and
other precious materials out of the ground. This has an adverse effect on the
soil as well as on the wildlife.
For the extraction of natural resources, toxic chemicals are often used. If
these chemicals are not removed in an environmental-friendly way, they can
lead to a contamination of plants and animals.
Industrialization
Due to the industrialization and our increased living standards, we need more
and more material goods for our daily lifes. However, this leads to an
increased amount of waste which has to be disposed.
Especially in developing countries, this waste is often not disposed properly
and sometimes even disposed in rivers or lakes or on the bare ground. Thus,
our increased demand in consumption contributes to the problem of land
pollution.
Landfills
If landfills are not set up properly, chemicals and other harmful substances
can be washed through the soil in our groundwater and contaminate it.
It also may have adverse effects on the soil itself since through the
contamination with chemicals, it may not be used for other purposes in the
future.
Sewage
Sewage has to be treated in a professional way in order to avoid a
contamination of the soil and thus also of our groundwater.
Especially in developing countries, technologies are not good enough to treat
the sewage appropriately. Thus, this leads to land as well as to water
pollution.
Chemicals
Chemicals from industrial processes can cause a huge adverse impact on the
environment and can contaminate our lands.
In many countries, the chemicals which had been used in production
processes and are just useless by-products after that will just be dumped
somewhere in order to get rid of them.
This contaminates the land and also has harmful effects on animals, plants
and on our groundwater.
Nuclear waste
Nuclear waste will become a big problem in the future. With the use of nuclear
energy, large amounts of electricity can be generated. However, the
radioactive by-products are often just stored somewhere beneath the ground.
This leads to severe consequences since the land near the nuclear waste will
be contaminated for many thousands or even millions of years.
Construction
Construction activities may lead to land pollution if the by-products are not
disposed correctly. Remaining wood, metal or plastic may just be disposed in
nearby forest where they contaminate the ground and also harm local animals
and vegetation.
Littering
A common problem, no matter if in cities or in rural areas, is littering. People
just throw their garbage on the ground and seemingly do not care about the
adverse effects on the environment.
An example for that is that people just throw their cigarettes on the ground all
the time. This leads to land contamination since cigarettes contain many
elements which are harmful to the environment.

Effects:
Climate effects
Land pollution can indirectly cause global warming. For example,
deforestation of the rain forest leads to an increase in global warming since
trees absorb CO2.
When they are cut down, large amounts of CO2 are released in the
atmosphere and thus the global warming process is enhanced.
Soil pollution
Another adverse effect of land pollution is the contamination of soil. Damaging
the upper layer of soil through the use of fertilizer and pesticides in agriculture,
the contaminated land can lose its fertility and may no longer be used for
agricultural purposes in the long run.
Health effects
Land pollution can threaten our health in many ways. Through an excessive
use of fertilizers and pesticides, harmful chemicals enter our groundwater and
are consumed from humans in later stages.
In addition, part of the crops contaminated by pesticides is consumed by
animals which humans will eventually consume.
Therefore, humans are indirectly affected by the adverse effects of the use of
pesticides. Moreover, chemicals will make their way in the food chain through
improperly operated landfills.
Wildfires
When areas of land are polluted, they usually become quite dry. Thus, this dry
condition increases the probability of wildfires dramatically. Wildfires can harm
the whole environment and can kill plants, animals and even humans.
Effects on tourism
Due to land pollution, many countries which have big problems with land
pollution will lose their attractivity to tourists. Tourists usually look out for nice
places for spending their vacation. They rather spend their days in a nice
clean area than near landfills or in areas with high plastic pollution.
Through the loss of tourists, apart from the land pollution problem, affected
areas are also likely to suffer from adverse economic impacts since they won’t
be able to provide value for tourists.
Air pollution
Land pollution also causes air pollution. Since a high portion of garbage
worldwide is burned and the by-products and harmful gases are released into
the air, this harms the air quality and can also cause serious health conditions
for people living near waste incineration plants.
Effects on our groundwater
Through the disposal of large amounts of harmful substances from industrial
processes in illegal landfills or storages, toxic chemicals will enter our
groundwater system which in turn can affect the health of animals, plants and
also of humans.
Effects on animals
Animals are affected by land pollution in several ways. They are harmed by
the excessive use of fertilizer and pesticides since they eat the crops of plants
and therefore get contaminated by harmful chemicals.
Moreover, animals lose their natural habitat through deforestation. They either
have to move and search a new living space or they will die since their natural
environment has been destroyed.
Through the dumping of industrial waste in nearby rivers and lakes, animals
are contaminated with toxic substances since they drink the water.
Animals are also adversely affected by wildfires which result indirectly from
land pollution which causes them to lose their natural habitat or even their
death.
Effects on plants
Also, many plants are adversely affected by land pollution. Since they
contamination leads to a change in the soils‘ properties and plants are usually
quite sensitive to these parameters, this may lead to the extinction of certain
plants.
For example, an excessive use of fertilizer can cause a more acid soil. Since
the local plants are not used to this acidity, they may not be able to reproduce
properly and eventually die off.

Solution:
Reduce the use of fertilizers
Through the reduction of fertilizer use, the land pollution issue can be
mitigated since less harmful chemicals are washed in our groundwater.
Moreover, through a reduction in the use of fertilizer, the development of
algae is also mitigated which leads to better living conditions for fishes and
other water animals since the oxygen concentration stays on a higher level.
Reduce the use of pesticides
Similar to a reduction of the use of fertilizer, using a smaller amount of
pesticides will also reduce the land pollution problem since our groundwater
as well as our lakes and rivers are discharged.
Moreover, animals which eat crops contaminated with pesticides may suffer
illness or even death. Through the reduction in pesticides, the harm to these
animals will be reduced.
Reuse and recycle
In our daily lifes, we have many items which we just throw away even when
they are still working quite well but we want always have the newest version.
In this case, rather than just to deposit it in the garbage, trying to give it to
other people who then reuse it may be the better option.
If no one you know wants this item, you still can throw it away. However,
make sure that you dispose it in a way that it can be effectively recycled!
This way, our resources can be used more effectively and less waste has to
be deposited in landfills which in turn contribute to land pollution.
Reduction in consumption
Another related measure against the issue of land pollution is a change in our
consumption behavior. Since the industrial revolution, our consumption levels
have risen dramatically.
However, this increase in consumption leads to various kinds of
environmental issues, including land pollution.
In order to fight land pollution, we have to reduce our consumption levels. We
should stop buying stuff that is trendy. Instead, we should use our belongings
as long as they are functional.
Switch to organic food
Replacing conventional with organic food is another measure in order to
mitigate land pollution. By doing so, we avoid the use of pesticides and thus
the reduction of pollution in our rivers, lakes and also in our groundwater.
Organic gardening
You can also plant crops in your garden. This would further release our
environment since part of the land that is currently used for the production of
your vegetables can now be used for other purposes.
Avoid plastic
The amount of plastic packaging or other forms of plastic we use in our daily
lifes is ridiculously high. It doesn’t matter what we buy. From vegetables to
meat or many other products, most of them are covered with plastic. This
significantly contributes to the land pollution problem since we have to get rid
of all this plastic material somehow.
Avoid littering
Littering heavily contributes to the land pollution problem. People often just
throw their garbage on the ground, not at all caring about the adverse
consequences to our environment. A good example is the disposal of
cigarettes.
We see it every day that people, after using their cigarettes, they just throw
them on the ground, no matter where they are standing. Since there are many
harmful elements in cigarettes, this has an adverse impact on the soil.
Moreover, through rain, these chemicals are also washed in our groundwater.
Proper waste disposal
The disposal of waste in a proper way is an important measure against land
pollution both for private people as well as for industries.
In our daily lifes, we have to make sure that our garbage is separated so that
it can be disposed in the most effective way.
Industries have to make sure that they get rid of their waste in a way that
there is no adverse effect on the environment.
Education
Education is key in order to mitigate the problem of land pollution. We have to
show people the adverse effects of land pollution and how we can mitigate
them. This education should start at an early age in school.
Children will likely also convince their parents regarding the problem of land
pollution and maybe also parents may change their behavior. Therefore,
education can make a big difference in order to reduce the land pollution issue
and its implied adverse effects.
Convince people
You are already taking measure against the land pollution problem? Good!
However, you can do much more than that. Convincing other people on the
importance of mitigating land pollution is crucial in order to scale your impact.
By convincing others, everyone of us can make a big contribution in order to
save our environment.

Landfills:
Advantages:
Short transportation distances
One advantage of landfills is that they are usually located relatively close to
big cities. Therefore, the transportation distances and thus the emission of
greenhouse gases through the use of fossil fuels in vehicles can be kept at a
quite low level.
Moreover, the danger for accidents and resulting pollution also is quite low.
Therefore, through short transportation distances, landfills can be an effective
measure to get rid of large amounts of waste.
Energy production
Some of the waste dumped in landfills can be processed and used for energy
production. This is a quite efficient way to use resources since instead of just
burying the trash, we get a useful product out of it. Therefore, landfills can
also contribute to energy production if they are set up properly.
Convenient to operate
Landfills are usually quite easy to operate and can also process large
amounts of waste in a relatively short period of time. This is especially
important in areas like big cities with large amounts of waste where the speed
of waste processing is an important factor. Thus, the convenience in the
operation process of landfills is another advantage.
Cheap waste disposal method
The disposal of waste in landfills is relatively cheap compared to other waste
disposal methods. Therefore, industries and private households are eager to
dispose their waste in landfills.
High safety level
Landfills are considered to be quite safe. There are not too many accidents
reported from landfills. The safety of landfills also depends on a country’s
regulation standards.
Especially in developing countries, these standards are usually quite low and
therefore the safety level may be lower than on landfills in developed
countries with high safety standards.

Causes:
Agriculture
Agricultural waste is one cause for landfills. There are many different kinds of
agricultural waste, including crop remains and animal manure. This kind of
waste is often disposed on landfills.
In many cases, these kinds of waste can cause serious environmental
problems since they usually contain large concentrations of nitrogen or even
toxic substances which could lead to soil pollution.
Consumption levels
Our consumption levels are an important factor when it comes to the landfill
problem. Since the industrial revolution period, average consumption levels
increased significantly.
This is due to the fact that with the help of machines, large quantities can be
produced which in turn lead to a lower unit price.
Although this development has its advantages, it also causes severe
environmental problems. With an increased consumption, also the waste
produced per capita increased significantly.
Therefore, an increase in consumption levels also increases the amount of
waste and thus leads to an increase in the need for landfills.
Lack of willingness for reuse and recycling
Another reason for landfills is that we are simply not willing or do not pay
enough attention to reuse and recycling. We have many items that are still
working but we dispose them into trash since we want to have the newest
version of it. This behavior leads to an unnecessary waste of resources and
also contributes to the landfill problem.
Population growth
Our world population continues to grow. This growth in population also implies
an increase in waste production.
Moreover, also individual consumption levels are likely to increase since many
people in developing countries now aspire similar lifestyles like we have it in
our Western world.
Thus, chances are that consumption levels continue to increase, which leads
to an increase in waste production and also likely increases the landfill
problem.
Urbanization
Urbanization also contributes to the landfill issue. Since most of our nowadays
jobs are in the services industries now, people have a tendency to move into
cities and leave rural areas.
This behavior leads to a local population concentration and also to a local
increase of waste production. Therefore, in these high-populated regions, the
need for landfills also increases with the number of locals.
Industrial waste
Another important factor for the need of landfills is waste produced by
industries. Due to our high consumption levels, companies try to meet the
demand for goods through high levels of production of material things.
This production behavior leads to a large amount of industrial waste since the
by-products of the production processes are usually not usable in an
economically reasonable way.
Therefore, through this high level in waste production, there is also a big need
for landfills that goes along with this production behavior.
Construction
There is also quite a lot of waste that is produced in construction sites. A big
fraction of this solid waste is disposed in landfills in order to get rid of it.
Especially in popular cities which grow on a steady rate, more and more
houses and flats are built in order to meet the demand for housing.
However, this also leads to an increase in waste from construction sites which
in turn has to be disposed in landfills. Therefore, construction work can also
contribute to an increase in landfills.
Lack of education
A lack of education can indirectly contribute to the landfill problem since it may
lead to behavior that leads to an increase in waste production.
For example, if people not aware about the negative environmental effects
that is implied by waste production, they simply do not care how much and
which kinds of waste they produce.
In turn, this also contributes to an increased need for landfills since we have to
get rid of the waste somehow.

Effects:
Water pollution
Landfills can lead to water pollution. If landfills are installed near rivers or
lakes, leakages in landfills may lead to a contamination of this water bodies.
Moreover, landfills can also contaminate the groundwater with harmful or even
toxic substances.
This can happen if the landfills are not set up properly and rain can wash
harmful compounds of the waste through the soil into our groundwater.
Soil pollution
Soil pollution can be another effect caused by landfills. All kinds of toxic
materials are stored in landfills. If heavy rain sets in, these toxic compounds
can be washed into the soil, resulting in soil contamination.
This may also include a change in the acidity of the soil which may make the
soil unsuitable for other purposes like farming for a quite long time.
Effects on the fertility of soil
Moreover, the fertility of soil which surrounds landfills usually drops to a quite
low level. The soil is often contaminated with harmful chemicals and also
acidity levels are altered to levels which are extremely harmful to the natural
vegetation.
Therefore, areas surrounding landfills usually suffer from a reduction or even
from a destruction of soil fertility.
Odor nuisance
Often, there is also a quite unpleasant smell in the areas which are located
close to landfills. Especially in landfills where big fractions of organic waste
are processed, the odor nuisance can be quite severe.
This likely impacts the life quality for residents living near these landfills since
they are harmed by the smell on a daily basis.
Visual pollution
Landfills not only cause unpleasant smell, they usually also cause visual
pollution for people living next to these landfills. People usually prefer to have
a view on mountains or lakes.
A view on a landfill is usually not a thing people strive for. Thus, landfills also
lead to visual pollution for people living next to them or also for people who
frequently pass these areas.
Local drop in property prices
Since areas which are located quite close to landfills are adversely impacted
by smell and other unpleasant circumstances, property prices in these areas
are usually lower compared to areas without landfills.
This means if new landfills are installed, landlords who own land which is
located next to these landfills will suffer from a value reduction of their
property.
Spread of diseases
Landfills may also cause the spread of diseases if they are not operated in a
safe and proper way. Especially in the processing of organic waste, bacteria
can easily multiply and spread which may cause epidemics in the worst case.
This problem is especially severe in landfills which are located in countries
with high air temperature and high moisture since bacteria love these
conditions for breeding.
Therefore, landfills can lead to a spread of diseases if these landfills are not
set up and operated in a proper manner.
Air pollution
Landfills can also cause air pollution. Since all kinds of harmful chemicals are
disposed into landfills, part of these chemicals may evaporate over time which
can lead to a contamination of the air surrounding the landfills.
Moreover, if these substances get into the atmosphere, this air pollution may
in turn lead to acid rain or may also contribute to ozone depletion.
Global warming
Landfills can also contribute to global warming. Landfills are known for the
emission of methane which is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases.
Apart from methane, also additional other gases may be emitted in landfills.
Thus, the emission of methane and other greenhouse gases increases the
speed of global warming.
Impact on biodiversity
Biodiversity may decrease in areas which are affected by landfills. Landfills
usually require large areas of land to operate. This means that when new
landfills are constructed, the natural environment of many animals and plants
may be destroyed.
Moreover, also the living conditions in the areas next to landfills may be
altered since the pH-value may be changed.
Moreover, soil pollution may also decrease biodiversity since plants are
usually quite sensitive to changes in their natural living conditions. Chemicals
from landfills usually alter these natural conditions and animals and plants
may suffer from the adverse effects.
Health effects
There may also be severe health effects for people living nearby landfills or for
people who pass these landfills frequently because of the gases emitted from
landfills. These gases can lead to lung diseases or cancer.
Although this is not already entirely clear from a scientific perspective, living
near landfills likely increases the probability for these kinds of diseases.
Fires
Since there are many inflammable items disposed on landfills, there is a big
chance for fires which can spread easily and lead to big infernos if not treated
in a proper way. This problem is especially severe in developing countries
where landfills usually have quite low safety standards.
In these regions, landfill fires are quite common. These fires can destroy
landfills and may also lead to an emission of large amounts of toxic gases
which may lead to significant air pollution.
Economic effects
There are significant costs associated with the operation of landfills. One the
one hand, the processing of waste can be quite costly. These costs are
usually borne by the taxpayers‘ money. Moreover, there are also social costs
due to the negative externalities imposed by landfills on nearby residents.
These externalities include the odor nuisance, the visual pollution as well as
the adverse health effects. Thus, the operation and maintenance of landfills
also imposes significant costs on our society.

Solution:
Reduce consumption levels
In order to reduce the problems related to landfills, we should try to reduce our
consumption levels. Especially in the Western world, consumption levels are
on a level that is likely not sustainable in the long run.
Making things worse, also people in developing countries now aspire a similar
lifestyle. It should be obvious that if this trend continues, the overall world
consumption level will increase to a level which will overwhelm our
environmental system. This consumption level will also lead to an enormous
amount of trash, which has to be handled somehow.
Therefore, an increase in consumption levels also likely leads to an increase
in landfills. Thus, we should strive for a decrease in consumption levels on a
global scale in order to avoid the significant implied negative consequences.
Reduce waste
We should also try to avoid the production of waste whenever possible. There
are several occasions in our daily life in which we can easily safe waste. For
example, we should not use plastic items like cups which are just used a
single time and then disposed into the garbage can.
We can also reduce the waste from packaging. By doing so, the amount of
waste can be reduced significantly. This in turn will also mitigate the landfill
problem.
Switch to organic food stores
Another measure against landfills and the related problems is to switch from
conventional to organic food stores. In most cases, almost all items in
conventional food stores are packaged in plastic or plastic-related materials.
By buying these items, large amounts of garbage are produced over time.
In many organic food stores, the amount of plastic packaging is much lower
than in conventional stores. Therefore, buying products from organic food
stores instead of conventional stores may also lower the waste produced by
each individual and may thus also mitigate the landfill problem.
Avoid bottled water
Water bottle are often made of plastic. Over the course of one year, enormous
amounts of plastic trash are produced by using bottled water. Instead,
substituting bottled water with tap water would mitigate the waste production
problem significantly.
In many areas, our drinking water is quite clean, so drinking water from the
tap is not a big deal and will likely not impose any health issues. However, the
water quality varies significantly over countries.
Drinking tap water instead of bottled water therefore is a good measure to
avoid trash in Western countries, but may lead to serious health problems in
many developing countries.
Therefore, if you live in a developed country with good water quality, switching
from bottled to tap water is a good and easy measure in order to reduce waste
production and the implied landfill issue.
Avoid coffee-to-go cups
Coffee-to-go cups are a vast environmental problem. The number of cups that
are disposed each year after a single use is ridiculous. It is estimated that we
use 500 billion plastic cups each year. Everyone can imagine what that means
for our trash production.
Simply switching from single use plastic cups to cups for multiple use could
significantly reduce the problem. Thus, avoiding plastic cups which are just
meant for a single use can significantly reduce our waste production and may
also mitigate the landfill issue.
Buy secondhand products
Another measure to mitigate waste production and therefore to reduce the
landfill problem is to buy secondhand items instead of new ones.
By doing so, we can use our resources more efficiently and reduce the
production of unnecessary waste which in turn lowers the need for landfills
and the implied adverse consequences.
Reuse and recycle
By reusing and recycling your belongings, you can also contribute to a
reduction in waste production. When you have items you do no longer use but
which are still working, you can give them to your family or friends.
If nobody wants your old items, you should dispose them in a manner that
they can be recycled efficiently. This can be done by properly separating your
waste.
Improve waste management
Another way to reduce the landfill problems is to improve the waste
management systems. This could mean improving recycling systems in order
to lower the amount of trash buried into landfills.
By improving these waste management systems, waste can be treated more
efficiently and the adverse effects of landfills could be mitigated to a certain
extent.
Improve landfill structure
The proper installation and maintenance of landfills is crucial to be able to
avoid environmental issues from these landfills.
However, especially in developing countries, regulatory standards for landfills
are often quite low and therefore, the setup of landfills often leads to severe
weaknesses which can lead to soil pollution and other related issues.
Thus, improving the landfill structure and the processes may reduce the
issues related to landfills significantly.
Education
Education is a crucial part in order to reduce the amount of trash that is
produced each year. We have to raise the awareness on the topic of waste
production and its negative consequences for our environmental system.
This education should already start in school so that children can integrate
this knowledge in their daily behavior. Moreover, children are likely convincing
their parents that a reduction in trash would benefit our environment and
therefore also the living conditions for their children in the future.
Thus, parents will be more aware and more likely to change their behavior in
order to avoid trash and therefore also mitigate the landfill problem.