From elementary school we are taught that man and nature are one, that one cannot be separated from the other. We learn about the development of our planet, the features of its structure and structure. These areas influence our well-being: the atmosphere, soil, water of the Earth are, perhaps, the most important components of a normal human life. But why then is there pollution every year? environment goes further and further on an ever larger scale? Let's look at the main environmental issues.

Environmental pollution, which also refers to the natural environment and the biosphere, is an increased content of physical, chemical or biological reagents in it that are not typical for a given environment, brought in from the outside, the presence of which leads to negative consequences.

Scientists have been sounding the alarm about an imminent environmental disaster for several decades in a row. Conducted research in various fields leads to the conclusion that we are already faced with global changes in climate and external environment under the influence of human activity. Pollution of the oceans due to leaks of oil and petroleum products, as well as garbage, has reached enormous proportions, which affects the decline in populations of many animal species and the ecosystem as a whole. The growing number of cars every year leads to large emissions into the atmosphere, which, in turn, leads to drying of the earth, heavy rainfall on the continents, and a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the air. Some countries are already forced to bring in water and even buy canned air because production has ruined the country's environment. Many people have already realized the danger and are very sensitive to negative changes in nature and major environmental problems, but we still perceive the possibility of a disaster as something unrealistic and distant. Is this really so or is the threat imminent and something needs to be done immediately - let's find out.

Types and main sources of environmental pollution

The main types of pollution are classified by the sources of environmental pollution themselves:

• biological;
• chemical
• physical;
• mechanical.

In the first case, environmental pollutants are the activities of living organisms or anthropogenic factors. In the second case, the natural chemical composition of the contaminated sphere is changed by adding other chemicals. In the third case they change physical characteristics environment. These types of pollution include thermal, radiation, noise and other types of radiation. The latter type of pollution is also associated with human activity and waste emissions into the biosphere.

All types of pollution can be present either separately on their own, flow from one to another, or exist together. Let's consider how they affect individual areas of the biosphere.

People who passed long haul in the desert, they will probably be able to name the price of every drop of water. Although most likely these drops will be priceless, because human life depends on them. In ordinary life, we, alas, give water something different. great value, because we have a lot of it, and it is available at any time. But in the long term this is not entirely true. IN percentage Only 3% of the world's fresh water remains unpolluted. Understanding the importance of water for people does not prevent people from polluting an important source of life with oil and petroleum products, heavy metals, radioactive substances, inorganic pollution, sewage and synthetic fertilizers.

Contaminated water contains a large amount of xenobiotics - substances foreign to the human or animal body. If such water enters the food chain, it can lead to serious food poisoning and even fatal outcome all participants in the chain. Of course, they are also contained in products of volcanic activity, which pollute water even without human help, but the activities of the metallurgical industry and chemical plants are of predominant importance.

With the advent of nuclear research, quite significant harm has been caused to nature in all areas, including water. Charged particles that get into it cause great harm to living organisms and contribute to the development oncological diseases. Wastewater factories, ships nuclear reactors and simply rain or snow in the nuclear testing area can lead to water contamination with decomposition products.

Sewage that carries a lot of garbage: detergents, leftover food, small household waste and more, in turn, contribute to the proliferation of other pathogenic organisms, which, when entering the human body, give rise to a number of diseases, such as typhoid fever, dysentery and others.

It probably doesn’t make sense to explain how soil is an important part of human life. Most of the food that humans eat comes from the soil: from cereal crops to rare species fruits and vegetables. In order for this to continue, it is necessary to maintain the soil condition at the proper level for the normal water cycle. But anthropogenic pollution has already led to the fact that 27% of the planet's land is susceptible to erosion.

Soil pollution is the ingress of toxic chemicals and debris into it in high quantities, interfering with the normal circulation of soil systems. Main sources of soil pollution:

• residential buildings;
• industrial enterprises;
• transport;
• agriculture;
• nuclear energy.

In the first case, soil pollution occurs due to ordinary garbage that is thrown in the wrong places. But main reason landfills should be named. Burned waste leads to contamination of large areas, and combustion products spoil the soil irrevocably, polluting the entire environment.

Industrial enterprises emit many toxic substances, heavy metals and chemical compounds that affect not only the soil, but also the life of living organisms. It is this source of pollution that leads to technogenic soil pollution.

Transport emissions of hydrocarbons, methane and lead, entering the soil, affect food chains - they enter the human body through food.
Excessive plowing of the land, pesticides, pesticides and fertilizers, which contain enough mercury and heavy metals, lead to significant soil erosion and desertification. Abundant irrigation also cannot be called a positive factor, since it leads to soil salinization.

Today, up to 98% of radioactive waste is buried in the ground nuclear power plants, mainly uranium fission products, which leads to degradation and depletion of land resources.

The atmosphere in the form of a gaseous shell of the Earth is of great value because it protects the planet from cosmic radiation, affects the relief, determines the Earth's climate and its thermal background. It cannot be said that the composition of the atmosphere was homogeneous and only began to change with the advent of man. But it was precisely after the start of active human activity that the heterogeneous composition was “enriched” with dangerous impurities.

The main pollutants in this case are chemical plants, the fuel and energy complex, agriculture and cars. They lead to the appearance of copper, mercury, and other metals in the air. Of course, air pollution is felt the most in industrial areas.

Thermal power plants bring light and heat to our homes, however, at the same time they emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide and soot into the atmosphere.
Acid rain is caused by waste released from chemical plants, such as sulfur oxide or nitrogen oxide. These oxides can react with other elements of the biosphere, which contributes to the emergence of more harmful compounds.

Modern cars are quite good in design and technical specifications, but the problem with the atmosphere has still not been solved. Ash and fuel processing products not only spoil the atmosphere of cities, but also settle on the soil and lead to its deterioration.

In many industrial and industrial areas use has become an integral part of life precisely because of environmental pollution from factories and transport. Therefore, if you are concerned about the state of the air in your apartment, with the help of a breather you can create a healthy microclimate at home, which, unfortunately, does not eliminate the problems of environmental pollution, but at least allows you to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Environmental pollution is a global problem of our time, which is regularly discussed in the news and in scientific circles. Many international organizations have been created to combat the deterioration natural conditions. Scientists have long been sounding the alarm about the inevitability of an environmental disaster in the very near future.

On at the moment Much is known about environmental pollution - a large amount has been written scientific works and books, numerous studies have been conducted. But humanity has made very little progress in solving the problem. Pollution of nature still remains an important and pressing issue, the postponement of which can turn tragic.

History of biosphere pollution

Due to the intensive industrialization of society, environmental pollution has become especially acute in last decades. However, despite this fact, natural pollution is one of the oldest problems in human history. Even in the primitive era, people began to barbarously destroy forests, exterminate animals and change the landscape of the earth to expand their territory of residence and obtain valuable resources.

Even then, this led to climate change and other environmental problems. The growth of the planet's population and the progress of civilizations was accompanied by increased mining, drainage of water bodies, as well as chemical pollution of the biosphere. The Industrial Revolution not only marked new era in the social structure, but also a new wave of pollution.

With the development of science and technology, scientists have received tools with which an accurate and detailed analysis of the ecological state of the planet has become possible. Weather reports, monitoring of the chemical composition of air, water and soil, satellite data, as well as ubiquitous smoking pipes and oil spills on the water indicate that the problem is rapidly worsening with the expansion of the technosphere. It is not for nothing that the emergence of man is called the main environmental disaster.

Classification of nature pollution

There are several classifications of natural pollution based on their source, direction, and other factors.

So, the following types of environmental pollution are distinguished:

• Biological – the source of pollution is living organisms; it can occur due to natural causes or as a result of anthropogenic activities.
• Physical – leads to changes in the corresponding characteristics of the environment. Physical pollution includes thermal, radiation, noise and others.
• Chemical – an increase in the content of substances or their penetration into the environment. Leads to a change in the normal chemical composition of resources.
• Mechanical – pollution of the biosphere with garbage.

In reality, one type of pollution may be accompanied by another or several at once.

The gaseous shell of the planet is an integral participant in natural processes, determines the thermal background and climate of the Earth, protects against harmful cosmic radiation, and influences relief formation.

The composition of the atmosphere has changed throughout the historical development of the planet. The current situation is such that part of the volume of the gas shell is determined by human economic activity. The composition of the air is heterogeneous and differs depending on geographical location– in industrial areas and major cities high level harmful impurities.

The main sources of chemical pollution of the atmosphere:

• chemical plants;
• enterprises of the fuel and energy complex;
• transport.

These pollutants cause the presence of heavy metals in the atmosphere, such as lead, mercury, chromium, and copper. They are permanent components of air in industrial areas.

Modern power plants emit hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide, as well as soot, dust and ash, into the atmosphere every day.

Increase in the number of cars in populated areas led to an increase in the concentration of a number of harmful gases in the air, which are part of machine exhaust. Due to anti-knock additives added to transportation fuels, emissions occur. large quantities lead Cars produce dust and ash, which pollute not only the air, but also the soil, settling on the ground.

The atmosphere is also polluted by very toxic gases emitted by the chemical industry. Waste from chemical plants, for example, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, causes acid rain and can react with components of the biosphere to form other dangerous derivatives.

As a result human activity Forest fires occur regularly, during which colossal amounts of carbon dioxide are released.

Soil is a thin layer of the lithosphere, formed as a result of natural factors, in which most of the exchange processes between living and nonliving systems take place.

Due to the extraction of natural resources, mining operations, the construction of buildings, roads and airfields, large areas of soil are destroyed.

Irrational economic activity humans have caused the degradation of the fertile layer of the earth. His natural is changing chemical composition, mechanical contamination occurs. Intensive agricultural development leads to significant land loss. Frequent plowing makes them vulnerable to flooding, salinity and wind, which causes soil erosion.

The abundant use of fertilizers, insecticides and chemical poisons to destroy pests and clear weeds leads to the release of toxic compounds that are unnatural for it into the soil. As a result of anthropogenic activities, chemical pollution of lands with heavy metals and their derivatives occurs. The main harmful element is lead, as well as its compounds. When processing lead ores, about 30 kilograms of metal are released from every ton. Car exhaust containing large amounts of this metal settles in the soil, poisoning the organisms living in it. Liquid waste discharges from mines contaminate the ground with zinc, copper and other metals.

Power plants, radioactive fallout from nuclear explosions, research centers for the study of atomic energy cause radioactive isotopes to enter the soil, which then enter the human body with food.

Metal reserves concentrated in the bowels of the earth are dissipated as a consequence of human production activity. Then they concentrate in top layer soil. In ancient times, man used 18 elements, from those found in earth's crust, and today - all are famous.

Today, the water shell of the earth is much more polluted than one can imagine. Oil slicks and bottles floating on the surface are just what can be seen. A significant part of pollutants is in a dissolved state.

Water spoilage can occur naturally. As a result of mudflows and floods, magnesium is washed out of the continental soil, which enters water bodies and harms fish. As a result of chemical transformations in fresh waters aluminum penetrates. But natural pollution makes up a negligibly small proportion compared to anthropogenic pollution. Due to human fault, the following gets into the water:

• surfactants;
• pesticides;
• phosphates, nitrates and other salts;
• medicines;
• petroleum products;
• radioactive isotopes.

Sources of these pollutants include farms, fisheries, oil platforms, power plants, chemical plants, and sewage.

Acid rain, which is also the result of human activity, dissolves the soil and washes away heavy metals.

In addition to chemical pollution of water, there is physical, namely thermal. The largest use of water is in the production of electricity. Thermal stations They use it to cool turbines, and the heated waste liquid is discharged into reservoirs.

Mechanical deterioration of water quality due to household waste in populated areas leads to a reduction in the habitats of living beings. Some species are dying.

Polluted water is the main cause of most diseases. As a result of liquid poisoning, many living beings die, the ocean ecosystem suffers, and the normal course of natural processes is disrupted. The pollutants ultimately enter the human body.

Anti-pollution

To avoid environmental disaster, combating physical pollution must be a top priority. The problem must be solved at the international level, because nature has no state borders. To prevent pollution, it is necessary to impose sanctions on enterprises that discharge waste into the environment, and impose large fines for placing waste in the wrong place. Incentives to comply with environmental safety standards can also be achieved through financial methods. This approach has proven effective in some countries.

A promising direction to combat pollution is the use of alternative energy sources. Usage solar panels, hydrogen fuel and other energy-saving technologies will reduce the emission of toxic compounds into the atmosphere.

Other methods of combating pollution include:

• construction of treatment facilities;
• creation of national parks and reserves;
• increasing the amount of green space;
• population control in third world countries;
• attracting public attention to the problem.

Environmental pollution is a large-scale global problem that can only be solved if active participation everyone who calls planet Earth home, otherwise environmental disaster will be inevitable.

They talk about the need to consume and recycle less waste, and to preserve nature. lately more and more. Pope Francis even raised this topic in his recent speech. However, no matter how much people heed this advice, the damage to our planet has already been done, and the damage is enormous.

1. Electronics waste from all over the world is brought to Ghana, where the local population disassembles it into valuable parts and burns the rest.

2. Mexico City is one of the most populous cities in the Western Hemisphere

3. In the eastern hemisphere, New Delhi has the same problem, with a population of about 25 million people

4. Los Angeles is famous for having more cars than people.

5. Oil field in California

Two organizations, The Foundation for Deep Ecology and the Population Media Center, have released a series of photographs that illustrate the shocking consequences of consumption. natural resources by humans, as well as environmental pollution. " This is what worries people in the first place, and at the same time what is not talked about in the top press news" explains Missy Thurston, one of the managers of the Population Media Center.

6. Once an old forest was completely cut down in Oregon

7. UK Coal Power Plant

8. Due to global warming, the environment is changing dramatically and irrevocably

9. The world's largest diamond quarry

10. Burning the Amazon Jungle to Create Grazing Fields for Cattle

IN everyday life It's hard to predict the consequences of our usual choices - be it a plastic bottle of water in the supermarket or another TV or computer. However, when you consider that the world's population is almost 7.5 billion people, and each of them throws out an average of 2 kg of garbage every day (this data has changed by almost 60% since 1960), then it becomes obvious that the problem is very, very serious indeed. is important, and we all need to solve it together.

11. Tar sands and open pit mines cover so much land that they can be seen from space.

12. Tire dump in Nevada

13. Vancouver Island, once covered with coniferous forests

14. Industrial agriculture in Spain, stretching for many kilometers

15. Tar sands in Canada

In September 2015, world leaders will gather to discuss the challenges of human development that need to be addressed before 2030. A UN meeting is due to take place in Paris in December, at which pollution limits will be set. Much depends on influential people who will decide global problems, but no less depends on ordinary person, in whose hands there is every opportunity to help nature by his own example.

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When you think about the many environmental problems facing the world today, what solutions come to mind? Perhaps you are thinking about latest warnings scientists about global warming, about endangered species of animals and plants, about the disappearance of forests or about air and water pollution. Of course, the list of environmental threats is endless, and your children have no doubt already learned about many of them at home or at school.

Many adults may be intimidated by studying scientific data detailing the state of the environment. How to teach your children the importance of caring for the environment and not put into them the idea of ​​the inevitable end of the world and a universal catastrophe? First, draw your children's attention to what your family and friends can do to protect nature. If you help your children care environmental protection from the very early age, they will be able to see that their actions actually make a difference, and that if they act together with other people, they can play an important role in changing and improving the whole world.

This article provides simple, easy-to-do activities with children that you can incorporate into your daily schedule that will help them become responsible stewards of the environment.

Save water

Did you know that one person uses, on average, about 200 liters of water per day? You might guess that people use more water in the bathroom than in any other room in the house, or that a dripping faucet can spill up to 7,500 liters of water per year. But while you're likely aware of these statistics, your kids probably have no idea how much water is wasted every day.

How to teach children to take care of our water resources? Consider the following suggestions:

1. When brushing your teeth, washing your face or washing your hands, turn off the water rather than running it constantly;
2. make it a rule to reduce the time you spend in the shower (use a timer if necessary);
3. If it is the children's turn to wash the dishes, do not let them constantly pour water while they are soaping or rinsing the dishes;
4. if you ask children to wash garden paths, give them a mop, not a hose;
5. In spring and summer, have your children water the plants early in the morning to avoid evaporation and therefore waste less water;
6. Do not throw garbage into the toilet, because you have to flush the water every time.

Waste recycling

In all likelihood, your bins are now much lighter than they were a few years ago. Today, recycling bins are already available in many cities, and most houses also have trash cans with such waste, which are taken away by special vehicles once a week.

Your children may have also taken part in school programs waste paper collection and world day environmental protection (celebrated annually around the world on June 5), which promote environmental protection. Maybe they even help their family collect and recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles and get paid for it. Since waste recycling has become so widespread in recent years, what else can be done to reduce environmental pollution?

Reduce waste

Perhaps the simplest thing your family can do first and foremost is to reduce the amount of waste you produce. Because the handful of garbage that everyone produces individual, adds up to huge mountains of global trash, and reducing your personal trash can have a significant impact on the environment. The following ideas will help you:

1. save paper, write letters and do homework on both sides of the sheet;
2. make a stack of note paper that your kids can use for their rough work - it helps to reuse the paper;
3. when preparing lunch, use reusable dishes;
4. encourage children to use reusable containers rather than plastic bags, wrapping paper or aluminum foil;
5. place grass clippings, leaves and food scraps in compost pit in your garden, rather than throwing them away with the garbage, which will also reduce the amount of garbage taken to city landfills;
6. buy things made from recycled paper and other recycled materials;
7. Show your kids how much packaging is wasted when you buy individually packaged items instead of buying large packages and then portioning what you buy into reusable containers;
8. buy rechargeable batteries and other devices that are better for the environment in the long run and last much longer regular batteries;
9. If you are in a store and buy a small item, put it in your pocket, purse or other shopping bag, rather than asking for a separate bag for it;
10. Bring a reusable shopping bag that your family can use for weeks on end, or just a shopping bag.

Reusing old things

Old unwanted clothes, toys or household items can get a second or even a third life if you start using them for other purposes. For example, an old tire can make a great garden bed, or torn clothing can be used as a rag. Parts of broken toys may become new life as a material for crafts. You can also donate a still usable item to a charity.

Recycling outside the home

Many people carefully collect trash at home and completely forget about it outside. For example, what do you do with empty plastic bottles and soda cans? Do you throw them in a recycling bin if there is one nearby? Or do you just throw it in the trash?

Remind your children that all they need to do is make sure the can or bottle is empty, put it in their backpack, and then throw it in the recycling container at home. You can also consult with the administration of gardens and parks in your city whether it is possible to place such containers in areas of heavy urban traffic. Some gardens and parks and beaches already have special containers for plastic bottles and metal cans.

Reduce air pollution, slow global warming

If your children are in middle or high school, they may have already been taught about global warming. Although it may seem that only governments and big business, there are some things you and your family can do, not to mention that will help you save money at the same time. For example, you can offer your children the following:

1. If you need to get somewhere, walk, bike, or take the bus instead of driving. Maybe you live close enough to a school that your children can walk to it? Can you agree with your neighbors to take turns driving their children? Can your children walk or bike to a friend's house instead of using the car?
2. Save electricity (turn off the TV, lights, radio and other electrical appliances when not in use).
3. Help conserve energy and raw materials by recycling, reusing, and reducing the amount you consume.
4. Plant trees and other plants to help absorb excess carbon dioxide (they also provide shade and windbreaks, which can help keep homes at a more or less constant temperature and therefore reduce the energy costs of heating or cooling them).

Less effort - more results

Our small everyday actions are the most in different ways can have significant positive effects on the environment. To get children to think about the environment on a regular basis, let them see everything you do to protect it every day and explain why you do it. For example, children may not understand why using energy-saving light bulbs or a powered lawn mower is better for the environment until you explain it to them. Show your children that you don't litter and explain the impact pollution has on the environment. Don't throw away unnecessary things, but donate them to charities. Stay up to date with environmental projects in your area and you might be able to plant a tree or pick up trash at your local park with your kids.