Introduction
The notion of pollution has become one of the most challenging global issues affecting the world in the 21st century. While some people are genuinely interested in making Earth a safer place to live for their descendants, the vast majority of the population still undermines the issue facing the planet. Researchers warn that in case the ignorance continues, the world would be nothing but a place overcrowded with garbage, toxic waste, and diseases (Sverdrup). Regarding the current pollution patterns, its impact can be divided into two major categories: the ways pollution affects humans and the environment. The purpose of this research paper is to establish the outcome pollution has on both of these aspects as well as ponder upon the ways to combat the issue.
Pollution Impact on Humans
Among all the severe effects pollution has on human health, air pollution is considered to be the most threatening hazard. According to the latest statistics, 91% of the global population lives in places with carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere being higher than it is generally accepted (Woodward). Such a problem later leads to severe lung issues, sometimes having even more serious complications than consistent smoking. Some of the main air polluters are diesel-fueled cars and large factories that produce emissions in the air.
A few decades ago, the City of New York was given a nickname “the city that never sleeps.” In fact, nowadays, this expression concerns almost the whole planet. By using an excessive amount of artificial light, world citizens struggle with complications like insomnia, depression, obesity, and even breast cancer (Woodward). With more than 80% of the population living under light-polluted skies, future generations are at risk of never seeing a starry night.
Pollution Impact on Environment
In the context of media discourse in the 21st century, environmental pollution has become one of the most discussed issues due to its rapid expansion and tremendous complications. Currently, the most damaging item for the environment is plastic, having generated more than six billion tonnes of waste according to the 2019 data (Mazhandu and Muzenda). Such an enormous amount of non-degradable polymers leads to mass pollution of water, killing thousands of marine residents by choking them with plastic items. Moreover, landfills are now one of the most widespread ways of garbage disposal, turning some areas into literal islands of garbage like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Future Implications
Current trends in ecology promote a major change in the way’s conventional factories and infrastructure work. A considerably large number of power plants are now being reorganized in a way safe for the environment. Various factors like the demand for sustainable development, pollution dilemma, and the ability to instantly use natural energy have led to the extended use of renewable energy with no harm to the planet (Nazir et al.). Furthermore, the number of electric vehicles is now steadily growing in both usage and availability, creating an opportunity to replace diesel-fueled cars in the future.
Conclusion
In the course of this research paper, some of the most dangerous areas of environmental pollution have been examined. As a result, such an impact can be generally divided into groups of damaging effects on both human health and the environment. Although pollution is now one of the most challenging issues, existing advancements in the field of ecology allow researchers to predict a safer future for the generation in case the action is taken immediately.
Works Cited
Mazhandu, Zvanaka S., and Edison Muzenda. “Global Plastic Waste Pollution Challenges and Management.” 2019 7th International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference (IRSEC). IEEE, 2019.
Nazir, Muhammad Shahzad, et al. “Environmental impact and pollution-related challenges of renewable wind energy paradigm–A review.” Science of the Total Environment, vol. 683, 2019, pp. 436-444.
Sverdrup, Harald Ulrik. “The global sustainability challenges in the future: the energy use, materials supply, pollution, climate change, and inequality nexus.” What Next for Sustainable Development? Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019.
Woodward, Aylin. “Air Pollution Kills More People Each Year Than Smoking — But It’s Not The Only Dangerous Pollutant You Encounter on a Daily Basis.” Business Insider, 2019.